Numbers 11:21

21 But Moses said, "Here I am among 600,000 men on the march. And you say, 'I will give them meat to eat for a whole month'!

Numbers 11:21 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 11:21

And Moses said
By way of objection to what God had promised, distrusting his power to perform:

the people amongst whom I [am];
among whom he dwelt, of whom he was a part, and over whom he was a ruler:

[are] six hundred thousand footmen;
that were able to travel on foot, and were fit for war: this was the number of them when they came out of Egypt, ( Exodus 12:37 ) ; they amounted in their last numbering to 3,550 more, which lesser number is here omitted, as Aben Ezra and Jarchi observe, and only the round number given: some say that all above the six hundred thousand were destroyed by the fire at Taberah, ( Numbers 11:1 ) ;

and thou hast said, one will give them flesh, that they may eat a
whole month;
this Moses could not tell how to credit.

Numbers 11:21 In-Context

19 You will not eat it for just one or two days. You will not eat it for just five, ten or 20 days.

20 Instead, you will eat it for a whole month. You will eat it until it comes out of your nose. You will eat it until you hate it. " 'The LORD is among you. But you have turned your back on him. You have cried out while he was listening. You have said, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?" ' "

21 But Moses said, "Here I am among 600,000 men on the march. And you say, 'I will give them meat to eat for a whole month'!

22 Would they have enough if flocks and herds were killed for them? Would they have enough even if all of the fish in the ocean were caught for them?"

23 The LORD answered Moses, "Am I not strong enough? Now you will see whether what I say will come true for you."