And they said, hath the Lord, indeed spoken only by Moses?
&c.] They own he had spoken by him; this was so notorious that it could not be denied:
hath he not spoken also by us?
are we not prophets as well as he? the Lord spake to Aaron while he was in Egypt, and had made him a good spokesman in his name, and bore this testimony of him, that he could speak well, and Miriam is expressly called a prophetess, ( Exodus 4:14 Exodus 4:27 ) ( Exodus 15:20 ) ; and this being the case, they stomached it that they should have no concern in the choice and appointment of the seventy elders:
and the Lord heard [it];
for perhaps this was said secretly between themselves; but God, that sees, and hears, and knows all things, took notice of what was spoken by them, and resented it; for it was ultimately against himself, who had ordered Moses to do what he did.