Numbers 11:17-27

17 I will come down and talk with you there: and I will take of the Spirit which is on you, and will put it on them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you not bear it yourself alone.

18 Say you to the people, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow, and you shall eat flesh; for you have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Mitzrayim: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and you shall eat.

19 You shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days,

20 but a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome to you; because that you have rejected the LORD who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Mitzrayim?

21 Moshe said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and you have said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.

22 Shall flocks and herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?

23 The LORD said to Moshe, Has the LORD's hand grown short? now shall you see whether my word shall happen to you or not.

24 Moshe went out, and told the people the words of the LORD: and he gathered seventy men of the Zakenim of the people, and set them round about the Tent.

25 The LORD came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was on him, and put it on the seventy Zakenim: and it happened that when the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did so no more.

26 But there remained two men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the Spirit rested on them; and they were of those who were written, but had not gone out to the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp.

27 There ran a young man, and told Moshe, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.

Numbers 11:17-27 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.