Numbers 11:21-31

21 Then Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen, and thou hast said, I will give them flesh that they may eat a whole month!

22 Shall sheep and oxen be slain for them, to suffice them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?

23 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD’s hand waxed short? Thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.

24 And Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and set them round about the tabernacle.

25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke unto him and took of the spirit that was in him and gave it unto the seventy elders, and it came to pass that when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied and did not cease.

26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad and the name of the other Medad, upon whom the spirit also rested; and they were of those that were written, but they had not gone unto the tabernacle; and they began to prophesy in the camp.

27 And a young man ran and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad prophesy in the camp.

28 Then Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.

29 And Moses said unto him, Art thou jealous for my sake? It would be good that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!

30 And Moses withdrew into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.

31 And there went forth a wind from the LORD and brought quail from the sea and left them upon the camp, a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp and almost two cubits high upon the face of the earth.

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.