1 And when the people H5971 complained, H596 it displeased H7451 H241 the LORD: H3068 and the LORD H3068 heard H8085 it; and his anger H639 was kindled; H2734 and the fire H784 of the LORD H3068 burnt H1197 among them, and consumed H398 them that were in the uttermost parts H7097 of the camp. H4264
2 And the people H5971 cried H6817 unto Moses; H4872 and when Moses H4872 prayed H6419 unto the LORD, H3068 the fire H784 was quenched. H8257
3 And he called H7121 the name H8034 of the H1931 place H4725 Taberah: H8404 because the fire H784 of the LORD H3068 burnt H1197 among them.
4 And the mixt multitude H628 that was among H7130 them fell a lusting: H183 H8378 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 also wept H1058 again, H7725 and said, H559 Who shall give us flesh H1320 to eat? H398
5 We remember H2142 the fish, H1710 which we did eat H398 in Egypt H4714 freely; H2600 the cucumbers, H7180 and the melons, H20 and the leeks, H2682 and the onions, H1211 and the garlick: H7762
6 But now our soul H5315 is dried away: H3002 there is nothing at all, beside H1115 this manna, H4478 before our eyes. H5869
7 And the manna H4478 was as coriander H1407 seed, H2233 and the colour H5869 thereof as the colour H5869 of bdellium. H916
8 And the people H5971 went about, H7751 and gathered H3950 it, and ground H2912 it in mills, H7347 or beat H1743 it in a mortar, H4085 and baked H1310 it in pans, H6517 and made H6213 cakes H5692 of it: and the taste H2940 of it was as the taste H2940 of fresh H3955 oil. H8081
9 And when the dew H2919 fell H3381 upon the camp H4264 in the night, H3915 the manna H4478 fell H3381 upon it.
10 Then Moses H4872 heard H8085 the people H5971 weep H1058 throughout their families, H4940 every man H376 in the door H6607 of his tent: H168 and the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 was kindled H2734 greatly; H3966 Moses H4872 also was displeased. H7489 H5869
11 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto the LORD, H3068 Wherefore hast thou afflicted H7489 thy servant? H5650 and wherefore have I not found H4672 favour H2580 in thy sight, H5869 that thou layest H7760 the burden H4853 of all this people H5971 upon me?
12 Have I conceived H2029 all this people? H5971 have I begotten H3205 them, that thou shouldest say H559 unto me, Carry H5375 them in thy bosom, H2436 as a nursing father H539 beareth H5375 the sucking child, H3243 unto the land H127 which thou swarest H7650 unto their fathers? H1
13 Whence H370 should I have flesh H1320 to give H5414 unto all this people? H5971 for they weep H1058 unto me, saying, H559 Give H5414 us flesh, H1320 that we may eat. H398
14 I am not able H3201 to bear H5375 all this people H5971 alone, H905 because it is too heavy H3515 for me.
15 And if thou deal H6213 thus with me, kill H2026 me, I pray thee, out of hand, H2026 if I have found H4672 favour H2580 in thy sight; H5869 and let me not see H7200 my wretchedness. H7451
16 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Gather H622 unto me seventy H7657 men H376 of the elders H2205 of Israel, H3478 whom thou knowest H3045 to be the elders H2205 of the people, H5971 and officers H7860 over them; and bring H3947 them unto the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 that they may stand H3320 there with thee.
17 And I will come down H3381 and talk H1696 with thee there: and I will take H680 of the spirit H7307 which is upon thee, and will put H7760 it upon them; and they shall bear H5375 the burden H4853 of the people H5971 with thee, that thou bear H5375 it not thyself alone.
18 And say H559 thou unto the people, H5971 Sanctify H6942 yourselves against to morrow, H4279 and ye shall eat H398 flesh: H1320 for ye have wept H1058 in the ears H241 of the LORD, H3068 saying, H559 Who shall give us flesh H1320 to eat? H398 for it was well H2895 with us in Egypt: H4714 therefore the LORD H3068 will give H5414 you flesh, H1320 and ye shall eat. H398
19 Ye shall not eat H398 one H259 day, H3117 nor two days, H3117 nor five H2568 days, H3117 neither ten H6235 days, H3117 nor twenty H6242 days; H3117
20 But even a whole month, H2320 H3117 until it come out H3318 at your nostrils, H639 and it be loathsome H2214 unto you: because H3282 that ye have despised H3988 the LORD H3068 which is among H7130 you, and have wept H1058 before H6440 him, saying, H559 Why came we forth H3318 out of Egypt? H4714
21 And Moses H4872 said, H559 The people, H5971 among H7130 whom I am, are six H8337 hundred H3967 thousand H505 footmen; H7273 and thou hast said, H559 I will give H5414 them flesh, H1320 that they may eat H398 a whole H3117 month. H2320
22 Shall the flocks H6629 and the herds H1241 be slain H7819 for them, to suffice H4672 them? or shall all the fish H1709 of the sea H3220 be gathered together H622 for them, to suffice H4672 them?
23 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Is the LORD'S H3068 hand H3027 waxed short? H7114 thou shalt see H7200 now whether my word H1697 shall come to pass H7136 unto thee or not.
24 And Moses H4872 went out, H3318 and told H1696 the people H5971 the words H1697 of the LORD, H3068 and gathered H622 the seventy H7657 men H376 of the elders H2205 of the people, H5971 and set H5975 them round about H5439 the tabernacle. H168
25 And the LORD H3068 came down H3381 in a cloud, H6051 and spake H1696 unto him, and took H680 of the spirit H7307 that was upon him, and gave H5414 it unto the seventy H7657 elders: H2205 H376 and it came to pass, that, when the spirit H7307 rested H5117 upon them, they prophesied, H5012 and did not cease. H3254
26 But there remained H7604 two H8147 of the men H582 in the camp, H4264 the name H8034 of the one H259 was Eldad, H419 and the name H8034 of the other H8145 Medad: H4312 and the spirit H7307 rested H5117 upon them; and they were of them that were written, H3789 but went not out H3318 unto the tabernacle: H168 and they prophesied H5012 in the camp. H4264
27 And there ran H7323 a young man, H5288 and told H5046 Moses, H4872 and said, H559 Eldad H419 and Medad H4312 do prophesy H5012 in the camp. H4264
28 And Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Nun, H5126 the servant H8334 of Moses, H4872 one of his young men, H979 answered H6030 and said, H559 My lord H113 Moses, H4872 forbid H3607 them.
29 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto him, Enviest H7065 thou for my sake? would God that all the H5414 LORD'S H3068 people H5971 were prophets, H5030 and that the LORD H3068 would put H5414 his spirit H7307 upon them!
30 And Moses H4872 gat H622 him into the camp, H4264 he and the elders H2205 of Israel. H3478
31 And there went forth H5265 a wind H7307 from the LORD, H3068 and brought H1468 quails H7958 from the sea, H3220 and let them fall H5203 by the camp, H4264 as it were a day's H3117 journey H1870 on this side, H3541 and as it were a day's H3117 journey H1870 on the other side, H3541 round about H5439 the camp, H4264 and as it were two cubits H520 high upon the face H6440 of the earth. H776
32 And the people H5971 stood up H6965 all that day, H3117 and all that night, H3915 and all the next H4283 day, H3117 and they gathered H622 the quails: H7958 he that gathered least H4591 gathered H622 ten H6235 homers: H2563 and they spread H7849 them all abroad H7849 for themselves round about H5439 the camp. H4264
33 And while the flesh H1320 was yet H2962 between their teeth, H8127 ere it was chewed, H3772 the wrath H639 of the LORD H3068 was kindled H2734 against the people, H5971 and the LORD H3068 smote H5221 the people H5971 with a very H3966 great H7227 plague. H4347
34 And he called H7121 the name H8034 of that place H4725 Kibrothhattaavah: H6914 because there they buried H6912 the people H5971 that lusted. H183
35 And the people H5971 journeyed H5265 from Kibrothhattaavah H6914 unto Hazeroth; H2698 and abode at Hazeroth. H2698
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Numbers 11
Commentary on Numbers 11 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 11
Hitherto things had gone pretty well in Israel; little interruption had been given to the methods of God's favour to them since the matter of the golden calf; the people seemed teachable in marshalling and purifying the camp, the princes devout and generous in dedicating the altar, and there was good hope that they would be in Canaan presently. But at this chapter begins a melancholy scene; the measures are all broken, God has turned to be their enemy, and fights against them-and it is sin that makes all this mischief.
Num 11:1-3
Here is,
Num 11:4-15
These verses represent things sadly unhinged and out of order in Israel, both the people and the prince uneasy.
Num 11:16-23
We have here God's gracious answer to both the foregoing complaints, wherein his goodness takes occasion from man's badness to appear so much the more illustrious.
Num 11:24-30
We have here the performance of God's word to Moses, that he should have help in the government of Israel.
Num 11:31-35
God, having performed his promise to Moses by giving him assessors in the government, thereby proving the power he has over the spirits of men by his Spirit, he here performs his promise to the people by giving them flesh, proving thereby his power over the inferior creatures and his dominion in the kingdom of nature. Observe,