1 And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.
2 And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.
3 And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.
4 And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic:
6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.
7 And the manna was as coriander seed, and the color thereof as the color of bdellium.
8 And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.
9 And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.
10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.
11 And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favor in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?
12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?
13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.
14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.
15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favor in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.
16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.
17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.
18 And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.
19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;
20 But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?
21 And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.
22 Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?
23 And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD's hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.
24 And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.
25 And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!
30 And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.
31 And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.
32 And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.
33 And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.
34 And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.
35 And the people journeyed from Kibrothhattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth.
In the book of Numbers, chapter 11 marks a turning point in the journey of the Israelites as they make their way to the Promised Land. In this chapter, the Israelites complain about their hardships in the wilderness and express their dissatisfaction with their diet. As a result, God sends them quail to eat, but this act also comes with consequences. This chapter highlights the themes of complaining, faith, and consequences of disobedience.
The chapter begins with the Israelites complaining about their situation in the wilderness. They remember the food they had in Egypt and long for it, despite the fact that they were slaves and were oppressed by the Egyptians. They complain to Moses and Aaron, saying, "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. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!" (Numbers 11:4-6, NIV).
This complaining reveals the lack of faith and gratitude among the Israelites. They had witnessed God's miracles and provision in their journey, yet they still doubted and complained. Their focus was on their present circumstances and desires, rather than trusting in God's plan for their future.
This is a reminder for us to have faith and trust in God's plan for our lives, even when things may not seem ideal or comfortable. Complaining only shows our lack of trust in God's provision and can lead to negative consequences.
As the people continue to grumble, Moses also expresses his frustration to God. He asks God, "Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? 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, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors?" (Numbers 11:11-12, NIV).
Moses' complaint reveals the weight of his responsibility as a leader and his human limitations. However, God responds by giving Moses seventy elders to help him carry the burden and share the responsibility of leading the people. This shows God's provision and care for His people, even in the midst of their complaints and disobedience.
As leaders or followers, we may also experience moments of doubt and frustration. However, we can trust in God's provision and seek support from others to help us carry our burdens.
In response to the Israelites' complaints, God sends quail to satisfy their desire for meat. The quail covered the camp and the people gathered them and ate them, but while the meat was still in their mouths, the Lord struck them with a severe plague. This was a consequence of their complaining and lack of faith.
The people had asked for meat, but God gave them more than they could handle. This incident serves as a reminder that sometimes, what we desire may not be what is best for us. God knows what we truly need and His ways are higher than ours. The Israelites' disobedience and lack of trust in God's provision led to negative consequences.
We must be careful not to let our desires and complaints lead us away from God's plan for our lives. We must trust in His provision and be content with what He has given us.
In the midst of the quail incident, Moses appoints seventy elders to help him lead the people. Among these elders are Eldad and Medad, who did not go to the tent with the others, but the Spirit of God still came upon them and they prophesied in the camp. Joshua, Moses' assistant, becomes jealous and asks Moses to stop them. However, Moses responds, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit on them!" (Numbers 11:29, NIV).
This incident shows that God's Spirit is not limited to a select few, but can come upon anyone He chooses. It also reveals the danger of jealousy and the importance of unity and support among God's people.
This chapter teaches us valuable lessons about faith, complaining, and consequences of disobedience. The Israelites' lack of faith and constant complaining led to negative consequences, while Moses' trust in God and his willingness to share the burden with others brought about positive outcomes.
As we journey through life, may we remember to have faith in God's plan and provision, and to be content with what He has given us. Let us also support and encourage one another, rather than allowing jealousy to divide us. And most importantly, let us be mindful of the consequences of our actions and trust in God's guidance and direction for our lives.
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