The Israelites Complain
11:11 When the people complained2 it displeased3 the Lord. When the Lord heard4 it, his anger burned,5 and so6 the fire of the Lord7 burned among them, and consumed some of the outer parts of the camp. 11:2 Then the people cried to Moses; and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died out.8 11:3 And he called the name of that place Taberah,9 because the fire of the Lord burned among them.
Complaints about Food
11:410 Now the mixed multitude11 who were among them craved more desirable foods, Moses’ Complaint to the Lord
11:1021 And Moses heard the people weeping22 throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and when the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly, Moses was also displeased.23
11:11 And Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you afflicted24 your servant? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that25 you lay the burden of all this people on me?
11:12 Did I conceive all this people?26 Did I produce27 them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a foster father28 bears a nursing child,’ to the land which you swore to their fathers?
11:13 From where shall I get29 meat to give to all this people, for they cry to me, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat!’30
11:14 I am not able to bear all this people alone,31 because it32 is too heavy for me!
11:15 But if you are going to deal33 with me like this, then kill me immediately.34 If I have found favor in your sight then do not let me see my trouble.”35
The Response of God
11:1636 And the Lord said to Moses, “Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know are elders of the people, and officials37 over them; and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their position there with you.
11:17 Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take part of the Spirit that is on you, and will put it on them, and they will bear some of the burden of the people with you, so that you do not bear it38 by yourself.
11:18 “And say to the people, ‘Sanctify yourselves39 for tomorrow, and you will eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing40 of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat,41 for life42 was good for us in Egypt?” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you will eat.
11:19 You will eat, not just one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days,
11:20 but a whole month, until it comes out your nostrils and makes you sick,43 because you have despised44 the Lord who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, “Why45 did we ever come out of Egypt?”’”
11:21 And Moses said, “The people around me46 are six hundred thousand on foot;47 but you say, ‘I will give them meat,48 that they may eat49 for a whole month.’
11:22 Would they have enough if the flocks and the herds were slain for them? If all the fish of the sea were caught for them, would they have enough?”
11:23 And the Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s hand shortened?50 Now you will see whether my word to you will happen51 or not.”
11:24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. He then gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and had them stand around the tabernacle.
11:25 And the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to them, and he took some of the Spirit that was on Moses,52 and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them,53 they prophesied,54 but did not do so again.55
Eldad and Medad
11:26 But two men remained in the camp; the name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested on them. Now they were among those in the registration,56 but had not gone to the tabernacle. So they prophesied in the camp.
11:27 And a57 young man ran and told Moses, and he said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
11:28 And Joshua son of Nun, the servant58 of Moses, one of his choice young men,59 answered and said, “My lord Moses, stop them!”60
11:29 And Moses said to him, “Are you envious for me?61 Oh that62 all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”
11:30 And Moses returned to the camp along with the elders of Israel.
Provision of Quail
11:31 Now a wind63 went forth64 from the Lord, and brought quail65 from the sea, and let them fall66 near the camp, about a day’s journey on this side, and about a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and about three feet67 high on the surface of the ground.
11:32 And the people stayed up68 all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail. The one who gathered the least gathered ten homers,69 and they spread them out70 for themselves round about the camp.
11:33 But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed,71 the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague.
11:34 So the name of that place was called Kibroth Hattaavah,72 because there they buried the people that craved different food.73
11:35 And the people journeyed from Kibroth Hattaavah to Hazeroth, and they stayed at Hazeroth.
[hw`a&T^ WWa^t=h!]), but the context shows that they had this strong craving for food. The verb describe a strong desire, which is not always negative (Ps 132:13-14). But the word is a significant one in the Torah; it was used in the garden story for Eve’s desire for the tree, and it is used in the Decalogue in the warning against coveting (Deut 5:21).