The People Complain

11 Now the people became like (A)those who complain of adversity (B)in the ears of the Lord; and the Lord heard them and His anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some at the outskirts of the camp. (C)The people then cried out to Moses; and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire [a]died out. So that place was named [b](D)Taberah, because the fire of the Lord burned among them.

Now the (E)rabble who were among them [c]had greedy cravings; and the sons of Israel also wept again and said, “(F)Who will give us [d]meat to eat? (G)We remember the fish which we used to eat for free in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now (H)our [e]appetite is gone. There is nothing at all [f]to look at except this manna!”

(I)Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of [g](J)bdellium. The people would roam about and gather it and grind it [h]between two millstones, or pound it in the mortar, and boil it in the pot and make loaves with it; and its taste was like the taste of [i]cake baked with oil. (K)When the dew came down on the camp at night, the manna would come down [j]with it.

The Complaint of Moses

10 Now Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, each one at the entrance of his tent; and the anger of the Lord became very hot, and [k]Moses was displeased. 11 (L)So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You [l]been so hard on Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have put the burden of all this people on me? 12 Was it I who conceived all this people? Or did I give birth to them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them [m]in your arms, as a [n](M)nurse carries a nursing infant, to the land which (N)You swore to their fathers’? 13 Where am I to get meat to give to (O)all this people? For they weep before me, saying, ‘Give us meat so that we may eat!’ 14 (P)I am not able to carry all this people by myself, because it is too [o]burdensome for me. 15 (Q)So if You are going to deal with me this way, please kill me now, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my misery.”

Seventy Elders to Assist Moses

16 The Lord therefore said to Moses, “Gather for Me (R)seventy men from the elders of Israel, (S)whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them take their stand there with you. 17 (T)Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take away some of (U)the Spirit who is upon you, and put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it by yourself. 18 And you shall say to the people, ‘(V)Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept (W)in the ears of the Lord, saying, “[p]Oh that someone would give us meat to eat! For we were well-off in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat and you shall eat. 19 You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, 20 [q]but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nose and [r]makes you nauseated; because (X)you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before Him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’” 21 But Moses said, “The people, among whom I am included, are six hundred thousand on foot! Yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, so that they may eat for a whole month.’ 22 Are flocks and herds to be slaughtered for them, so that it will be sufficient for them? Or are all the fish of the sea to be [s]caught for them, so that it will be sufficient for them?” 23 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Is (Y)the Lords [t]power too little? Now you shall see whether (Z)My word will [u]come true for you or not.”

24 So Moses went out and (AA)told the people the words of the Lord. He also gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and positioned them around the tent. 25 (AB)Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him; and He took away some of the Spirit who was upon him and placed Him upon the seventy elders. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. Yet they did not do it again.

26 But two men had remained in the camp; the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the [v]other, Medad. And (AC)the Spirit rested upon them (and they were among those who had been registered, but had not gone out to the tent), and they prophesied in the camp. 27 So a young man ran and informed Moses, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 Then (AD)Joshua the son of Nun, the personal servant of Moses from his youth, responded and said, “(AE)My lord Moses, restrain them!” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? (AF)If only all the Lords people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!” 30 Then Moses [w]returned to the camp, both he and the elders of Israel.

The Quail and the Plague

31 (AG)Now a wind burst forth from the Lord and it brought quail from the sea, and dropped them beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side all around the camp, and about [x]two cubits deep on the surface of the ground. 32 And the people [y]spent all that day, all night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quail (the one who gathered least gathered [z]ten (AH)homers) and spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 33 (AI)While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very severe plague. 34 So that place was named [aa](AJ)Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had been greedy. 35 From Kibroth-hattaavah (AK)the people set out for Hazeroth, and they [ab]remained at Hazeroth.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 11:2 Lit sank down
  2. Numbers 11:3 I.e., the place for burning
  3. Numbers 11:4 Lit desired a desire
  4. Numbers 11:4 Lit flesh, and so throughout the ch
  5. Numbers 11:6 Lit soul has dried up
  6. Numbers 11:6 Lit for our eyes
  7. Numbers 11:7 I.e., a tree gum
  8. Numbers 11:8 Lit with
  9. Numbers 11:8 Lit juice of oil
  10. Numbers 11:9 Lit on
  11. Numbers 11:10 Lit it was evil in Moses’ eyes
  12. Numbers 11:11 Lit treated badly
  13. Numbers 11:12 Lit against your chest
  14. Numbers 11:12 Or foster father
  15. Numbers 11:14 Lit heavy
  16. Numbers 11:18 Or Who will give...?
  17. Numbers 11:20 Lit until a
  18. Numbers 11:20 Lit becomes nausea to you
  19. Numbers 11:22 Lit gathered
  20. Numbers 11:23 Lit hand too short
  21. Numbers 11:23 Lit happen to you
  22. Numbers 11:26 Lit second
  23. Numbers 11:30 Lit withdrew to
  24. Numbers 11:31 About 3 ft. or 90 cm
  25. Numbers 11:32 Lit arose
  26. Numbers 11:32 About 77 cubic feet or 2.2 cubic meters
  27. Numbers 11:34 I.e., the graves of greediness
  28. Numbers 11:35 Lit were

Fire From the Lord

11 Now the people complained(A) about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord,(B) and when he heard them his anger was aroused.(C) Then fire from the Lord burned among them(D) and consumed(E) some of the outskirts of the camp. When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed(F) to the Lord(G) and the fire died down. So that place was called Taberah,[a](H) because fire from the Lord had burned among them.(I)

Quail From the Lord

The rabble with them began to crave other food,(J) and again the Israelites started wailing(K) and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.(L) But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!(M)

The manna was like coriander seed(N) and looked like resin.(O) The people went around gathering it,(P) and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. When the dew(Q) settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.

10 Moses heard the people of every family wailing(R) at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. 11 He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble(S) on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?(T) 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant,(U) to the land you promised on oath(V) to their ancestors?(W) 13 Where can I get meat for all these people?(X) They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.(Y) 15 If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me(Z)—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”

16 The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders(AA) who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people.(AB) Have them come to the tent of meeting,(AC) that they may stand there with you. 17 I will come down and speak with you(AD) there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them.(AE) They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.(AF)

18 “Tell the people: ‘Consecrate yourselves(AG) in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed,(AH) “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!”(AI) Now the Lord will give you meat,(AJ) and you will eat it. 19 You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it(AK)—because you have rejected the Lord,(AL) who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”(AM)

21 But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men(AN) on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ 22 Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?”(AO)

23 The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short?(AP) Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.(AQ)

24 So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud(AR) and spoke with him,(AS) and he took some of the power of the Spirit(AT) that was on him and put it on the seventy elders.(AU) When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied(AV)—but did not do so again.

26 However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them,(AW) and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

28 Joshua son of Nun,(AX) who had been Moses’ aide(AY) since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”(AZ)

29 But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets(BA) and that the Lord would put his Spirit(BB) on them!”(BC) 30 Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

31 Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail(BD) in from the sea. It scattered them up to two cubits[b] deep all around the camp, as far as a day’s walk in any direction. 32 All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers.[c] Then they spread them out all around the camp. 33 But while the meat was still between their teeth(BE) and before it could be consumed, the anger(BF) of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague.(BG) 34 Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah,[d](BH) because there they buried the people who had craved other food.

35 From Kibroth Hattaavah the people traveled to Hazeroth(BI) and stayed there.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 11:3 Taberah means burning.
  2. Numbers 11:31 That is, about 3 feet or about 90 centimeters
  3. Numbers 11:32 That is, possibly about 1 3/4 tons or about 1.6 metric tons
  4. Numbers 11:34 Kibroth Hattaavah means graves of craving.

15 So He (A)gave them their request,
But (B)sent a [a]wasting disease among them.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 106:15 Or leanness into their soul

15 So he gave them(A) what they asked for,
    but sent a wasting disease(B) among them.

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13 But the house of Israel (A)rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not walk in My statutes and they rejected My ordinances, (B)which, if [a]a person [b]follows them, then he will live by them; and they greatly profaned My (C)Sabbaths. Then I [c]resolved to (D)pour out My wrath on them in the wilderness, to annihilate them.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 20:13 Lit the person
  2. Ezekiel 20:13 Lit does them
  3. Ezekiel 20:13 Lit said

13 “‘Yet the people of Israel rebelled(A) against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws(B)—by which the person who obeys them will live—and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths.(C) So I said I would pour out my wrath(D) on them and destroy(E) them in the wilderness.(F)

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21 But the (A)children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, nor were they careful to [a]follow My ordinances which, if [b]a person [c]follows them, then he will live by them; they profaned My Sabbaths. So I [d]resolved to pour out My wrath on them, to [e]use up My anger against them in the wilderness.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 20:21 Lit do My
  2. Ezekiel 20:21 Lit the person
  3. Ezekiel 20:21 Lit does them
  4. Ezekiel 20:21 Lit said
  5. Ezekiel 20:21 Or finish

21 “‘But the children rebelled against me: They did not follow my decrees, they were not careful to keep my laws,(A) of which I said, “The person who obeys them will live by them,” and they desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger(B) against them in the wilderness.(C)

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Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased; for their dead bodies were (A)spread out in the wilderness.

Now these things happened as (B)examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as (C)they indeed craved them. Do not be (D)idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “(E)The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to (F)play.” Nor are we to commit sexual immorality, as (G)some of them [a]did, and (H)twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor are we to put the Lord to the test, as (I)some of them [b]did, and were killed by the snakes. 10 Nor (J)grumble, as some of them [c]did, and (K)were killed by the (L)destroyer.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 10:8 Lit committed sexual immorality
  2. 1 Corinthians 10:9 Lit made trial
  3. 1 Corinthians 10:10 Lit grumbled

Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.(A)

Now these things occurred as examples(B) to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters,(C) as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”[a](D) We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.(E) We should not test Christ,[b](F) as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.(G) 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did(H)—and were killed(I) by the destroying angel.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 10:7 Exodus 32:6
  2. 1 Corinthians 10:9 Some manuscripts test the Lord