Numbers 11:1-9

The Israelites Complain

1 And it happened, the people were like those who {complain of hardship} {in the hearing} of Yahweh, and Yahweh {became angry}, and the fire of Yahweh burned among them, and it consumed the edge of the camp.
2 Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to Yahweh, and the fire died down.
3 And he called the name of that place Taberah because the fire of Yahweh burned among them.
4 The riff-raff that [were] in their midst {had a strong desire}; and the {Israelites} turned back and also wept, and they said, "Who will feed us meat?
5 We remember the fish that we ate in Egypt for nothing, the cucumber, melon, leek, the onions, and the garlic.
6 But now {our strength is dried up}; there is nothing whatsoever except {for the manna before us}."
7 Now the manna [was] like coriander seed, and its outward appearance was like that of bdellium-gum.
8 The people went about and gathered [it], and they ground [it] with mills or crushed [it] with mortar. Then they boiled [it] in a pot and made it [into] bread-cakes; and it tasted like olive oil cakes.
9 When the dew came down on the camp [at] night, the manna came down [with] it.

Numbers 11:1-9 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.

Footnotes 8

  • [a]. Literally "complain of bad"
  • [b]. Literally "in the ears"
  • [c]. Literally "his nose became hot"
  • [d]. This word is difficult, but some modern translations suggest the word in Hebrew means "burning" (see NRSV, NASB)
  • [e]. Literally "desired a desire"
  • [f]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
  • [g]. Literally "our life [is] dry"
  • [h]. Literally "for the manna of our eyes"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.