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Numbers 11:1-15

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The People Complain

1 And 1the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about their misfortunes, and when the LORD heard it, 2his anger was kindled, and 3the fire of the LORD burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp.
2 Then 4the people cried out to Moses, 5and Moses prayed to the LORD, and the fire died down.
3 So the name of that place was called 6Taberah,[a] because the fire of the LORD burned among them.
4 Now the 7rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also 8wept again and said, 9"Oh that we had meat to eat!
5 10We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.
6 But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at."
7 Now 11the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium.
8 12The people went about and gathered it and ground it in handmills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it. 13And the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil.
9 14When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.
10 Moses heard the people 15weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the LORD blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased.
11 16Moses said to the LORD, "Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me?
12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, 17'Carry them in your bosom, as a 18nurse carries a nursing child,' to the land 19that you swore to give their fathers?
13 20Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, 'Give us meat, that we may eat.'
14 21I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me.
15 If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness."
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Numbers 11:1-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 11

This chapter informs us of the complaints of the people of Israel, which brought the fire of the Lord upon them, and consumed many of them; and which, at the intercession of Moses, was quenched, and the place from thence called Taberah, Nu 11:1-3; and of the lusting of the mixed multitude after flesh, to increase which, they called to mind their food in Egypt; and to show their folly and ingratitude in so doing, the manna is described, Nu 11:4-9; and of the uneasiness of Moses, and his complaints of the heavy burden of the people upon him, Nu 11:10-15; and to make him easy, it is promised, that seventy of the elders of Israel should partake of his spirit, and assist in bearing the burden, Nu 11:16,17; and that the people should have flesh to serve them a whole month, Nu 11:18-20; at which last Moses expressed some degree of unbelief, Nu 11:21-23; however God fulfilled his promise with respect to both. Some of the spirit of Moses was taken and given to seventy elders, who prophesied, and two men are particularly taken notice of, who did so, Nu 11:24-30; quails in great numbers were brought by a wind to the people; but while they were eating them wrath came upon them, and they were smitten with a plague, whence the place was called Kibrothhattaavah, Nu 11:31-34; and from thence they removed to Hazeroth, Nu 11:35.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 21

  • 1. Deuteronomy 9:22
  • 2. Psalms 78:21
  • 3. [Numbers 16:35; Leviticus 10:2; 2 Kings 1:12; Psalms 106:18; Revelation 13:13]
  • 4. [Numbers 21:7]
  • 5. [James 5:16]; See Numbers 16:45-48
  • 6. Deuteronomy 9:22
  • 7. See Exodus 12:38
  • 8. Numbers 14:1
  • 9. Psalms 78:18; Psalms 106:14; 1 Corinthians 10:6
  • 10. [Numbers 21:5; Exodus 16:3; Acts 7:39]
  • 11. Exodus 16:14, 31
  • 12. Exodus 16:16-18
  • 13. [Exodus 16:31]
  • 14. Exodus 16:13, 14
  • 15. [Zechariah 12:12-14]
  • 16. [1 Kings 19:4; Jonah 4:1-4, 9]
  • 17. Isaiah 40:11; [Deuteronomy 1:31]
  • 18. [Isaiah 49:23; 1 Thessalonians 2:7]
  • 19. Genesis 50:24; Exodus 13:5
  • 20. [2 Kings 7:2; Matthew 15:33; Mark 8:4; John 6:7, 9]
  • 21. Exodus 18:18; Deuteronomy 1:9, 12

Footnotes 1

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.