Numbers 11:1-8

1 And it came to pass that the people complained in an evil manner in the ears of the LORD, and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burnt among them and consumed in the uttermost parts of the camp.

2 Then the people cried unto Moses, and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.

3 And he called the name of the place Taberah because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.

4 And the vulgar who were mixed in among them returned to their lust; and even the sons of Israel wept and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?

5 We remember the fish, which we freely ate in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic,

6 but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all besides this manna before our eyes.

7 And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium.

8 And the people scattered about and gathered it and ground it in mills or beat it in a mortar and baked it in pans and made cakes of it, and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.

Numbers 11:1-8 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.