Numbers 11
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Complaints about Hardship
11 Now the people began complaining openly before[a] the Lord about hardship. When the Lord heard, His anger burned,(A) and fire(B) from the Lord blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp. 2 Then the people cried out to Moses, and he prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. 3 So that place was named Taberah,[b](C) because the Lord’s fire had blazed among them.
Complaints about Food
4 Contemptible people[c] among them(D) had a strong craving(E) for other food. The Israelites cried again and said, “Who will feed us meat? 5 We remember the free fish we ate in Egypt,(F) along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. 6 But now our appetite is gone;[d] there’s nothing to look at but this manna!”
7 The manna(G) resembled coriander seed, and its appearance was like that of bdellium.[e] 8 The people walked around and gathered it. They ground it on a pair of grinding stones or crushed it in a mortar, then boiled it in a cooking pot and shaped it into cakes. It tasted like a pastry cooked with the finest oil. 9 When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall with it.(H)
10 Moses heard the people, family after family, crying at the entrance of their tents. The Lord was very angry;(I) Moses was also provoked.[f] 11 So Moses asked the Lord, “Why have You brought such trouble on Your servant? Why are You angry with me, and why do You burden me with all these people?(J) 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth so You should tell me, ‘Carry them at your breast, as a nursing woman carries a baby,’(K) to the land that You[g] swore to give their fathers?(L) 13 Where can I get meat to give all these people? For they are crying to me: ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I can’t carry all these people by myself. They are too much for me. 15 If You are going to treat me like this, please kill me right now.(M) If You are pleased with me,(N) don’t let me see my misery[h] anymore.”
Seventy Elders Anointed
16 The Lord answered Moses, “Bring Me 70 men from Israel known to you as elders and officers of the people. Take them to the tent of meeting and have them stand there with you. 17 Then I will come down and speak with you there. I will take some of the Spirit who is on you and put the Spirit on them.(O) They will help you bear the burden of the people, so that you do not have to bear it by yourself.(P)
18 “Tell the people: Purify yourselves in readiness for tomorrow, and you will eat meat because you cried before the Lord: ‘Who will feed us meat? We really had it good in Egypt.’ The Lord will give you meat and you will eat. 19 You will eat, not for one day, or two days, or five days, or 10 days, or 20 days, 20 but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes nauseating to you—because you have rejected the Lord who is among you, and cried to Him: ‘Why did we ever leave Egypt?’”(Q)
21 But Moses replied, “I’m in the middle of a people with 600,000 foot soldiers,(R) yet You say, ‘I will give them meat, and they will eat for a month.’ 22 If flocks and herds were slaughtered for them, would they have enough? Or if all the fish in the sea were caught for them, would they have enough?”(S)
23 The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s power limited?[i](T) You will see whether or not what I have promised will happen to you.”
24 Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. He brought 70 men from the elders of the people and had them stand around the tent. 25 Then the Lord descended in the cloud and spoke to him.(U) He took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and placed the Spirit on the 70 elders. As the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied,(V) but they never did it again. 26 Two men had remained in the camp, one named Eldad and the other Medad; the Spirit rested on them—they were among those listed, but had not gone out to the tent—and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
28 Joshua son of Nun, assistant to Moses since his youth,[j] responded, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”
29 But Moses asked him, “Are you jealous on my account?(W) If only all the Lord’s people were prophets and the Lord would place His Spirit on them!” 30 Then Moses returned to the camp along with the elders of Israel.
Quail in the Camp
31 A wind sent by the Lord(X) came up and blew quail in from the sea; it dropped them at the camp all around, three feet[k] off[l] the ground, about a day’s journey in every direction.(Y) 32 The people were up all that day and night and all the next day gathering the quail—the one who took the least gathered 50 bushels[m]—and they spread them out all around the camp.[n](Z)
33 While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the Lord’s anger burned(AA) against the people, and the Lord struck them with a very severe plague.(AB) 34 So they named that place Kibroth-hattaavah,[o] because there they buried the people who had craved the meat.
35 From Kibroth-hattaavah the people moved on to Hazeroth[p](AC) and remained there.
Footnotes
- Numbers 11:1 Lit in the ears of
- Numbers 11:3 = blaze
- Numbers 11:4 Or The mixed multitude; Hb obscure
- Numbers 11:6 Or our lives are wasting away, or our throat is dry
- Numbers 11:7 A yellowish, transparent gum resin
- Numbers 11:10 Lit and it was evil in the eyes of Moses
- Numbers 11:12 One Hb ms, Sam, LXX, Syr, Tg read I
- Numbers 11:15 Ancient Jewish tradition reads Your misery
- Numbers 11:23 Lit Lord’s arm too short
- Numbers 11:28 LXX, some Sam mss read Moses, from his chosen ones
- Numbers 11:31 Lit two cubits
- Numbers 11:31 Or on, or above
- Numbers 11:32 Lit 10 homers
- Numbers 11:32 To dry or cure the meat; 2Sm 17:19; Ezk 26:5,14
- Numbers 11:34 = Graves of Craving
- Numbers 11:35 = settlements; Nm 12:16; 33:16-17
Números 11
La Biblia de las Américas
El pueblo se queja contra el Señor
11 Y el pueblo comenzó a quejarse en[a] la adversidad(A) a oídos del Señor(B); y cuando el Señor lo oyó, se encendió su ira, y el fuego del Señor ardió entre ellos y consumió un extremo del campamento. 2 Entonces clamó el pueblo a Moisés, y Moisés oró al Señor(C) y el fuego se apagó[b]. 3 Y se le dio a aquel lugar el nombre de Tabera[c](D), porque el fuego del Señor había ardido entre ellos.
4 Y el populacho(E) que estaba entre ellos tenía un deseo insaciable[d](F); y también los hijos de Israel volvieron a llorar, y dijeron: ¿Quién nos dará carne para comer(G)? 5 Nos acordamos del pescado que comíamos gratis en Egipto(H), de los pepinos, de los melones, los puerros, las cebollas y los ajos; 6 pero ahora no tenemos apetito[e]. Nada hay para nuestros ojos excepto este maná(I). 7 Y el maná era como una semilla de cilantro(J), y su aspecto como el del bedelio(K). 8 El pueblo iba, lo recogía y lo molía entre[f] dos piedras de molino, o lo machacaba en el mortero, y lo hervía en el caldero y hacía tortas con él; y tenía el sabor de tortas cocidas con[g] aceite. 9 Cuando el rocío caía en el campamento por la noche, con[h] él caía el maná(L).
10 Y Moisés oyó llorar al pueblo, por sus familias, cada uno a la puerta de su tienda; y la ira del Señor se encendió en gran manera, y a Moisés no le agradó[i]. 11 Entonces Moisés dijo al Señor: ¿Por qué has tratado tan mal a tu siervo? ¿Y por qué no he hallado gracia ante tus ojos para que hayas puesto la carga de todo este pueblo sobre mí(M)? 12 ¿Acaso concebí yo a todo este pueblo? ¿Fui yo quien lo dio a luz para que me dijeras: «Llévalo en tu seno, como la nodriza[j](N) lleva al niño de pecho, a la tierra que yo juré[k] a sus padres(O)»? 13 ¿De dónde he de conseguir carne para dar a todo este pueblo(P)? Porque claman a mí, diciendo: «Danos carne para que comamos». 14 Yo solo no puedo llevar a todo este pueblo, porque es mucha carga[l] para mí(Q). 15 Y si así me vas a tratar, te ruego que me mates(R) si he hallado gracia ante tus ojos, y no me permitas ver mi desventura.
16 Entonces el Señor dijo a Moisés: Reúneme a setenta hombres de los ancianos de Israel, a quienes tú conozcas como los ancianos del pueblo y a sus oficiales(S), y tráelos a la tienda de reunión y que permanezcan allí contigo. 17 Entonces descenderé y hablaré contigo allí, y tomaré del Espíritu que está sobre ti y lo pondré sobre ellos(T), y llevarán contigo la carga del pueblo para que no la lleves tú solo(U). 18 Y di al pueblo: «Consagraos(V) para mañana, y comeréis carne, pues habéis llorado a oídos del Señor(W), diciendo: “¡Quién nos diera a comer carne! Porque nos iba mejor en Egipto”. El Señor, pues, os dará carne y comeréis. 19 No comeréis un día, ni dos días, ni cinco días, ni diez días, ni veinte días, 20 sino[m] todo un mes, hasta que os salga por las narices y os sea aborrecible, porque habéis rechazado al Señor(X), que está entre vosotros, y habéis llorado delante de Él, diciendo: “¿Por qué salimos de Egipto?”». 21 Pero Moisés dijo: El pueblo, en medio del cual estoy, llega a seiscientos mil de a pie; y tú has dicho: «Les daré carne a fin de que coman, por todo un mes». 22 ¿Sería suficiente degollar para ellos las ovejas y los bueyes? ¿O sería suficiente juntar para ellos todos los peces del mar? 23 Y el Señor dijo a Moisés: ¿Está limitado el poder[n] del Señor(Y)? Ahora verás si mi palabra se te cumple(Z) o no.
24 Salió Moisés y dijo al pueblo las palabras del Señor. Reunió después a setenta hombres(AA) de los ancianos del pueblo y los colocó alrededor de la tienda. 25 Entonces el Señor descendió en la nube(AB) y le habló; y tomó del Espíritu que estaba sobre él y lo colocó sobre los setenta ancianos(AC). Y sucedió que cuando el Espíritu reposó sobre ellos, profetizaron; pero no volvieron a hacerlo más.
26 Pero dos hombres habían quedado en el campamento; uno se llamaba Eldad, y el otro[o] se llamaba Medad. Y el Espíritu reposó sobre ellos(AD) (ellos estaban entre los que se habían inscrito, pero no habían salido a la tienda), y profetizaron en el campamento. 27 Y un joven corrió y avisó a Moisés, diciendo: Eldad y Medad están profetizando en el campamento. 28 Entonces respondió Josué, hijo de Nun, ayudante de Moisés desde su juventud(AE), y dijo: Moisés, señor mío, detenlos(AF). 29 Pero Moisés le dijo: ¿Tienes celos por causa mía? ¡Ojalá todo el pueblo del Señor fuera profeta(AG), que el Señor pusiera su Espíritu sobre ellos! 30 Después Moisés volvió al campamento, y con él los ancianos de Israel.
31 Y salió de parte del Señor un viento que trajo codornices desde el mar y las dejó caer junto al campamento(AH), como un día de camino de este lado, y un día de camino del otro lado, por todo alrededor del campamento, y como dos codos[p] de espesor sobre la superficie de la tierra. 32 Y el pueblo estuvo levantado todo el día, toda la noche, y todo el día siguiente, y recogieron las codornices (el que recogió menos, recogió diez homeres[q](AI)), y las tendieron para sí por todos los alrededores del campamento. 33 Pero mientras la carne estaba aún entre sus dientes, antes que la masticaran, la ira del Señor se encendió contra el pueblo, y el Señor hirió al pueblo con una plaga muy mala(AJ). 34 Por eso llamaron a aquel lugar Kibrot-hataava[r](AK), porque allí sepultaron a los que habían sido codiciosos. 35 Y de Kibrot-hataava el pueblo partió para Hazerot, y permaneció[s] en Hazerot(AL).
Footnotes
- Números 11:1 Lit., fue como los que se quejan de
- Números 11:2 Lit., se hundió
- Números 11:3 I.e., encendido
- Números 11:4 Lit., deseaba un deseo
- Números 11:6 Lit., nuestra alma está seca
- Números 11:8 Lit., con
- Números 11:8 Lit., su sabor era como el sabor de
- Números 11:9 Lit., sobre
- Números 11:10 Lit., fue malo a los ojos de Moisés
- Números 11:12 O, el padre adoptivo
- Números 11:12 Lit., tú juraste
- Números 11:14 Lit., muy pesado
- Números 11:20 Lit., hasta
- Números 11:23 Lit., ¿Es corta la mano
- Números 11:26 Lit., segundo
- Números 11:31 O, desde unos dos codos arriba; un codo equivale aprox. a 45 cm.
- Números 11:32 Un homer equivale aprox. a 220 litros
- Números 11:34 I.e., las tumbas de la codicia
- Números 11:35 Lit., estaba
Numbers 11
New King James Version
The People Complain
11 Now (A)when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; (B)for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the (C)fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. 2 Then the people (D)cried out to Moses, and when Moses (E)prayed to the Lord, the fire was [a]quenched. 3 So he called the name of the place [b]Taberah, because the fire of the Lord had burned among them.
4 Now the (F)mixed multitude who were among them [c]yielded to (G)intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: (H)“Who will give us meat to eat? 5 (I)We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6 but now (J)our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”
7 Now (K)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 (L)its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil. 9 And (M)when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.
10 Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and (N)the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased. 11 (O)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 [d]burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, (P)‘Carry them in your bosom, as a (Q)guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You (R)swore[e] to their fathers? 13 (S)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 (T)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 (U)do not let me see my wretchedness!”
The Seventy Elders
16 So the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me (V)seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and (W)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. (X)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. 18 Then you shall say to the people, [f]‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept (Y)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 (Z)but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have (AA)despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, (AB)“Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?” ’ ”
21 And Moses said, (AC)“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 (AD)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, (AE)“Has[g] the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether (AF)what I say will happen to you or not.”
24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he (AG)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, (AH)when the Spirit rested upon them, that (AI)they prophesied, [h]although they never did so again.
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 (AJ)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, (AK)forbid them!”
29 Then Moses said to him, “Are you [i]zealous for my sake? (AL)Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!” 30 And Moses returned to the camp, he and the elders of Israel.
The Lord Sends Quail
31 Now a (AM)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 (AN)homers); and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 33 But while the (AO)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 [j]Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had yielded to craving.
35 (AP)From Kibroth Hattaavah the people moved to Hazeroth, and camped at Hazeroth.
Footnotes
- Numbers 11:2 extinguished
- Numbers 11:3 Lit. Burning
- Numbers 11:4 Lit. lusted intensely
- Numbers 11:11 responsibility
- Numbers 11:12 solemnly promised
- Numbers 11:18 Set yourselves apart
- Numbers 11:23 Is the Lord’s power limited?
- Numbers 11:25 Tg., Vg. and they did not cease
- Numbers 11:29 jealous
- Numbers 11:34 Lit. Graves of Craving
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
