Numbers 11

1 And the people waxed vnpacient vnd it displeased the eares of the Lorde. And when the Lorde herde it he was wroth and the fyre of the Lorde burnt amonge them and consumed the vtter most of the hoste.
2 And the people cried vnto Moses and he made intercession vnto the Lorde and the fyre qwenched.
3 And they called ye name of the place Tabera because the fyre of the Lorde burnt amonge them.
4 And the rascall people that was amonge them fell a lustynge And the childern of Ysrael also went to and wepte and sayde: who shall geue us flesh to eate?
5 we remembre the fysh which we shulde eate in Egipte for noughte and of the Cucumbers and melouns lekes onyouns and garleke.
6 But now oure soules ar dryed a waye for oure eyes loke on nothynge els saue apon Manna.
7 The Manna was as it had bene coriander seed and to see to lyke Bedellion.
8 And ye people went aboute and gathered it and groude it in milles or bett it in morters and boke it in pannes and made cakes of it. And the rast of it was like vnto the rast of an oylecake
9 And when the dewe fell aboute ye hoste in the nyghte the Manna fell therewithe.
10 And when Moses herde the people wepe in their housholdes euery man in the dore of his tent then the wrath of the Lorde waxed whote excedyngly: and it greued Moses also.
11 And Moses sayde vnto the Lorde: wherfore dealest thou so cruelly with thi seruaunte ? wherfore doo I not fynde fauoure in thi syghte seynge that thou puttest the weyght of this people apon me?
12 haue I conceyued all this people or haue I begote them that thou shuldest saye vnto me carye them in thi bosome (as a nurse beareth the suckynge childe) vnto the londe which thou swarest vnto their fathers ?
13 where shulde I haue flesh to geue vnto all this people? for they wepe vnto me sayenge: geue us flesh that we maye eate.
14 I am not able to bere all this people alone for it is to heuy for me.
15 Wherfore yf thou deale thus with me kyll me I praye the yf I haue founde fauoure in thi syght and let me not se my wrechidnesse.
16 And the Lorde sayde vnto Moses: gather vnto me .lxx. of the elders of Ysrael which thou knowest that they are the elders of ye peple and officers ouer them and brynge them vnto the tabernacle of witnesse and let them stonde there with the.
17 And I wyll come doune and talke with the there and take of yt spirite which is apon the and put apon them ad they shall bere with the in the burthen of the people and so shalt thou not beare alone.
18 And saye vnto ye people: halowe youre selues agenst to morow that ye maye eate flesh for ye haue whyned in the eares of the Lorde saynge: who shall geue vs flesh to eate for we were happie when we were in Egipte? therfore the Lorde will geue you flesh and ye shall eate:
19 Ye shall not eate one daye only ether .ij. or .v. dayes ether .x. or .xx. dayes:
20 but euen a moneth longe ad vntill it come out at the nostrels of you that ye be ready to perbrake: because that ye haue cast ye Lorde a syde which is amonge you and haue wepte before him saynge: why came we out of Egipte.
21 And Moses sayde: sixe hundred thousande fotemen are there of the people amonge which I am. And thou hast sayde: I will geue them flesh and they shall eate a moneth loge
22 Shall the shepe ad the oxen be slayne for them to fynde them ether shall all the fysh of the see be gathered together to serue them?
23 And the Lorde sayde vnto Moses: is the lordes hande waxed shorte? Thou shalt se whether my worde shall come to passe vnto the or not.
24 And moses went out and tolde the people the sayenge of the Lorde and gathered the lxx. elders of the people and sett them rounde aboute the tabernacle.
25 And the Lorde came doune in a cloude and spake vnto him ad toke of the sprete that was apon him ad put it apon the .lxx. elders. And as the spirite rested apon them they prophecied and did nought els.
26 But there remayned .ij. of ye me in the hoste: the one called Eldad ad the other Medad. And the spirite rested apon them for they were of them that were written but they wet not out vnto the tabernacle: and they prophecied in the hoste.
27 And there ran a younge man and tolde Moses and sayed: Eldad ad Medad do prophecye in the hoste.
28 And Iosua the sonne of Nu the seruaunte of Moses which he had chosen out answered and sayed: master Moses forbyd them.
29 And Moses sayed vnto him: enuyest thou for my sake? wolde God that all the Lordes people coude prophecye and that the Lorde wolde put his spirite apon them.
30 And then both Moses and the elders of Israel gat them in to the hoste.
31 And there went forth a wynde fro ye lorde and brought quayles from the see and let them fall aboute the hoste euen a dayes iurney rounde aboute on euery syde of the hoste and .ij. cubetes hye apon the erth.
32 And the people stode vpp all that nyghte and on the morowe ad gathered quayles. And he that gathered the lest gathered .x. homers full. And they kylled them rounde aboute the hoste
33 And whyle the flesh was yet betwene their teeth yet it was chewed vpp the wrath of the Lorde waxed whote apon the people and the Lorde slewe of the people an exceadynge myghtie slaughter.
34 And they called the name of the place the graues of lust: because they buried the people that lusted there.
35 And the people toke their iurney from the graues of lust vnto hazeroth and bode at ha eroth.

Numbers 11 Commentary

Chapter 11

The burning at Taberah. (1-3) The people lust for flesh, and loathe the manna. (4-9) Moses complains of his charge. (10-15) Elders appointed to divide the charge. Flesh meat promised. (16-23) The Spirit rests on the elders. (24-30) Quails are given. (31-35)

Verses 1-3 Here is the people's sin; they complained. See the sinfulness of sin, which takes occasion from the commandment to be provoking. The weakness of the law discovered sin, but could not destroy it; checked, but could not conquer it. They complained. Those who are of a discontented spirit, will always find something to quarrel or fret about, though the circumstances of their outward condition be ever so favourable. The Lord heard it, though Moses did not. God knows the secret frettings and murmurings of the heart, though concealed from men. What he noticed, he was much displeased with, and he chastised them for this sin. The fire of their wrath against God burned in their minds; justly did the fire of God's wrath fasten on their bodies; but God's judgments came on them gradually, that they might take warning. It appeared that God delights not in punishing; when he begins, he is soon prevailed with to let it fall.

Verses 4-9 Man, having forsaken his proper rest, feels uneasy and wretched, though prosperous. They were weary of the provision God had made for them, although wholesome food and nourishing. It cost no money or care, and the labour of gathering it was very little indeed; yet they talked of Egypt's cheapness, and the fish they ate there freely; as if that cost them nothing, when they paid dearly for it with hard service! While they lived on manna, they seemed exempt from the curse sin has brought on man, that in the sweat of his face he should eat bread; yet they speak of it with scorn. Peevish, discontented minds will find fault with that which has no fault in it, but that it is too good for them. Those who might be happy, often make themselves miserable by discontent. They could not be satisfied unless they had flesh to eat. It is evidence of the dominion of the carnal mind, when we want to have the delights and satisfaction of sense. We should not indulge in any desire which we cannot in faith turn into prayer, as we cannot when we ask meat for our lust. What is lawful of itself becomes evil, when God does not allot it to us, yet we desire it.

Verses 10-15 The provocation was very great; yet Moses expressed himself otherwise than became him. He undervalued the honour God had put upon him. He magnified his own performances, while he had the Divine wisdom to direct him, and Almighty power to dispense rewards and punishments. He speaks distrustfully of the Divine grace. Had the work been much less he could not have gone through it in his own strength; but had it been much greater, through God strengthening him, he might have done it. Let us pray, Lord, lead us not into temptation.

Verses 16-23 Moses is to choose such as he knew to be elders, that is, wise and experienced men. God promises to qualify them. If they were not found fit for the employ, they should be made fit. Even the discontented people shall be gratified too, that every mouth may be stopped. See here, I. The vanity of all the delights of sense; they will cloy, but they will not satisfy. Spiritual pleasures alone will satisfy and last. As the world passes away, so do the lusts of it. 2. What brutish sins gluttony and drunkenness are! they make that to hurt the body which should be its health. Moses objects. Even true and great believers sometimes find it hard to trust God under the discouragements of second causes, and against hope to believe in hope. God here brings Moses to this point, The Lord God is Almighty; and puts the proof upon the issue, Thou shalt see whether my word shall come to pass or not. If he speaks, it is done.

Verses 24-30 We have here the fulfilment of God's word to Moses, that he should have help in the government of Israel. He gave of his Spirit to the seventy elders. They discoursed to the people of the things of God, so that all who heard them might say, that God was with them of a truth. Two of the elders, Eldad and Medad, went not out unto the tabernacle, as the rest, being sensible of their own weakness and unworthiness. But the Spirit of God found them in the camp, and there they exercised their gift of praying, preaching, and praising God; they spake as moved by the Holy Ghost. The Spirit of God is not confined to the tabernacle, but, like the wind, blows where He listeth. And they that humble themselves shall be exalted; and those who are most fit for government, are least ambitious of it. Joshua does not desire that they should be punished, but only restrained for the future. This motion he made out of zeal for what he thought to be the unity of the church. He would have them silenced, lest they should occasion a schism, or should rival Moses; but Moses was not afraid of any such effects from that Spirit which God had put upon them. Shall we reject those whom Christ has owned, or restrain any from doing good, because they are not in every thing of our mind? Moses wishes all the Lord's people were prophets, that he would put his Spirit upon all of them. Let the testimony of Moses be believed by those who desire to be in power; that government is a burden. It is a burden of care and trouble to those who make conscience of the duty of it; and to those who do not, it will prove a heavier burden in the day of account. Let the example of Moses be followed by those in power; let them not despise the advice and assistance of others, but desire it, and be thankful for it. If all the present number of the Lord's people were rendered prophets, or ministers, by the Spirit of Christ, though not all agreed in outward matters, there is work enough for all, in calling sinners to repentance, and faith in our Lord Jesus.

Verses 31-35 God performed his promise to the people, in giving them flesh. How much more diligent men are in collecting the meat that perishes, than in labouring for meat which endures to everlasting life! We are quick-sighted in the affairs of time; but stupidity blinds us as to the concerns of eternity. To pursue worldly advantages, we need no arguments; but when we are to secure the true riches, then we are all forgetfulness. Those who are under the power of a carnal mind, will have their lusts fulfilled, though it be to the certain damage and ruin of their precious souls. They paid dearly for their feasts. God often grants the desires of sinners in wrath, while he denies the desires of his own people in love. What we unduly desire, if we obtain it, we have reason to fear, will be some way or other a grief and cross to us. And what multitudes there are in all places, who shorten their lives by excess of one kind or other! Let us seek for those pleasures which satisfy, but never surfeit; and which will endure for evermore.

Chapter Summary

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.

Numbers 11 Commentaries

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