Numbers 11

1 Eventually, the people began complaining about their distress, and the LORD heard them. When the LORD heard, his anger flared up and the LORD’s fire incinerated some of them within the outskirts of the camp.ISV — Numbers 11:1

2 When the people cried out to Moses, he ^{a11:2 Lit. Moses} prayed to the LORD and the fire stopped.ISV — Numbers 11:2

3 He then named that place Taberah, ^{b11:3 The Heb. name Taberah means “burning”} because the LORD’s fire had incinerated some of them.ISV — Numbers 11:3

4 Meanwhile, certain riff-raff among the people ^{c11:4 Lit. among them} had an insatiable appetite ^{d11:4 Lit. craved for a craving} for food. As a result, they wept and turned back, and the Israelis cried out, “If only somebody would feed us some meat!ISV — Numbers 11:4

5 How we remember the fish that we used to eat in Egypt for free! And the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic!ISV — Numbers 11:5

6 But now we can’t stand it anymore, ^{e11:6 Lit. now our strength is dried up} because there’s nothing in front of us except this manna.”ISV — Numbers 11:6

7 Now manna was reminiscent of coriander seed, with an appearance similar to amber. ^{f11:7 Lit. bdellium; i.e. a clear gum resin}ISV — Numbers 11:7

8 People would go out to gather it, then they would grind it in mills or pound it in mortars, and then they would boil it in pots or make cakes out of it that tasted like butter cakes.ISV — Numbers 11:8

9 When the dew fell in the camp, the manna came with it.ISV — Numbers 11:9

10 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their entire families. Everyone gathered at the entrance to their tents so that the LORD was very angry. Moses thought the situation was bad,ISV — Numbers 11:10

11 so he ^{g11:11 Lit. Moses} asked the LORD, “Why did you bring all this trouble to your servant? Why haven’t I found favor in your eyes? After all, you’re putting the burden of this entire people on me!ISV — Numbers 11:11

12 Did I conceive this people or give birth to them, so that you would tell me to carry them near my heart like a wet nurse carries a suckling baby to the land that you promised to their forefathers?ISV — Numbers 11:12

13 Where am I going to get meat to give this people? After all, they’re crying in front of me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ISV — Numbers 11:13

14 I cannot carry this whole nation! The burden is too heavy for me!ISV — Numbers 11:14

15 If this is how you treat me, please kill me right now, if I’ve found favor in your eyes, because I don’t want to keep staring at all of this ^{h11:15 Lit. at my} misery!”ISV — Numbers 11:15

16 Then the LORD told Moses, “Gather together for me 70 men who are elders of Israel, men whom you know to be elders of the people and officers over them. Then bring them to the Tent of Meeting and let them stand there with you.ISV — Numbers 11:16

17 Then I’ll come down and speak with you. I’ll take some of the spirit that rests on you and apportion it among them, so that they may help you bear the burden of the people. That way, you won’t bear it by yourself.”ISV — Numbers 11:17

18 “But give this command to the people: ‘You are to consecrate yourselves, because tomorrow you’re going to eat meat, since you’ve complained where the LORD can hear it, “Who can give us meat to eat? After all, life was better with us in Egypt.” Therefore, the LORD is going to give you meat and you’ll eat—ISV — Numbers 11:18

19 not only for a day, or for two days, or for five days, or for ten days, or for 20 days,ISV — Numbers 11:19

20 but for a whole month—until it comes out your nostrils and makes you vomit. This is because you’ve despised the LORD, who is among you, and you cried out in his presence by complaining, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”ISV — Numbers 11:20

21 Moses responded, “I’m with 600,000 people on foot and you’re saying I am to give them enough ^{i11:21 The Heb. lacks enough} meat to eat for a whole month?ISV — Numbers 11:21

22 What if we were to slaughter our entire inventory of ^{j11:22 The Heb. lacks our entire inventory} flocks and herds for them? Would that be enough? What if we could gather all the fish in the sea in nets for them? Would that be enough, either?”ISV — Numbers 11:22

23 But the LORD responded to Moses, “Is the LORD short on power? ^{k11:23 Lit. hand} You’re now going to witness whether what I say will come to pass or not.”ISV — Numbers 11:23

24 So Moses went out and told the people what the LORD had said. He gathered 70 men from the elders of the people and stationed them around the tent.ISV — Numbers 11:24

25 The LORD came down in a cloud, spoke to Moses, ^{l11:25 Lit. him} and made an apportionment from the spirit who rested on him to the 70 elders. When the spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but that was it. ^{m11:25 Lit. prophesied, and not again}ISV — Numbers 11:25

26 Now two men had remained in camp. One was named Eldad and the other was named Medad. When the spirit rested on them, since they were among those who were listed but had not gone out to the tent, they stayed behind ^{n11:26 The Heb. lacks stayed behind and} and prophesied in the camp.ISV — Numbers 11:26

27 A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”ISV — Numbers 11:27

28 In response, Nun’s son Joshua, Moses’ attendant and one of his choice men, exclaimed, “My master Moses! Stop them!”ISV — Numbers 11:28

29 “Are you jealous on account of me?” Moses asked in reply. “I wish all of the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!”ISV — Numbers 11:29

30 Then Moses—that is, he and the elders of Israel—returned to the camp.ISV — Numbers 11:30

31 Just then, a wind burst forth from the LORD, who brought quails from the sea and spread them all around the camp, about a day’s journey in each direction, completely encircling the camp about two cubits ^{o11:31 i.e. about three feet; a cubit was about eighteen inches} deep on top of the ground!ISV — Numbers 11:31

32 The people stayed up all that day, all that night, and all through the next day, gathering quails. The one who gathered least gathered enough to fill ten omers, ^{p11:32 i.e. in dry capacity about two and a half gallons by volume} as they spread out all around the camp.ISV — Numbers 11:32

33 But even as they were chewing the meat and before they had swallowed it, the LORD became very angry with the people and struck them with a disastrous plague.ISV — Numbers 11:33

34 That’s why the place was named Kibroth-hattaavah, ^{q11:34 The Heb. name means Graves of Desire} because they buried the people there who had an insatiable appetite for meat. ^{r11:34 Lit. who had great cravings}ISV — Numbers 11:34

35 Later, the people left Kibroth-hattaavah for Hazeroth and camped there.ISV — Numbers 11:35