Complaints, quail, and the seventy elders

Numbers 11:1 When the people complained, it displeased the Lord. When the Lord heard it, his anger burned, and so the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outer parts of the camp. 11:2 When the people cried to Moses, he prayed to the Lord, and the fire died out. 11:3 So he called the name of that place Taberah because there the fire of the Lord burned among them. Complaints about Food 11:4 Now the mixed multitude who were among them craved more desirable foods, and so the Israelites wept again and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 11:5 We remember the fish we used to eat freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 11:6 But now we are dried up, and there is nothing at all before us except this manna!” 11:7 (Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its color like the color of bdellium. 11:8 And the people went about and gathered it, and ground it with mills or pounded it in mortars; they baked it in pans and made cakes of it. It tasted like fresh olive oil. 11:9 And when the dew came down on the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.) Moses’ Complaint to the Lord 11:10 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and when the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly, Moses was also displeased. 11:11 And Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you afflicted your servant? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of this entire people on me? 11:12 Did I conceive this entire people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your arms, as a foster father bears a nursing child,’ to the land which you swore to their fathers? 11:13 From where shall I get meat to give to this entire people, for they cry to me, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat!’ 11:14 I am not able to bear this entire people alone, because it is too heavy for me! 11:15 But if you are going to deal with me like this, then kill me immediately. If I have found favor in your sight then do not let me see my trouble.” 11:16 The Lord said to Moses, “Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know are elders of the people and officials over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting; 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 it all by yourself. 11:18 “And say to the people, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, and you will eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat, for life 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, because you have despised the Lord who is among you and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we ever come out of Egypt?”’” 11:21 Moses said, “The people around me are 600,000 on foot; but you say, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.’ 11:22 Would they have enough if the flocks and herds were slaughtered 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? Now you will see whether my word to you will come true 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 and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but did not do so again. 11:26 But two men remained in the camp; one’s name was Eldad, and the other’s name was Medad. And the spirit rested on them. (Now they were among those in the registration, but had not gone to the tabernacle.) So they prophesied in the camp. 11:27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!” 11:28 Joshua son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his choice young men, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!” 11:29 Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for me? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” 11:30 Then Moses returned to the camp along with the elders of Israel. 11:31 Now a wind went out from the Lord and brought quail from the sea, and let them fall near the camp, about a day’s journey on this side, and about a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about three feet high on the surface of the ground. 11:32 And the people stayed up all that day, all that night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail. The one who gathered the least gathered ten homers, and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 11:33 But while the meat was still between their teeth, before they chewed it, 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, because there they buried the people that craved different food. 11:35 The people traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah to Hazeroth, and they stayed at Hazeroth.

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®, copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Israel complained against the LORD’s provision, and his anger burned against them. Moses was burdened by the people’s grief and asked for help. The LORD gave him seventy elders to share the load, then gave the people quail as judgment because they despised him, longed for Egypt, and craved food in unbelief.

This passage shows both God’s holiness and his mercy. At first, the people complained, and fire from the LORD broke out in the camp. When Moses prayed, the fire stopped. Later, the people again wept for meat, remembered Egypt in a false way, and treated the LORD’s manna with contempt. The LORD said they had despised him, and the quail would become a judgment because of their unbelieving craving.

Moses also felt crushed by the weight of leading the people. He told the LORD that the burden was too heavy for him. The LORD did not leave him alone. He gathered seventy elders and put part of the Spirit on them so they could help bear the load, and they prophesied when the Spirit rested on them.

Then the LORD said he would give the people meat. But the gift was also a judgment, because they had despised the LORD and longed for Egypt. The LORD sent quail in great abundance, yet while the meat was still in their mouths, he struck the people with a plague. The place was named Kibroth Hattaavah, the graves of craving. The lesson is clear: God’s gifts are never to be treated with contempt.

• Complaint against the LORD is a serious offense, not a small matter.
• Moses prayed, and the fire stopped.
• The people longed for Egypt and despised the manna and the LORD’s presence.
• The LORD is able to share leadership burdens through the Spirit.
• The elders prophesied when the Spirit rested on them.
• God can give what people crave as a form of judgment, not mercy.
• Craving without trust leads to ruin, not satisfaction.

• Do not complain against the LORD’s provision.
• Do not despise ordinary gifts from God.
• Sanctify yourselves for what the LORD is about to do.
• Trust the LORD’s word, for his hand is not too short.
• Do not be jealous for human honor in a way that resists God’s work.

This passage belongs to Israel’s wilderness life under the Mosaic covenant. God provides manna, leadership help, and meat, but he also judges unbelief. The Spirit resting on the elders shows that the LORD alone equips his people for service. Moses’ burden-bearing role shows the need for faithful leadership, but the passage itself stays focused on Israel in the wilderness.

We should not assume that every complaint is harmless. God hears grumbling, and he takes it seriously. We should receive his gifts with thanks, even when they seem plain. Leaders should admit their limits and depend on God for help. And we should remember that getting what we want is not always a blessing if our hearts are set against the LORD.

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