Numbers 11: When Provision Breeds Complacency
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.
And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire was quenched.
And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the Lord burnt among them.
And the mixt 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?
We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.
And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium.
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.
And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.
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.
And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?
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?
Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.
I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.
And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.
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.
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.
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.
Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;
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?
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
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!
And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.
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.
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.
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.
And he called the name of that place Kibroth–hattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.
And the people journeyed from Kibroth–hattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth.
Numbers 11 serves as a stark reminder of the human tendency to forget God's faithfulness and to succumb to discontentment, even in the face of miraculous provision. This chapter reveals the Israelites' descent into grumbling, Moses's overwhelming burden, and God's response, offering both grace and judgment. It's a passage brimming with lessons about gratitude, leadership, and the dangers of unchecked desires.
The Fire of Discontent (Numbers 11:1-3)
The chapter opens with the Israelites complaining openly about their hardships. They seemed to have quickly forgotten God's miraculous deliverance from Egypt and the covenant He had made with them. Their grumbling wasn't whispered in secret; it was a blatant display of dissatisfaction. This blatant disregard for God's provision ignited His anger, and He sent a fire that consumed the outskirts of the camp. This was not a random occurrence, but a direct consequence of their rebellious attitude. Moses, ever the intercessor, pleaded with God, and the fire subsided. The place was named Taberah, meaning "Blaze," a constant reminder of their sin and God's fiery response. This wouldn't be the last time a location bore witness to Israel's rebelliousness.
A Craving for More (Numbers 11:4-9)
The fire of God's judgment had barely been extinguished when the "riffraff" among them, likely a mixed multitude who had joined them from Egypt, began to stir up further discontent. Their complaint centered on a craving for different food. God had graciously and miraculously provided manna – "bread from heaven" – a sustenance that should have been viewed as a blessing. The manna is described as resembling bdellium and tasting like fresh oil, suggesting it was not only nourishing but also palatable. However, these complainers had lost their appetite for it, even finding it repulsive. They longed for the "free fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic" they had enjoyed in Egypt. The irony is palpable: they yearned for the food of their slavery, forgetting the bitter price of their former lives.
Moses's Burden and God's Provision (Numbers 11:10-17)
The people's incessant weeping and whining, family after family lamenting their "boring" diet, provoked both God and Moses. Moses, overwhelmed and frustrated, pours out his heart to God, questioning why he was burdened with this complaining nation. He feels the weight of their demands, particularly their desire for meat, which he cannot possibly provide. He even reaches a point of despair, wishing for death rather than continuing to lead this ungrateful people.
This passage highlights the immense pressure that leaders can face when dealing with the spiritual immaturity of those under their care. However, Moses seems to have momentarily forgotten that shepherding Israel was ultimately God's project, not his own. Those who lead God's people are under-shepherds, with the Chief Shepherd ultimately in charge.
God responds to Moses's plea with grace and a practical solution. He doesn't kill Moses or relieve him of leadership. Instead, He provides help by appointing seventy elders and officers to share the burden. These men were not merely chosen for their competence but also needed to be filled with the Holy Spirit. God promised to take some of the Spirit that was on Moses and place it upon them, equipping them to assist him in leading the people.
The Consequence of Rejected Provision (Numbers 11:18-23)
God also addresses the people's clamoring for meat, but not in the way they expected. He instructs them to consecrate themselves, preparing for a surfeit of meat that would last for a whole month. This wasn't a blessing; it was a judgment. God intended to give them so much meat that they would become sick of it, a consequence of their rejection of His provision. They complained, "Who will feed us meat? We were better off in Egypt!" By rejecting the manna, they were, in essence, rejecting the Lord.
Moses, still weary and exasperated, even doubts God's ability to provide such a massive quantity of meat for so many people. He questions the logistics, highlighting the sheer number of people and the unlikelihood of satisfying their demands. God rebukes Moses's doubt, reminding him of His omnipotence. The all-powerful Creator is not limited by human understanding or resources. If He promised it, He would deliver. "Is the LORD’s power limited?" (Numbers 11:23).
The Spirit's Empowerment and the Danger of Jealousy (Numbers 11:24-30)
Moses follows God's instructions and gathers the seventy elders. As God promised, the Spirit came upon them, and they prophesied, though apparently only on this occasion. This act of empowerment demonstrates God's willingness to share His Spirit and equip others for service.
An interesting episode unfolds when Joshua reports that two men, Eldad and Medad, who had remained in the camp, were also prophesying. He urges Moses to stop them, likely out of concern for Moses's authority. However, Moses's response is remarkable. He rebukes Joshua's jealousy and expresses a desire that all of God's people would be prophets, filled with the Spirit. "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).
Moses's humility shines through in this moment. He is not threatened by others receiving God's blessing; instead, he welcomes it. He recognizes that the more people who know, obey, and teach God's Word, the more the community is edified and God is glorified.
The Graves of Craving (Numbers 11:31-35)
God fulfills His promise, or rather, His warning. A massive flock of quail is brought into the camp by the wind. The people spend days gathering the birds, indulging their craving for meat. However, while the meat is still between their teeth, God's anger is kindled, and He strikes them with a severe plague. They had craved their way to the grave. The place is named Kibroth-hattaavah, meaning "Graves of Craving," a grim reminder of the consequences of unchecked desires and ingratitude. This serves as a powerful warning against prioritizing our own desires over God's provision and plan.
Numbers 11 is a cautionary tale about the dangers of discontentment and the importance of gratitude. It reminds us that God's provision is always sufficient, even when it doesn't match our own desires. It also highlights the challenges of leadership and the need for humility and reliance on God's power. Ultimately, this chapter calls us to examine our own hearts, to identify any areas of grumbling or dissatisfaction, and to cultivate a spirit of thankfulness for all that God has given us.
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.
And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire was quenched.
And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the Lord burnt among them.
And the mixt 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?
We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.
And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium.
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.
And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.
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.
And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?
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?
Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.
I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.
And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.
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.
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.
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.
Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;
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?
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
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!
And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.
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.
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.
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.
And he called the name of that place Kibroth–hattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.
And the people journeyed from Kibroth–hattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth.
Numbers 11 serves as a stark reminder of the human tendency to forget God's faithfulness and to succumb to discontentment, even in the face of miraculous provision. This chapter reveals the Israelites' descent into grumbling, Moses's overwhelming burden, and God's response, offering both grace and judgment. It's a passage brimming with lessons about gratitude, leadership, and the dangers of unchecked desires.
The Fire of Discontent (Numbers 11:1-3)
The chapter opens with the Israelites complaining openly about their hardships. They seemed to have quickly forgotten God's miraculous deliverance from Egypt and the covenant He had made with them. Their grumbling wasn't whispered in secret; it was a blatant display of dissatisfaction. This blatant disregard for God's provision ignited His anger, and He sent a fire that consumed the outskirts of the camp. This was not a random occurrence, but a direct consequence of their rebellious attitude. Moses, ever the intercessor, pleaded with God, and the fire subsided. The place was named Taberah, meaning "Blaze," a constant reminder of their sin and God's fiery response. This wouldn't be the last time a location bore witness to Israel's rebelliousness.
A Craving for More (Numbers 11:4-9)
The fire of God's judgment had barely been extinguished when the "riffraff" among them, likely a mixed multitude who had joined them from Egypt, began to stir up further discontent. Their complaint centered on a craving for different food. God had graciously and miraculously provided manna – "bread from heaven" – a sustenance that should have been viewed as a blessing. The manna is described as resembling bdellium and tasting like fresh oil, suggesting it was not only nourishing but also palatable. However, these complainers had lost their appetite for it, even finding it repulsive. They longed for the "free fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic" they had enjoyed in Egypt. The irony is palpable: they yearned for the food of their slavery, forgetting the bitter price of their former lives.
Moses's Burden and God's Provision (Numbers 11:10-17)
The people's incessant weeping and whining, family after family lamenting their "boring" diet, provoked both God and Moses. Moses, overwhelmed and frustrated, pours out his heart to God, questioning why he was burdened with this complaining nation. He feels the weight of their demands, particularly their desire for meat, which he cannot possibly provide. He even reaches a point of despair, wishing for death rather than continuing to lead this ungrateful people.
This passage highlights the immense pressure that leaders can face when dealing with the spiritual immaturity of those under their care. However, Moses seems to have momentarily forgotten that shepherding Israel was ultimately God's project, not his own. Those who lead God's people are under-shepherds, with the Chief Shepherd ultimately in charge.
God responds to Moses's plea with grace and a practical solution. He doesn't kill Moses or relieve him of leadership. Instead, He provides help by appointing seventy elders and officers to share the burden. These men were not merely chosen for their competence but also needed to be filled with the Holy Spirit. God promised to take some of the Spirit that was on Moses and place it upon them, equipping them to assist him in leading the people.
The Consequence of Rejected Provision (Numbers 11:18-23)
God also addresses the people's clamoring for meat, but not in the way they expected. He instructs them to consecrate themselves, preparing for a surfeit of meat that would last for a whole month. This wasn't a blessing; it was a judgment. God intended to give them so much meat that they would become sick of it, a consequence of their rejection of His provision. They complained, "Who will feed us meat? We were better off in Egypt!" By rejecting the manna, they were, in essence, rejecting the Lord.
Moses, still weary and exasperated, even doubts God's ability to provide such a massive quantity of meat for so many people. He questions the logistics, highlighting the sheer number of people and the unlikelihood of satisfying their demands. God rebukes Moses's doubt, reminding him of His omnipotence. The all-powerful Creator is not limited by human understanding or resources. If He promised it, He would deliver. "Is the LORD’s power limited?" (Numbers 11:23).
The Spirit's Empowerment and the Danger of Jealousy (Numbers 11:24-30)
Moses follows God's instructions and gathers the seventy elders. As God promised, the Spirit came upon them, and they prophesied, though apparently only on this occasion. This act of empowerment demonstrates God's willingness to share His Spirit and equip others for service.
An interesting episode unfolds when Joshua reports that two men, Eldad and Medad, who had remained in the camp, were also prophesying. He urges Moses to stop them, likely out of concern for Moses's authority. However, Moses's response is remarkable. He rebukes Joshua's jealousy and expresses a desire that all of God's people would be prophets, filled with the Spirit. "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).
Moses's humility shines through in this moment. He is not threatened by others receiving God's blessing; instead, he welcomes it. He recognizes that the more people who know, obey, and teach God's Word, the more the community is edified and God is glorified.
The Graves of Craving (Numbers 11:31-35)
God fulfills His promise, or rather, His warning. A massive flock of quail is brought into the camp by the wind. The people spend days gathering the birds, indulging their craving for meat. However, while the meat is still between their teeth, God's anger is kindled, and He strikes them with a severe plague. They had craved their way to the grave. The place is named Kibroth-hattaavah, meaning "Graves of Craving," a grim reminder of the consequences of unchecked desires and ingratitude. This serves as a powerful warning against prioritizing our own desires over God's provision and plan.
Numbers 11 is a cautionary tale about the dangers of discontentment and the importance of gratitude. It reminds us that God's provision is always sufficient, even when it doesn't match our own desires. It also highlights the challenges of leadership and the need for humility and reliance on God's power. Ultimately, this chapter calls us to examine our own hearts, to identify any areas of grumbling or dissatisfaction, and to cultivate a spirit of thankfulness for all that God has given us.