Numbers 11
The Message
Camp Taberah
11 1-3 The people fell to grumbling over their hard life. God heard. When he heard his anger flared; then fire blazed up and burned the outer boundaries of the camp. The people cried out for help to Moses; Moses prayed to God and the fire died down. They named the place Taberah (Blaze) because fire from God had blazed up against them.
Camp Kibroth Hattaavah
4-6 The misfits among the people had a craving and soon they had the People of Israel whining, “Why can’t we have meat? We ate fish in Egypt—and got it free!—to say nothing of the cucumbers and melons, the leeks and onions and garlic. But nothing tastes good out here; all we get is manna, manna, manna.”
7-9 Manna was a seedlike substance with a shiny appearance like resin. The people went around collecting it and ground it between stones or pounded it fine in a mortar. Then they boiled it in a pot and shaped it into cakes. It tasted like a delicacy cooked in olive oil. When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna was right there with it.
10 Moses heard the whining, all those families whining in front of their tents. God’s anger blazed up. Moses saw that things were in a bad way.
11-15 Moses said to God, “Why are you treating me this way? What did I ever do to you to deserve this? Did I conceive them? Was I their mother? So why dump the responsibility of this people on me? Why tell me to carry them around like a nursing mother, carry them all the way to the land you promised to their ancestors? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people who are whining to me, ‘Give us meat; we want meat.’ I can’t do this by myself—it’s too much, all these people. If this is how you intend to treat me, do me a favor and kill me. I’ve seen enough; I’ve had enough. Let me out of here.”
16-17 God said to Moses, “Gather together seventy men from among the leaders of Israel, men whom you know to be respected and responsible. Take them to the Tent of Meeting. I’ll meet you there. I’ll come down and speak with you. I’ll take some of the Spirit that is on you and place it on them; they’ll then be able to take some of the load of this people—you won’t have to carry the whole thing alone.
18-20 “Tell the people, Consecrate yourselves. Get ready for tomorrow when you’re going to eat meat. You’ve been whining to God, ‘We want meat; give us meat. We had a better life in Egypt.’ God has heard your whining and he’s going to give you meat. You’re going to eat meat. And it’s not just for a day that you’ll eat meat, and not two days, or five or ten or twenty, but for a whole month. You’re going to eat meat until it’s coming out your nostrils. You’re going to be so sick of meat that you’ll throw up at the mere mention of it. And here’s why: Because you have rejected God who is right here among you, whining to his face, ‘Oh, why did we ever have to leave Egypt?’”
21-22 Moses said, “I’m standing here surrounded by 600,000 men on foot and you say, ‘I’ll give them meat, meat every day for a month.’ So where’s it coming from? Even if all the flocks and herds were butchered, would that be enough? Even if all the fish in the sea were caught, would that be enough?”
23 God answered Moses, “So, do you think I can’t take care of you? You’ll see soon enough whether what I say happens for you or not.”
24-25 So Moses went out and told the people what God had said. He called together seventy of the leaders and had them stand around the Tent. God came down in a cloud and spoke to Moses and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy leaders. When the Spirit rested on them they prophesied. But they didn’t continue; it was a onetime event.
* * *
26 Meanwhile two men, Eldad and Medad, had stayed in the camp. They were listed as leaders but they didn’t leave camp to go to the Tent. Still, the Spirit also rested on them 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, who had been Moses’ right-hand man since his youth, said, “Moses, master! Stop them!”
29 But Moses said, “Are you jealous for me? Would that all God’s people were prophets. Would that God would put his Spirit on all of them.”
* * *
30-34 Then Moses and the leaders of Israel went back to the camp. A wind set in motion by God swept quails in from the sea. They piled up to a depth of about three feet in the camp and as far out as a day’s walk in every direction. All that day and night and into the next day the people were out gathering the quail—huge amounts of quail; even the slowest person among them gathered at least sixty bushels. They spread them out all over the camp for drying. But while they were still chewing the quail and had hardly swallowed the first bites, God’s anger blazed out against the people. He hit them with a terrible plague. They ended up calling the place Kibroth Hattaavah (Graves-of-the-Craving). There they buried the people who craved meat.
35 From Kibroth Hattaavah they marched on to Hazeroth. They remained at Hazeroth.
Numbers 11
Living Bible
11 The people were soon complaining about all their misfortunes, and the Lord heard them. His anger flared out against them because of their complaints, so the fire of the Lord began destroying those at the far end of the camp. 2 They screamed to Moses for help, and when he prayed for them the fire stopped. 3 Ever after, the area was known as “The Place of Burning,”[a] because the fire from the Lord burned among them there.
4-5 Then the Egyptians who had come with them began to long for the good things of Egypt. This added to the discontent of the people of Israel and they wept, “Oh, for a few bites of meat! Oh, that we had some of the delicious fish we enjoyed so much in Egypt, and the wonderful cucumbers and melons, leeks, onions, and garlic! 6 But now our strength is gone, and day after day we have to face this manna!”
7 The manna was the size of small seeds, whitish yellow in color. 8 The people gathered it from the ground and pounded it into flour, then boiled it, and then made pancakes from it—they tasted like pancakes fried in vegetable oil.[b] 9 The manna fell with the dew during the night.
10 Moses heard all the families standing around their tent doors weeping, and the anger of the Lord grew hot; Moses too was highly displeased.
11 Moses said to the Lord, “Why pick on me, to give me the burden of a people like this? 12 Are they my children? Am I their father? Is that why you have given me the job of nursing them along like babies until we get to the land you promised their ancestors? 13 Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? For they weep to me saying, ‘Give us meat!’ 14 I can’t carry this nation by myself! The load is far too heavy! 15 If you are going to treat me like this, please kill me right now; it will be a kindness! Let me out of this impossible situation!”
16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Summon before me seventy of the leaders of Israel; bring them to the Tabernacle, to stand there with you. 17 I will come down and talk with you there, and I will take of the Spirit which is on you and will put it upon them also; they shall bear the burden of the people along with you, so that you will not have the task alone.
18 “And tell the people to purify themselves, for tomorrow they shall have meat to eat. Tell them, ‘The Lord has heard your tearful complaints about all you left behind in Egypt, and he is going to give you meat. You shall eat it, 19-20 not for just a day or two, or five or ten or even twenty! For one whole month you will have meat until you vomit it from your noses; for you have rejected the Lord who is here among you, and you have wept for Egypt.’”
21 But Moses said, “There are 600,000 men alone besides all the women and children,[c] and yet you promise them meat for a whole month! 22 If we butcher all our flocks and herds it won’t be enough! We would have to catch every fish in the ocean to fulfill your promise!”
23 Then the Lord said to Moses, “When did I become weak? Now you shall see whether my word comes true or not!”
24 So Moses left the Tabernacle and reported Jehovah’s words to the people; and he gathered the seventy elders and placed them around the Tabernacle. 25 And the Lord came down in the Cloud and talked with Moses, and the Lord took of the Spirit that was upon Moses and put it upon the seventy elders; and when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied for some time.
26 But two of the seventy—Eldad and Medad—were still in the camp, and when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied there. 27 Some young men ran and told Moses what was happening, 28 and Joshua (the son of Nun), one of Moses’ personally chosen assistants, protested, “Sir, make them stop!”
29 But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I only wish that all of the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them all!” 30 Then Moses returned to the camp with the elders of Israel.
31 The Lord sent a wind that brought quail from the sea and let them fall into the camp and all around it! As far as one could walk in a day in any direction, there were quail flying three or four feet above the ground.[d] 32 So the people caught and killed quail all that day and through the night and all the next day too! The least anyone gathered was 100 bushels! Quail were spread out all around[e] the camp. 33 But as everyone began eating the meat, the anger of the Lord rose against the people and he killed large numbers of them with a plague. 34 So the name of that place was called, “The Place of the Graves Caused by Lust,”[f] because they buried the people there who had lusted for meat and for Egypt. 35 And from that place they journeyed to Hazeroth, where they stayed awhile.
Footnotes
- Numbers 11:3 The Place of Burning, literally, “Taberah.”
- Numbers 11:8 vegetable oil, literally, “olive oil.”
- Numbers 11:21 besides all the women and children, implied.
- Numbers 11:31 there were quail flying three or four feet above the ground, or “The ground was covered with them, three feet thick.”
- Numbers 11:32 quail were spread out all around. To cure them by drying.
- Numbers 11:34 The Place of the Graves caused by Lust, literally, “Kibroth-hattaavah.”
Numbers 11
Legacy Standard Bible
The People Complain
11 Now the people became like (A)those who complain of calamity (B)in the ears of Yahweh. And Yahweh heard it and His anger was kindled, and the fire of Yahweh burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. 2 (C)The people therefore cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to Yahweh, and the fire [a]died out. 3 So the name of that place was called [b](D)Taberah because the fire of Yahweh burned among them.
4 And the (E)rabble who were among them [c]had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, “(F)Who will give us [d]meat to eat? 5 (G)We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, 6 but now (H)our [e]appetite is dried up. There is nothing at all [f]to look at except this manna.”
7 (I)Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of (J)bdellium. 8 The people would go about and gather it and grind it [g]between two millstones or beat it in the mortar, and boil it in the pot and make cakes with it; and its taste was as the taste of [h]cakes baked with oil. 9 (K)And when the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall [i]with it.
Moses Complains
10 Now Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, each man at the doorway of his tent; and the anger of Yahweh was kindled greatly, and it was evil in the sight of Moses. 11 (L)So Moses said to Yahweh, “Why have You [j]allowed this evil toward Your slave? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all this people on me? 12 Was it I who conceived all this people? Was it I who gave birth to them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom as a [k](M)nurse carries a nursing baby, 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 that we may eat!’ 14 (P)I alone am not able to carry all this people because it is too heavy for me. 15 (Q)So if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness.”
The Spirit Rests upon the Elders
16 Yahweh 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 take them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. 17 (T)Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of (U)the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it all alone. 18 And say to the people, ‘(V)Set yourselves apart as holy for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept (W)in the ears of Yahweh, saying, “Oh that someone would give us meat to eat! For it was good for us in Egypt.” Therefore Yahweh 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 [l]but a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you; because (X)you have rejected Yahweh who is among you and have wept before Him, saying, “Why did we ever go out from Egypt?”’” 21 But Moses said, “The people, among whom I am, are 600,000 on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, so that they may eat for a whole month.’ 22 Should flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to be sufficient for them? Or should all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to be sufficient for them?” 23 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Is (Y)Yahweh’s [m]power limited? Now you shall see whether (Z)My word will happen for you or not.”
24 So Moses went out and (AA)told the people the words of Yahweh. Also, he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and had them stand around the tent. 25 (AB)Then Yahweh came down in the cloud and spoke to him; and He took of the Spirit who was upon him and placed Him upon the seventy elders. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do it again.
26 But two men had remained in the camp; the name of one was Eldad and the name of the [n]other Medad. And (AC)the Spirit rested upon them (now 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 told Moses and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 Then (AD)Joshua the son of Nun, the attendant of Moses from his youth, said, “(AE)Moses, my lord, restrain them.” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? (AF)Would that all the people of Yahweh were prophets, that Yahweh would put His Spirit upon them!” 30 Then Moses [o]returned to the camp, both he and the elders of Israel.
The Quail and the Plague
31 (AG)Now there went forth a wind from Yahweh, and it brought quail from the sea, and let them fall 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 [p]about two [q]cubits over the surface of the ground. 32 And the people [r]spent all day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered [s]ten (AH)homers), and they 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 Yahweh was kindled against the people, and Yahweh struck the people with a very severe plague. 34 So the name of that place was called [t](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 [u]remained at Hazeroth.
Footnotes
- Numbers 11:2 Lit sank down
- Numbers 11:3 Lit burning
- Numbers 11:4 Lit desired a desire
- Numbers 11:4 Lit flesh, so in ch
- Numbers 11:6 Lit soul
- Numbers 11:6 Lit for our eyes
- Numbers 11:8 Lit with
- Numbers 11:8 Lit juice of oil
- Numbers 11:9 Lit on
- Numbers 11:11 Lit dealt ill with
- Numbers 11:12 Or foster-father
- Numbers 11:20 Lit until
- Numbers 11:23 Lit hand short
- Numbers 11:26 Lit second
- Numbers 11:30 Lit removed himself
- Numbers 11:31 Or from about two cubits above
- Numbers 11:31 A cubit was approx. 18 in. or 45 cm
- Numbers 11:32 Lit rose
- Numbers 11:32 Approx. 65 bu. or 2,300 l, a homer was approx. 6.5 bu. or 230 l
- Numbers 11:34 Lit the graves of greediness
- Numbers 11:35 Lit were
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