Numbers 11:10-17

English Standard Version

¹⁰Moses heard the people ^(A)weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. ¹¹^(B)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? ¹²Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, ^(C)‘Carry them in your bosom, as a ^(D)nurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land ^(E)that you swore to give their fathers? ¹³^(F)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^(G)I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. ¹⁵If 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

¹⁶Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me ^(H)seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and ^(I)officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. ¹⁷^(J)And I will come down and talk with you there. And ^(K)I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and ^(L)they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.