Numeri 21:5

5 E il popolo parlò contro a Dio, e contro a Mosè, dicendo: Perchè ci avete voi tratti fuor di Egitto, acciocchè muoiamo in questo deserto? conciossiachè non vi sia nè pane alcuno, nè acqua; e l’anima nostra è tutta svogliata di questo pane tanto leggiero.

Numeri 21:5 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 21:5

And the people spake against God
Who went before them in the pillar of cloud and fire, for leading them in such a way; that is, against Christ, as the apostle has taught us to interpret it, ( 1 Corinthians 10:9 ) , and is no inconsiderable proof of the deity of Christ; and so the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it,

``and the people thought in their heart, and spake against the Word of the Lord,''

the essential Word and Son of God:

and against Moses;
his servant, for obeying the orders of the Lord, and leading and guiding the people as he directed him:

wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?
ascribing this equally to God and to Moses; using a strange word, as Aben Ezra calls it, being in a great passion, and not considering well what they said; showing great ingratitude for such a mercy, and representing it in a wrong light, as if the intent of bringing them from thence was to slay them in the wilderness:

for [there] is no bread;
no bread corn, nothing in the wilderness to make bread of; nothing that they called and accounted bread, otherwise they had manna, as is presently owned:

neither [is there] any water;
any fresh water fit to drink, otherwise they were near the sea; what they had from the rock, lately, perhaps was now spent, and it did not follow them as the other rock had:

and our soul loatheth this light bread;
the manna; this very light, this exceeding light bread, the radicals of the word F17 used being doubled, which increases the signification: if to be understood of light and easy digestion, it was the more to be valued; but perhaps they meant, it had but little substance and virtue in it, and was not filling and satisfying; or rather that it was exceeding vile, mean, and despicable; so they called the bread of heaven, angel's food, this wonderful gift of Providence; in like manner is Christ, the hidden manna, treated, and his Gospel, and the precious truths of it, by unregenerate men and carnal professors, ( 1 Corinthians 1:23 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F17 (lqlqh) "levissime", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Fagius, Vatablus; "vilissimi", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Numeri 21:5 In-Context

3 E il Signore esaudì la voce d’Israele, e gli diede nelle mani que’ Cananei; ed egli distrusse loro, e le lor città, nella maniera dell’interdetto; perciò pose nome a quel luogo Horma.
4 Poi gl’Israeliti si partirono dal monte di Hor, traendo verso il mar rosso, per circuire il paese di Edom; e l’animo venne meno al popolo per lo cammino.
5 E il popolo parlò contro a Dio, e contro a Mosè, dicendo: Perchè ci avete voi tratti fuor di Egitto, acciocchè muoiamo in questo deserto? conciossiachè non vi sia nè pane alcuno, nè acqua; e l’anima nostra è tutta svogliata di questo pane tanto leggiero.
6 Allora il Signore mandò contro al popolo de’ serpenti ardenti, i quali mordevano il popolo; onde molta gente d’Israele morì.
7 E il popolo venne a Mosè, e disse: Noi abbiamo peccato; conciossiachè abbiamo parlato contro al Signore, e contro a te; prega il Signore che rimova d’addosso a noi i serpenti. E Mosè pregò per lo popolo.
The Giovanni Diodati Bible is in the public domain.