Numbers 11

Numbers 11:1

B. Rebellion in the Camp (Chap. 11)11:1-3 The reader is startled by the readiness of the people to complain against God after all He had done for them. A clue to the discontent is found in verse 1"consumed some in the outskirts of the camp." The malcontents were at a distance from the ark. Fire from God “consumed” in the extremity of the camp, giving the name Taberah (“burning”) to the place. The King James and New King James Versions read that the fire consumed some of the complainers. The ASV states only that the fire devoured in the uttermost part of the camp. Either way it was a merciful warning to the people as a whole of a judgment that would be severe. 11:4-9 The second complaining took place right in the midst of the camp, but this time the reason can be found in the expression the mixed multitude or “rabble.” Some unbelievers had come out of Egypt with the Israelites, and this mixed multitude was a source of continual grief to the Israelites. Their disaffection spread to the Israelites, causing them to long with intense craving for the food of Egypt and to despise the manna. See Psa_78:17-33 for God’s commentary on this. How strange that souls whom Jesus feeds With manna from above Should grieve Him by their evil deeds, And sin against His love. But ’tis a greater marvel still That He from whom they stray Should bear with their rebellious will, And wash their sins away. 11:10-15 Moses first cried to the LORD concerning his own inability to take care of such a people alone; then he described the utter impossibility of providing meat for such a multitude. Finally, he asked for death as an escape from such problems. 11:16, 17 The Lord’s first reply was to provide for the appointment of seventy . . . elders to share the burden of the people with Moses. Many Bible students question whether this was God’s best for Moses. They reason that because God gives strength to do whatever He orders, Moses suffered a decrease of divine enablement when his responsibilities decreased. Earlier, Moses had appointed men to act as civil authorities according to his father-in-law’s advice (Exo_18:25; Deu_1:9-15). Possibly the seventy chosen here were to help bear the spiritual burden. These two distinct appointments should not be confused. 11:18-23 As for the people, God said that they would have plenty of meat to eat. He would send them enough meat to make them sick of it. They would have it for a whole month. Moses questioned the possibility of such an event, but the Lord promised to bring it to pass. On the way to Mount Sinai, God had miraculously provided meat for the children of Israel (Exo_16:13). Moses should have remembered this and not questioned the ability of the Lord. How quickly we forget the Lord’s past mercies when circumstances close in around us! 11:24-30 When the seventy elders were officially installed, the Spirit of the LORD came . . . upon them and they prophesied; that is, they spoke direct revelations from God. Even two of the men who had remained in the camp . . . prophesied. Joshua apparently thought that this miracle posed a threat to Moses’ leadership and sought to restrain them. But Moses showed his largeness of spirit by his noble answer in verse 29. 11:31-35 The promised meat came in the form of a swarm of quail. Verse 31 may mean that the quail flew two cubits off the ground or were piled two cubits deep on the ground. The latter is not impossible; quail that were exhausted by migration have been known to land on a ship in sufficient quantity to sink it. The people went forth to feast on the meat, but many were soon struck by a terrible plague. The place was called Kibroth Hattaavah (“the graves of lust”) because the people’s craving brought them to the grave. Hazeroth is listed as the next place of encampment (v. 35).