Numbers 11:1-30 - The Israelites Complain

¹ And the people were evil, as those complaining in the ears of Jehovah. And Jehovah heard, and His anger was kindled. And the fire of Jehovah burned among them and devoured in the outermost parts of the camp. ² And the people cried to Moses. And when Moses prayed to Jehovah, the fire was put out. ³ And he called the name of the place Taberah, because the fire of Jehovah burned among them.

⁴ And the mixed multitude in their midst lusted with great lust. And the sons of Israel also turned and wept, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? ⁵ We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic. ⁶ But now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all besides this manna before our eyes.

⁷ And the manna was like coriander seed, and the color of it was like the color of bdellium. ⁸ The people went around and gathered, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked in pans, and made cakes of it. And the taste of it was like the taste of fresh oil. ⁹ And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.

¹⁰ Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent. And the anger of Jehovah was kindled greatly. Moses also was displeased. ¹¹ And Moses said to Jehovah, Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, so that You lay the burden of all this people upon me? ¹² Have I conceived all this people? Did I bring them forth, that You should say to me, Bear them in your bosom like a nursing father carries the sucking child, to the land which You swore to their fathers? ¹³ From where should I get flesh to give to all this people? For they weep to me, saying, Give us flesh that we may eat. ¹⁴ I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. ¹⁵ And if You are going to part this way with me, I beg You to kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your sight, and let me not see my misery.

¹⁶ And Jehovah said to Moses, Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people, and the officers over them. And bring them to the tabernacle of the congregation so that they may stand there with you. ¹⁷ And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take of the spirit on you, and will put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you so that you do not bear it yourself alone.

¹⁸ And say to the people, Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat flesh. For you 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 Jehovah will give you flesh, and you shall eat. ¹⁹ You shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days. ²⁰ Even a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils, and it is hateful to you, because you have despised Jehovah among you, and have wept before Him, saying, Why did we come out of Egypt?

²¹ And Moses said, The people among whom I am are six hundred thousand footmen. And You have said, I will give them flesh so that they may eat a whole month! ²² Shall the flocks and the herds be killed for them, to be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to be enough for them?

²³ And Jehovah said to Moses, Has Jehovah's hand become short? You shall see now whether or not My word shall come to pass to you.

²⁴ And Moses went out and told the people the words of Jehovah, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them all around the tabernacle. ²⁵ And Jehovah came down in a cloud and spoke to him, and took of the spirit on him and gave it to the seventy elders. And it happened when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they never did so again. ²⁶ But two of the men stayed in the camp; the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other was Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them. And they were of those who were written, but did not go out to the tabernacle. And they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷ And a young man ran and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.

²⁸ And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, make them cease.

²⁹ And Moses said to him, Are you jealous for my sake? Would God that all Jehovah's people were prophets, that Jehovah would put His Spirit upon them! ³⁰ And Moses went into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.