Numbers 11

Numbers 11:1 The people complained in the hearing of Yahveh about their misfortunes, and when Yahveh heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of Yahveh burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp.

Numbers 11:2 Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to Yahveh, and the fire died down.

Numbers 11:3 So the name of that place was called Taberah,[1] because the fire of Yahveh burned among them.

Numbers 11:4 Now the riffraff[2] that was among them had a strong craving. The people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh, that we had meat to eat!”

Numbers 11:5 We remember the free fish we ate in Egypt, as well as the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic.

Numbers 11:6 But now our throat is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this man[3] to look at.”

Numbers 11:7 Now, the man was like coriander seed, and its appearance was like that of bdellium.

Numbers 11:8 The people went about and gathered it, ground it in hand mills or beat it in mortars, boiled it in pots, and made cakes of it. The taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil.

Numbers 11:9 When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the man fell with it.

Numbers 11:10 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of Yahveh blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased.

Numbers 11:11 Moses said to Yahveh, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight that you lay the burden of all these people on me?

Numbers 11:12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to give their fathers?

Numbers 11:13 Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? Because they weep in the sight of me and say, ‘Give us meat to eat.’

Numbers 11:14 I am not able to carry all these people alone; the burden is too heavy for me.

Numbers 11:15 If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my misery.”

Numbers 11:16 Then Yahveh said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers[4] over them, and bring them to the conference tent, and let them take their stand there with you.

Numbers 11:17 And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Breath that is on you and put it on them, and they will carry the burden of the people with you so that you may not have it yourself alone.

Numbers 11:18 And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you will eat meat, because you have wept in the hearing of Yahveh, and this is what you said: “Who will give us meat to eat? Because it was better for us in Egypt.” That is why Yahveh will give you meat, and you will eat.

Numbers 11:19 You will not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days,

Numbers 11:20 but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes repulsive to you, because you have rejected Yahveh who is among you and have wept in the sight of him, and this is what he said, “Why did we come out of Egypt?”‘”

Numbers 11:21 But Moses said, “The people I am among number six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, ‘I will give them meat to eat a whole month!’

Numbers 11:22 will flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough for them? Or will all the fish of the sea be collected for them and be enough for them?”

Numbers 11:23 And Yahveh said to Moses, “Is Yahveh’s hand shortened? Now you will see whether my word will come true for you or not.”

Numbers 11:24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of Yahveh. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and positioned them around the tent.

Numbers 11:25 Then Yahveh came down in the cloud and spoke to him and took some of the Breath that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Breath rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.

Numbers 11:26 Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Breath rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp.

Numbers 11:27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

Numbers 11:28 And Joshua, the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My master Moses, stop them.”

Numbers 11:29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all Yahveh’s people were prophets, that Yahveh would put his Breath on them!”

Numbers 11:30 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

Numbers 11:31 Then a wind from Yahveh advanced, 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 above the ground.

Numbers 11:32 And the people went out all that day and all night and all the next day and gathered the quail. Those who gathered least scored ten homers. And they spread them out for themselves all around the camp.

Numbers 11:33 While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was swallowed, the anger of Yahveh was kindled against the people, and Yahveh struck down the people with a very great plague.

Numbers 11:34 Therefore, that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah because there they buried the people who had the craving.

Numbers 11:35 From Kibroth-hattaavah, the people advanced to Hazeroth, and they remained at Hazeroth.

[1] תַּבְעֵרָה = burning.

[2] אֲסַפְסֻף = riffraff.

[3] מָן = man (a type of bread). Numbers 11:6, 7, 9.

[4] שֹׁטֵר = officer.

Numbers 11 quotes:

“Although we have covered countless regulations for lesser sins, here no Purification or Reparation Offering will suffice. It is bad enough to dishonor your parents (Lev. 19:3). It is worse to dishonor your leaders (Num. 12:1). It is worst of all to dishonor your God (again, Num. 15:30). The Lord must act, and God does. Like the fire team that intentionally sets a “fire line” to keep the larger fire from spreading, the Holy Lord steps in with “refining” fire. And “some outlying parts of the camp” are “consumed” (11:1). Given the people’s history, it’s a wonder that God doesn’t do more.”

Boyce Richard Nelson. Leviticus and Numbers. 1st ed. Westminster John Knox Press 2008. p. 145.

“If only those Israelites could have seen that those tough days in the bleak desert were God’s training days, encouraging them to believe that, having delivered them from their Egyptian captors, he would go on to deliver them from their malevolent moods, ungrateful attitudes and churlish dissatisfaction!”

Brown Raymond. The Message of Numbers : Journey to the Promised Land. InterVarsity Press 2002. p. 88.

“Complaints are a reflection upon the one who is responsible. If the almighty God is responsible and people complain, they are casting aspersions upon Him. For this reason, Israel’s complaining distressed Moses.”

Gutzke, Manford George. Plain Talk on Leviticus and Numbers. Zondervan Pub. House., 1981. p. 86.

“11:26-30. We now see a glimpse of Moses’ true character and also a trait necessary for anyone who would be used of the Lord: humility. Apparently two people who had been absent when the seventy received their spiritual endowment from God now also received this same grace and were prophesying in the camp. Evidently the Lord had given them these gifts without informing anyone else. This activity alerted the loyal Joshua, who told Moses to stop them. Moses responded by voicing approval for these two servants, Eldad and Medad. He stated that he wished all the LORD’s people were prophets and would display similar gifts. He reasoned that God’s influence would spread with more prophets such as them.”

Martin, Glen, and Max E. Anders. Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers. Broadman & Holman, 2002. p. 298.

“From the time the Israelites arrived at Sinai (Ex. 19) until the time they depart (Num. 10) we have for the most part been hearing God’s voice in instruction. But with Num. 11, we are again called upon to consider the people, and as usual it is very disappointing. Notice the opening words, “And when the people complained.” What they were complaining about, we are not told, as the cause was probably too insignificant to mention. Under the circumstances one would expect to see them joyous and thankful. A little more than a year before they had been downtrodden slaves. At this time they were a perfectly organized nation, having for their government laws which could not be improved upon ; they were under the protection and leadership of Almighty God, who made and upholds the universe; and they had the Divine assurance that no people could stand before them, and that they were marching toward a glorious land not far distant which was to be their future home. Yet, instead of being filled with thoughts of these things, they are spending their time complaining about some little thing which did not suit their fancy. How is it they enter so little into God’s great thoughts for them? They seem unable to learn except by the most severe chastisement.”

Saxe, Grace. Studies in Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Grace Saxe, 1921. p. 32.

“Fire is a sign of divine activity, either in blessing or in judgment (cf. Lev. 9:24; 10:1). The text does not make clear what was burnt on this occasion, whether it was just shrubs near the tents, or some of the tents themselves. However, the people realized the danger they were in and appealed to Moses to pray for them. As on previous occasions God heeded his intercession (Exod. 15:25; 32:11–14). To commemorate the event the place was called Taberah, ‘burning’.”

Wenham, Gordon J.. Numbers: An Introduction and Commentary (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries Book 4) (p. 120). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.