Numbers 11:1-19

The People Complain

1 And t the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, u his anger was kindled, and v the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. 2 Then w the people cried out to Moses, x and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. 3 So the name of that place was called y Taberah, 1 because the fire of the Lord burned among them.

4 Now the z rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also a wept again and said, b "Oh that we had meat to eat! 5 c We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 6 But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at."

7 Now d the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. 8 e The people went about and gathered it and ground it in handmills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it. f And the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. 9 g When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.

10 Moses heard the people h weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. 11 i Moses said to the Lord, "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 this people on me? 12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, j 'Carry them in your bosom, as a k nurse carries a nursing child,' to the land l that you swore to give their fathers? 13 m Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, 'Give us meat, that we may eat.' 14 n I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. 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 wretchedness."

Elders Appointed to Aid Moses

16 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Gather for me o seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and p officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. 17 q And I will come down and talk with you there. And r I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and s they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone. 18 And say to the people, t '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? u For it was better for us in Egypt." Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. 19 You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days,

  1. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 9:22
    At Taberah also, and at Massah and at Kibroth-hattaavah you provoked the Lord to wrath.
  2. Cross References
    Psalms 78:21
    Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob; his anger rose against Israel.
  3. Cross References
    Numbers 16:35
    And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men offering the incense.
    Leviticus 10:2
    And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.
    2 Kings 1:12
    But Elijah answered them, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty." Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
    Psalms 106:18
    Fire also broke out in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.
    Revelation 13:13
    It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people.
  4. Cross References
    Numbers 21:7
    And the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people.
  5. Cross References
    James 5:16
    Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
    Numbers 16:45 - 48
    Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment." And they fell on their faces.
  6. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 9:22
    At Taberah also, and at Massah and at Kibroth-hattaavah you provoked the Lord to wrath.
  7. Cross References
    Exodus 12:38
    A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds.
  8. Cross References
    Numbers 14:1
    Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night.
  9. Cross References
    Psalms 78:18
    They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved.
    Psalms 106:14
    But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness, and put God to the test in the desert.
    1 Corinthians 10:6
    Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.
  10. Cross References
    Numbers 21:5
    And the people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.
    Exodus 16:3
    And the people of Israel said to them, "Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
    Acts 7:39
    Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt.
  11. Cross References
    Exodus 16:14
    And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground.
    Exodus 16:31
    Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.
  12. Cross References
    Exodus 16:16 - 18
    This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.'
  13. Cross References
    Exodus 16:31
    Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.
  14. Cross References
    Exodus 16:13 - 14
    In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp.
  15. Cross References
    Zechariah 12:12 - 14
    The land shall mourn, each family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves.
  16. Cross References
    1 Kings 19:4
    But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.
    Jonah 4:1 - 4
    But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.
    Jonah 4:9
    But God said to Jonah, "Do you do well to be angry for the plant?" And he said, "Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.
  17. Cross References
    Isaiah 40:11
    He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
    Deuteronomy 1:31
    And in the wilderness, where you have seen how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.
  18. Cross References
    Isaiah 49:23
    Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord ; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.
    1 Thessalonians 2:7
    But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.
  19. Cross References
    Genesis 50:24
    And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
    Exodus 13:5
    And when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this service in this month.
  20. Cross References
    2 Kings 7:2
    Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned said to the man of God, "If the Lord himself should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?" But he said, "You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat of it.
    Matthew 15:33
    And the disciples said to him, "Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?
    Mark 8:4
    And his disciples answered him, "How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?
    John 6:7
    Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.
    John 6:9
    "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?"
  21. Cross References
    Exodus 18:18
    You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone.
    Deuteronomy 1:9
    At that time I said to you, 'I am not able to bear you by myself.
    Deuteronomy 1:12
    How can I bear by myself the weight and burden of you and your strife?
  22. Cross References
    Exodus 24:1
    Then he said to Moses, "Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar.
    Exodus 24:9
    Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up.
  23. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 1:15
    So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and set them as heads over you, commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, commanders of tens, and officers, throughout your tribes.
    Deuteronomy 16:18
    You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
  24. Cross References
    Numbers 11:25
    Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.
    Numbers 12:5
    And the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward.
    Genesis 11:5
    And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built.
    Genesis 18:21
    I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.
    Exodus 19:20
    The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
  25. Cross References
    2 Kings 2:9
    When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.
    2 Kings 2:15
    Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.
    Nehemiah 9:20
    You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst.
  26. Cross References
    Exodus 18:22
    And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.
  27. Cross References
    Exodus 19:10
    The Lord said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments
  28. Cross References
    Numbers 11:5
    We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.