Numbers 11

Numbers 11 describes a critical moment in Israel’s wilderness journey when the people begin to complain about their hardships. Their longing for the food in Egypt leads to rebellion, and God responds by both punishing them and providing their request. The chapter highlights themes of human ingratitude, divine provision, and judgment, as well as the burden of leadership felt by Moses.

Numbers 11:1-3 (NKJV)
1 Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp.
2 Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the Lord, the fire was quenched.
3 So he called the name of the place Taberah, because the fire of the Lord had burned among them.

The Israelites' complaints led to God’s displeasure. His judgment came in the form of fire, symbolizing divine wrath, consuming those on the outskirts of the camp. When the people cried out, Moses interceded on their behalf, and God’s mercy followed, as the fire was extinguished. This event highlights both God’s justice against rebellion and His readiness to show mercy in response to intercession. The place was named Taberah, meaning "burning," as a reminder of the incident.

Numbers 11:4-6 (NKJV)
4 Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat?
5 We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic;
6 but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”

A group within Israel, described as the "mixed multitude," began craving meat, which spread discontent among the Israelites. They began to long for the food they had in Egypt, forgetting their previous suffering in slavery. Their complaints reveal a spiritual dissatisfaction, as they no longer appreciate the miraculous provision of manna. The people’s focus shifted from gratitude for God's deliverance to a nostalgic longing for the comforts of their former life.

Numbers 11:7-9 (NKJV)
7 Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its color like the color of bdellium.
8 The people went about and gathered it, ground it on millstones or beat it in the mortar, cooked it in pans, and made cakes of it; and its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil.
9 And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.

These verses provide a description of manna, the miraculous food God provided daily. Manna was versatile and could be prepared in various ways, and it tasted like pastry made with oil. Despite its divine origin and convenience, the Israelites had grown tired of it. This highlights their growing ingratitude toward God's provision, despite its miraculous and sustaining nature.

Numbers 11:10-15 (NKJV)
10 Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased.
11 So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all these people on me?
12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You swore to their fathers?
13 Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’
14 I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me.
15 If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and do not let me see my wretchedness!”

Moses expresses his deep frustration and overwhelming burden of leading the Israelites, as the people’s complaints intensify. He feels the weight of responsibility for a multitude that continuously rebels and demands things he cannot provide. Moses turns to God in his despair, asking for relief, even preferring death over the continued burden. His prayer reflects the strain of leadership and the pressure of mediating between the people and God.

Numbers 11:16-17 (NKJV)
16 So the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you.
17 Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.”

In response to Moses’ distress, God instructs him to gather seventy elders to help share the burden of leadership. These elders are recognized leaders among the people, and God promises to distribute some of the Spirit upon Moses to them. This reflects God’s compassion for Moses, providing relief by empowering others to help carry the weight of responsibility.

Numbers 11:18-20 (NKJV)
18 Then you shall say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us 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 but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, “Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?” ’ ”

God tells Moses that He will provide meat for the people as they requested, but not as a blessing. Instead, their craving will be satisfied to the point of disgust. By giving them an abundance of what they demanded, God highlights their ingratitude and rebellion. The consequence is that the very thing they longed for will become repulsive to them, showing the seriousness of rejecting God's provision.

Numbers 11:21-23 (NKJV)
21 And Moses said, “The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.’
22 Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?”
23 And the Lord said to Moses, “Has the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.”

Moses doubts how such a large number of people can be fed with meat for an entire month, given their vast numbers. His practical concerns reflect his struggle to fully grasp the power of God in this situation. God responds by reminding Moses that nothing is beyond His ability. This reaffirms God’s sovereignty and power to fulfill His promises, regardless of human limitations.

Numbers 11:24-25 (NKJV)
24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tabernacle.
25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again.

Moses follows God’s command and gathers the seventy elders. God comes down in the cloud, a symbol of His presence, and distributes some of the Spirit that was on Moses to the elders. As a result, they begin to prophesy, signifying the empowering of the Spirit. This prophetic activity was a temporary confirmation of their role, as they did not continue to prophesy afterward. The moment reflects God’s provision of leadership assistance to Moses through these men.

Numbers 11:26-29 (NKJV)
26 But two men had remained in the camp: the name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them. Now they were among those listed, but who had not gone out to the tabernacle; yet they prophesied in the camp.
27 And a young man ran and told Moses, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
28 So Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, one of his choice men, answered and said, “Moses my lord, forbid them!”
29 Then Moses said to him, “Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!”

Two of the selected elders, Eldad and Medad, stayed in the camp but still received the Spirit and began prophesying there. When Joshua, Moses’ assistant, hears of it, he suggests stopping them. However, Moses rebukes Joshua, showing that he is not possessive of spiritual gifts. Instead, Moses wishes that all God’s people could receive the Spirit and prophesy. His response reflects humility and a desire for greater spiritual empowerment for the community.

Numbers 11:30-32 (NKJV)
30 And Moses returned to the camp, both he and the elders of Israel.
31 Now a wind went out from the Lord, and it brought quail from the sea and left them fluttering near the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and about a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about two cubits above the surface of the ground.
32 And the people stayed up all that day, all night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten homers); and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp.

God sends a wind to bring an enormous number of quail into the camp, fulfilling His promise to provide meat. The quail are so numerous that they cover the ground, making it easy for the Israelites to gather large quantities. The people work tirelessly to collect the quail, showing their eagerness to indulge in the meat they had craved. This abundance fulfills their demand, but it also sets the stage for the consequences of their greed.

Numbers 11:33-34 (NKJV)
33 But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was aroused against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague.
34 So he called the name of that place Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had yielded to craving.

In this passage, God had just provided quail in response to the Israelites' complaints about the lack of meat. However, as they began to eat the quail, a plague struck the people. The key phrase, "while the meat was still between their teeth," suggests that the punishment came immediately after they started eating, before they could fully enjoy the provision. The plague, however, was not indiscriminately poured out on everyone. Verse 34 clarifies that those who died were "the people who had yielded to craving." This means that the plague specifically targeted those individuals who had given in to extreme cravings and demonstrated a rebellious attitude toward God. These people had rejected God's previous provision of manna and longed for the food they remembered from Egypt, displaying ingratitude and discontent.

While God did fulfill His promise to provide quail, His judgment fell on the greedy and rebellious among the people. The name of the place, Kibroth Hattaavah (meaning "Graves of Craving"), reflects the consequences of their uncontrolled desires. Those who succumbed to their lust for meat, prioritizing their cravings over their trust in God, faced the consequences of their actions, while others who may have eaten without yielding to such craving may not have been affected by the plague.

Numbers 11:35 (NKJV)
35 From Kibroth Hattaavah the people journeyed to Hazeroth, and stayed at Hazeroth.

After the incident at Kibroth Hattaavah, the Israelites continue their journey to Hazeroth. This verse marks a transition, moving the people forward despite the tragedy that had just occurred. It serves as a reminder of the ongoing journey through the wilderness and the continued lessons Israel would face on their way to the Promised Land.