Numbers 11:6-16

6 but now ¹our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna."

7 ²Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of ³bdellium.

8 The people would go about and gather it and grind it between two millstones or beat it in the mortar, and boil it in the pot and make cakes with it; and its taste was as the taste of cakes baked with oil.

9 ⁴When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall with it.

The Complaint of Moses

10 Now Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, each man at the doorway of his tent; and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly, and Moses was displeased *.

11 ⁵So Moses said to the LORD, "Why have You been so hard on Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all this people on me?

12 "Was it I who conceived all this people? Was it I who brought them forth, that You should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom as a ⁶nurse carries a nursing infant, to the land which ⁷You swore to their fathers '?

13 "Where * am I to get meat to give to ⁸all this people? For they weep before me, saying, 'Give us meat that we may eat!'

14 "⁹I alone am not able to carry all this people, because it is too burdensome for me.

15 "¹⁰So if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor 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 ¹¹seventy men from the elders of Israel, ¹²whom 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 stand there with you.

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Numbers 11:6-16 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 12

1. Numbers 21:5
2. Exodus 16:31
3. Genesis 2:12
4. Exodus 16:13, 14
5. Exodus 5:22; Deuteronomy 1:12
6. 2 Kings 10:1, 5; Isaiah 49:23
7. Genesis 24:7; Exodus 13:5, 11; Exodus 33:1
8. Numbers 11:21, 22; John 6:5-9
9. Exodus 18:18; Deuteronomy 1:12
10. Exodus 32:32
11. Exodus 24:1, 9
12. Exodus 18:25

Footnotes 9

[a]. Lit "soul is dried up"
[b]. Lit "for our eyes"
[c]. Lit "with"
[d]. Lit "juice of oil"
[e]. Lit "on"
[f]. Lit it was "evil in Moses' sight"
[g]. Lit "dealt ill with"
[h]. Or "foster-father"
[i]. Lit "heavy"