Numbers 11:21-31

21 But Moses said, ¹“The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month! ’

22 ²Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them? ”

23 And the Lord said to Moses, ³“Is the Lord’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether ⁴my word will come true for you or not. ”

24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. ⁵And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent.

25 Then ⁶the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.

26 Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they ⁷had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp.

27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp. ”

28 And ⁸Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, ⁹stop them. ”

29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? ¹⁰Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them! ”

30 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

Quail and a Plague

31 Then a ¹¹wind from the Lord sprang up, and it brought quail from the sea and let them fall beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, around the camp, and about two cubits^[a] above the ground.

Numbers 11:21-31 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.

Cross References

• 1. 11:21 Ex. 12:37; [ch. 1:46; Ex. 38:26]
• 2. 11:22 [ver. 13]
• 3. 11:23 Isa. 50:2; 59:1
• 4. 11:23 ch. 23:19; Ezek. 12:25; 24:14
• 5. 11:24 ver. 16
• 6. 11:25 ver. 17
• 7. 11:26 [1 Sam. 20:26; Jer. 36:5]
• 8. 11:28 ch. 26:65; Ex. 24:13; [ch. 13:8]; See ch. 13:16
• 9. 11:28 [Mark 9:38; Luke 9:49]
• 10. 11:29 [1 Cor. 14:5]
• 11. 11:31 Ex. 16:13; Ps. 78:26-28; 105:40

Footnotes

• [a] 11:31 A 'cubit' was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters