Numbers 11:17-27

17 I will come down and speak with you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is in you, and I will give it to them. They will help you care for the people so that you will not have to care for them alone.

18 "Tell the people this: 'Make yourselves holy for tomorrow, and you will eat meat. You cried to the Lord, "We want meat! We were better off in Egypt!" So now the Lord will give you meat to eat.

19 You will eat it not for just one, two, five, ten, or even twenty days,

20 but you will eat that meat for a whole month. You will eat it until it comes out your nose, and you will grow to hate it. This is because you have rejected the Lord, who is with you. You have cried to him, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?"' "

21 Moses said, "Lord, here are six hundred thousand people standing around me, and you say, 'I will give them enough meat to eat for a month!'

22 If we killed all the flocks and herds, that would not be enough. If we caught all the fish in the sea, that would not be enough."

23 But the Lord said to Moses, "Do you think I'm weak? Now you will see if I can do what I say."

24 So Moses went out to the people and told them what the Lord had said. He gathered seventy of the older leaders together and had them stand around the Tent.

25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. The Lord took some of the Spirit Moses had, and he gave it to the seventy leaders. With the Spirit in them, they prophesied, but just that one time.

26 Two men named Eldad and Medad were also listed as leaders, but they did not go to the Tent. They stayed in the camp, but the Spirit was also given to them, and they prophesied in the camp.

27 A young man ran to Moses and said, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying 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.