1 Now the peoplebecame like 1those who complain of adversity2in 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.
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3The people therefore cried out to Moses, and Mosesprayed to the LORD and the firedied out.
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So the name of that place was called4Taberah, because the fire of the LORDburned among them.
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The 5rabblewho were among them hadgreedydesires*; and also the sons of Israelweptagain and said, "6Who will give us meat to eat?
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"7We remember the fishwhich we used to eatfree in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic,
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but now8our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna."
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9Now the manna was like corianderseed, and its appearance like that of 10bdellium.
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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.
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11When the dewfell on the camp at night, the manna would fall with it.
The Complaint of Moses
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*.
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12So 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?
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"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 13nursecarries a nursinginfant, to the landwhich14You swore to their fathers '?
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"Where* am I to get meat to give to 15allthispeople? For they weepbefore me, saying, 'Give us meat that we may eat!'
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"16I alone am not able to carryallthispeople, because it is tooburdensome for me.
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"17So if You are going to dealthus with me, pleasekill me at once, if I have foundfavor in Your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness."
Seventy Elders to Assist
16 The LORD therefore said to Moses, "Gather for Me 18seventymen from the elders of Israel, 19whom 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.
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"20Then I will comedown and speak with you there, and I will take of 21the 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.
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"Say to the people, '22Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eatmeat; for you have wept23in 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.
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'You shall eat, not oneday, nor two days, norfivedays, nortendays, nortwentydays,
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but a wholemonth, until* it comes out of your nostrils and becomesloathsome to you; because*24you have rejected the LORDwho is among you and have weptbefore Him, saying, "Why did we everleave*Egypt?""'
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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.'
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"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?"
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The LORDsaid to Moses, "Is 25the LORD'Spowerlimited? Now you shall see whether 26My word will cometrue for you or not."
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So Moseswent out and 27told the people the words of the LORD. Also, he gatheredseventymen of the elders of the people, and stationed them around the tent.
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28Then 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.
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But twomen had remained in the camp; the name of one was Eldad and the name of the otherMedad. And 29the 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.
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So a youngmanran and toldMoses and said, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp."
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Then 30Joshua the son of Nun, the attendant of Moses from his youth, said, "31Moses, my lord, restrain them."
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But Mosessaid to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? 32Would* that all the LORD'Speople were prophets, that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!"
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Then Mosesreturned to the camp, both he and the elders of Israel.
The Quail and the Plague
3133Now 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.
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The peoplespentallday and allnight and all the nextday, and gathered the quail (he who gathered leastgatheredten34homers ) and they spread them out for themselves allaround the camp.
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35While 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.
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So the name of that place was called36Kibroth-hattaavah, becausethere they buried the people who had beengreedy.
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From Kibroth-hattaavah37the peopleset out for Hazeroth, and they remained at Hazeroth.