1
Now the peoplebecame like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the LORD; and when the LORDheard it, His anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORDburned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.
8
The people would goabout and gather it and grind it between two millstonesorbeat it in the mortar, and boil it in the pot and makecakes with it; and its taste was as the taste of cakesbaked with oil.
10
Now Mosesheard the peopleweeping throughout their families, eachman at the doorway of his tent; and the anger of the LORD was kindledgreatly, and Moses was displeased*.
11
So Mosessaid to the LORD, "Why have You been so hard on Your servant? And why have I not foundfavor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of allthispeople on me?
12
"Was it I who conceivedallthispeople? Was it I who brought them forth, that You should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom as a nursecarries a nursinginfant, to the landwhich You swore to their fathers '?
16
The LORD therefore said to Moses, "Gather for Me seventymen from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their standthere with you.
17
"Then I will comedown and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spiritwho is upon you, and will put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it all alone.
18
"Say to the people, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eatmeat; for you have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, "Oh that someone would give us meat to eat! For we were well-off in Egypt." Therefore the LORD will give you meat and you shall eat.
20
but a wholemonth, until* it comes out of your nostrils and becomesloathsome to you; because* you have rejected the LORDwho is among you and have weptbefore Him, saying, "Why did we everleave*Egypt?""'
21
But Mosessaid, "The people, amongwhom I am, are 600,000** on foot; yet You have said, 'I will give them meat, so that they may eat for a wholemonth.'
22
"Should flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to be sufficient for them? Or should all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to be sufficient for them?"
24
So Moseswent out and told the people the words of the LORD. Also, he gatheredseventymen of the elders of the people, and stationed them around the tent.
25
Then the LORDcamedown in the cloud and spoke to him; and He took of the Spiritwho was upon him and placed Him upon the seventyelders. And when the Spiritrested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do it again.
26
But twomen had remained in the camp; the name of one was Eldad and the name of the otherMedad. And the Spiritrested upon them (now they were among those who had been registered, but had not gone out to the tent ), and they prophesied in the camp.
31
Now there wentforth a wind from the LORD and it broughtquail from the sea, and let them fallbeside the camp, about a day'sjourney on thisside and a day'sjourney on the otherside, allaround the camp and about two cubits deep on the surface of the ground.
32
The peoplespentallday and allnight and all the nextday, and gathered the quail (he who gathered leastgatheredtenhomers ) and they spread them out for themselves allaround the camp.
33
While the meat was stillbetween their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORDstruck the people with a verysevereplague.