10:13 This was the first time they set out on their journey according to the commandment 2 of the Lord, by the authority 3 of Moses.
12:15 So Miriam was shut outside of the camp for seven days, and the people did not journey on until Miriam was brought back in. 4
1 tn This is the same Hebrew expression that was used earlier for the Levites “keeping their charge” or more clearly, “fulfilling their obligations” to take care of the needs of the people and the sanctuary. It is a general expression using שָׁמַר (shamar) followed by its cognate noun מִשְׁמֶרֶת (mishmeret).
2 tn Heb “mouth.”
3 tn Heb “hand.”
4 tn The clause has the Niphal infinitive construct after a temporal preposition.
5 sn The judgment on Israel is that they turn back to the desert and not attack the tribes in the land. So a parenthetical clause is inserted to state who was living there. They would surely block the entrance to the land from the south – unless God removed them. And he is not going to do that for Israel.