Numbers 11

Numbers 11:1

Soon the people began to complain about their hardship in the hearing of the LORD, and when He heard them, His anger was kindled, and fire from the LORD blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp.

Numbers 11:1 · BSB

complained or , were as it were complainers

Numbers 11:2

And the people cried out to Moses, and he prayed to the LORD, and the fire died down.

Numbers 11:2 · BSB

was quenched Heb. sunk

Numbers 11:3

So that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the LORD had burned among them.

Numbers 11:3 · BSB

Numbers 11:4

Meanwhile, the rabble among them had a strong craving for other food, and again the Israelites wept and said, “Who will feed us meat?

Numbers 11:4 · BSB

fell a lusting Heb. lusted a lust

wept again Heb. returned and wept

Numbers 11:5

We remember the fish we ate freely in Egypt, along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic.

Numbers 11:5 · BSB

the cucumbers In Hebrew , kishshuim , in Arabic , kiththa , Chaldee , keta , and Syriac , kati , a species of cucumber peculiar to Egypt , smooth , of a longish cylindrical shape , and about a foot long. Prosper Alpinus says that it differs from the common sort by its size , colour , and softness; that its leaves are smaller , whiter , softer , and rounder; its fruit larger , greener , smoother , softer , sweeter , and more easy of digestion than ours. Hasselquist describes it in the same manner; and adds , that it is very little watery , but firm like a melon , sweet and cool to the taste , but not so cold as the watermelon , which is meant by the avutichim of the text.

Numbers 11:6

But now our appetite is gone; there is nothing to see but this manna!”

Numbers 11:6 · BSB

Numbers 11:7

Now the manna resembled coriander seed, and its appearance was like that of gum resin.

Numbers 11:7 · BSB

colour thereof as the colour of Heb. eye of it as the eye of

Numbers 11:8

The people walked around and gathered it, ground it on a handmill or crushed it in a mortar, then boiled it in a cooking pot or shaped it into cakes. It tasted like pastry baked with fine oil.

Numbers 11:8 · BSB

Numbers 11:9

When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall with it.

Numbers 11:9 · BSB

Numbers 11:10

Then Moses heard the people of family after family weeping at the entrances to their tents, and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly, and Moses was also displeased.

Numbers 11:10 · BSB

Numbers 11:11

So Moses asked the LORD, "Why have You brought this trouble on Your servant? Why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid upon me the burden of all these people?

Numbers 11:11 · BSB

Numbers 11:12

Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth, so that You should tell me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries an infant,' to the land that You swore to give their fathers?

Numbers 11:12 · BSB

Numbers 11:13

Where can I get meat for all these people? For they keep crying out to me, 'Give us meat to eat!'

Numbers 11:13 · BSB

Numbers 11:14

I cannot carry all these people by myself; it is too burdensome for me.

Numbers 11:14 · BSB

Numbers 11:15

If this is how You are going to treat me, please kill me right now—if I have found favor in Your eyes—and let me not see my own wretchedness."

Numbers 11:15 · BSB

my wretchedness Two of Dr. Kennicott's manuscripts read , "their wretchedness." The Jerusalem Targum has the same , and adds , by way of explanation , "who are thine own people.

Numbers 11:16

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Bring Me seventy of the elders of Israel known to you as leaders and officers of the people. Bring them to the Tent of Meeting and have them stand there with you.

Numbers 11:16 · BSB

Numbers 11:17

And I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put that Spirit on them. They will help you bear the burden of the people, so that you do not have to bear it by yourself.

Numbers 11:17 · BSB

Numbers 11:18

And say to the people: Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you will eat meat, because you have cried out in the hearing of the LORD, saying: ‘Who will feed us meat? For we were better off in Egypt!’ Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you will eat.

Numbers 11:18 · BSB

Numbers 11:19

You will eat it not for one or two days, nor for five or ten or twenty days,

Numbers 11:19 · BSB

Numbers 11:20

but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and makes you nauseous—because you have rejected the LORD, who is among you, and have cried out before Him, saying, ‘Why did we ever leave Egypt?’”

Numbers 11:20 · BSB

Numbers 11:21

But Moses replied, “Here I am among 600,000 men on foot, yet You say, ‘I will give them meat, and they will eat for a month.’

Numbers 11:21 · BSB

Numbers 11:22

If all our flocks and herds were slaughtered for them, would they have enough? Or if all the fish in the sea were caught for them, would they have enough?”

Numbers 11:22 · BSB

Numbers 11:23

The LORD answered Moses, “Is the LORD’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not My word will come to pass.”

Numbers 11:23 · BSB

Numbers 11:24

So Moses went out and relayed to the people the words of the LORD, and he gathered seventy of the elders of the people and had them stand around the tent.

Numbers 11:24 · BSB

Numbers 11:25

Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and He took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and placed that Spirit on the seventy elders. As the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but they never did so again.

Numbers 11:25 · BSB

gave it From this place , Origen and Theodoret take occasion to compare Moses to a lamp , at which seventy others were lighted , without any diminution of its lustre.

Numbers 11:26

Two men, however, had remained in the camp—one named Eldad and the other Medad—and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those listed, but they had not gone out to the tent, and they prophesied in the camp.

Numbers 11:26 · BSB

Numbers 11:27

A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

Numbers 11:27 · BSB

Numbers 11:28

Joshua son of Nun, the attendant to Moses since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”

Numbers 11:28 · BSB

Numbers 11:29

But Moses replied, "Are you jealous on my account? I wish that all the LORD's people were prophets and that the LORD would place His Spirit on them!"

Numbers 11:29 · BSB

Numbers 11:30

Then Moses returned to the camp, along with the elders of Israel.

Numbers 11:30 · BSB

Numbers 11:31

Now a wind sent by the LORD came up, drove in quail from the sea, and brought them near the camp, about two cubits above the surface of the ground, for a day’s journey in every direction around the camp.

Numbers 11:31 · BSB

quails That the word selav means the quail , we have already had occasion to observe; to which we subjoin the authority of Mr. Maundrell , who visited Naplosa (the ancient Sichem) , where the Samaritans live. Mr. Maundrell asked their chief priest what sort of animal he took the selav to be. He answered , they were a sort of fowls; and , by the description Mr. Maundrell perceived he meant the same kind with our quails.

a day's journey Heb. the way of a day

and as it were two cubits That is , as the Vulgate renders , Volabantque in aere duobus cubitis altitudine super terram , "and they flew in the air , at the height of two cubits above the ground."

Numbers 11:32

All that day and night, and all the next day, the people stayed up gathering the quail. No one gathered less than ten homers, and they spread them out all around the camp.

Numbers 11:32 · BSB

Numbers 11:33

But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and the LORD struck them with a severe plague.

Numbers 11:33 · BSB

Numbers 11:34

So they called that place Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had craved other food.

Numbers 11:34 · BSB

Numbers 11:35

From Kibroth-hattaavah the people moved on to Hazeroth, where they remained for some time.

Numbers 11:35 · BSB

abode at Heb. they were in , etc