Numbers11
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1And the people were as murmurers, speaking evil in the ears of Jehovah: and when Jehovah heard it, his anger was kindled; and the fire of Jehovah burnt among them, and devoured in the uttermost part of the camp.
2And the people cried unto Moses; and Moses prayed unto Jehovah, and the fire abated.
3And the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of Jehovah burnt among them.
4And the mixed multitude that was among them lusted exceedingly: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
5We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic:
6but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all save this manna to look upon.
7And the manna was like coriander seed, and the appearance thereof as the appearance of bdellium.
8The people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in mortars, and boiled it in pots, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.
9And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.
10And Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, every man at the door of his tent: and the anger of Jehovah was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased.
11And Moses said unto Jehovah, Wherefore hast thou dealt ill with thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favor in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?
12Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father carrieth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?
13Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.
14I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.
15And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favor in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.
16And Jehovah said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with thee.
17And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the Spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.
18And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow, and ye shall eat flesh; for ye have wept in the ears of Jehovah, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore Jehovah will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.
19Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days,
20but a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you; because that ye have rejected Jehovah who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?
21And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.
22Shall flocks and herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?
23And Jehovah said unto Moses, Is Jehovah’s hand waxed short? now shalt thou see whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.
24And Moses went out, and told the people the words of Jehovah: and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the Tent.
25And Jehovah came down in the cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and put it upon the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, but they did so no more.
26But there remained two men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the Spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but had not gone out unto the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp.
27And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
28And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
29And Moses said unto him, Art thou jealous for my sake? would that all Jehovah’s people were prophets, that Jehovah would put his Spirit upon them!
30And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.
31And there went forth a wind from Jehovah, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, about a day’s journey on this side, and a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and about two cubits above the face of the earth.
32And the people rose up all that day, and all the night, and all the next day, and gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.
33While the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the people, and Jehovah smote the people with a very great plague.
34And the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people that lusted.
35From Kibroth-hattaavah the people journeyed unto Hazeroth; and they abode at Hazeroth.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 11.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The burning at Taberah. (1–3). The people lust for flesh, and loathe the manna. (4–9). Moses complains of his charge. (10–15). Elders appointed to divide the charge. Flesh meat promised. (16–23). The Spirit rests on the elders. (24–30). Quails are given. (31–35).
vv1-3
Here is the people's sin; they complained. See the sinfulness of sin, which takes occasion from the commandment to be provoking. The weakness of the law discovered sin, but could not destroy it; checked, but could not conquer it. They complained. Those who are of a discontented spirit, will always find something to quarrel or fret about, though the circumstances of their outward condition be ever so favourable. The Lord heard it, though Moses did not. God knows the secret frettings and murmurings of the heart, though concealed from men. What he noticed, he was much displeased with, and he chastised them for this sin. The fire of their wrath against God burned in their minds; justly did the fire of God's wrath fasten on their bodies; but God's judgments came on them gradually, that they might take warning. It appeared that God delights not in punishing; when he begins, he is soon prevailed with to let it fall.
vv4-9
Man, having forsaken his proper rest, feels uneasy and wretched, though prosperous. They were weary of the provision God had made for them, although wholesome food and nourishing. It cost no money or care, and the labour of gathering it was very little indeed; yet they talked of Egypt's cheapness, and the fish they ate there freely; as if that cost them nothing, when they paid dearly for it with hard service! While they lived on manna, they seemed exempt from the curse sin has brought on man, that in the sweat of his face he should eat bread; yet they speak of it with scorn. Peevish, discontented minds will find fault with that which has no fault in it, but that it is too good for them. Those who might be happy, often make themselves miserable by discontent. They could not be satisfied unless they had flesh to eat. It is evidence of the dominion of the carnal mind, when we want to have the delights and satisfaction of sense. We should not indulge in any desire which we cannot in faith turn into prayer, as we cannot when we ask meat for our lust. What is lawful of itself becomes evil, when God does not allot it to us, yet we desire it.
vv10-15
The provocation was very great; yet Moses expressed himself otherwise than became him. He undervalued the honour God had put upon him. He magnified his own performances, while he had the Divine wisdom to direct him, and Almighty power to dispense rewards and punishments. He speaks distrustfully of the Divine grace. Had the work been much less he could not have gone through it in his own strength; but had it been much greater, through God strengthening him, he might have done it. Let us pray, Lord, lead us not into temptation.
Key Words
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
אָנַן: to mourn, i.e. complain
אֹזֶן: broadness. i.e. (concrete) the ear (from its form in man)
רַע: bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
אַף: properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire
חָרָה: to glow or grow warm; figuratively (usually) to blaze up, of anger, zeal, jealousy
אֵשׁ: fire (literally or figuratively)
בָּעַר: to kindle, i.e. consume (by fire or by eating); to be(-come) brutish
אָכַל: to eat (literally or figuratively)
Cross References
Numbers 11Paul warns believers not to lust after evil things as Israel lusted in the wilderness.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Deuteronomy names Taberah and Kibroth-hattaavah as places where Israel provoked the Lord to wrath.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies the mixed multitude that instigated the intense craving for meat in the camp.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Summarizes Israel's intense lusting in the wilderness and their tempting of God.
Supported by Matthew Henry
John's attempt to stop an outside miracle worker mirrors Joshua's attempt to silence Eldad and Medad.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Poetically describes the miraculous sending of feathered fowls like the sand of the sea.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Portrays God striking Israel with a plague while the meat was still in their mouths.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Compares the appearance and taste of the manna to the original Exodus description.
Supported by JFB
Moses later recounts his inability to bear the immense burden of the people alone.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Elijah's despairing request for God to take his life mirrors Moses' request to be killed.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Nehemiah reflects on God giving His good Spirit to instruct Israel during their journeys.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Echoes the Lord's question to Moses about whether His hand or power has been shortened.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Jesus appointing seventy disciples parallels Moses gathering seventy elders to assist in ministry.
Supported by John Calvin