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Numbers 11:16-30

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Elders Appointed to Aid Moses

16 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Gather for me 1seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and 2officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you.
17 3And I will come down and talk with you there. And 4I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and 5they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.
18 And say to the people, 6'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the LORD, saying, "Who will give us meat to eat? 7For it was better for us in Egypt." Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you shall eat.
19 You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days,
20 but a whole month, 8until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the LORD who is among you and have wept before him, saying, 9"Why did we come out of Egypt?"'"
21 But Moses said, 10"The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, 'I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month!'
22 11Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them?"
23 And the LORD said to Moses, 12"Is the LORD's hand shortened? Now you shall see whether 13my word will come true for you or not."
24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD. 14And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent.
25 Then 15the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.
26 Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they 16had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp.
27 And a young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp."
28 And 17Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, "My lord Moses, 18stop them."
29 But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? 19Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!"
30 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.
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Numbers 11:16-30 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 19

  • 1. [Exodus 24:1, 9]
  • 2. Deuteronomy 1:15; Deuteronomy 16:18
  • 3. ver. 25; Numbers 12:5; Genesis 11:5; Genesis 18:21; Exodus 19:20
  • 4. [2 Kings 2:9, 15; Nehemiah 9:20]
  • 5. Exodus 18:22
  • 6. Exodus 19:10
  • 7. See ver. 5
  • 8. [Psalms 78:29; Psalms 106:15]
  • 9. Numbers 21:5
  • 10. Exodus 12:37; [Numbers 1:46; Exodus 38:26]
  • 11. [ver. 13]
  • 12. Isaiah 50:2; Isaiah 59:1
  • 13. Numbers 23:19; Ezekiel 12:25; Ezekiel 24:14
  • 14. ver. 16
  • 15. ver. 17
  • 16. [1 Samuel 20:26; Jeremiah 36:5]
  • 17. Numbers 26:65; Exodus 24:13; [Numbers 13:8]; See Numbers 13:16
  • 18. [Mark 9:38; Luke 9:49]
  • 19. [1 Corinthians 14:5]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.