12:10 leprous. The Hebrew word can refer to various skin diseases. It was clear to anyone who saw Miriam that God had condemned her attitude. Aaron shared the humiliation, for it was evident to all that he too was being chastened for joining her in claiming that they were as great as Moses. God did not make Aaron leprous, however, since his position as high priest (second in importance only to that of Moses) needed to be safeguarded (cf. Num. 16:6–17:11). Later, Uzziah, a beloved king of Judah, was stricken with leprosy when he tried to assume the prerogatives of the high priest (2 Chr. 26:16–21).