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Numbers Chapter
Eleven
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 11
This
chapter informs us of the complaints of the people of Israel
which brought the
fire of the Lord upon them
and consumed many of them; and which
at the
intercession of Moses
was quenched
and the place from thence called Taberah
Numbers 11:1; and
of the lusting of the mixed multitude after flesh
to increase which
they
called to mind their food in Egypt; and to show their folly and ingratitude in
so doing
the manna is described
Numbers 11:4; and
of the uneasiness of Moses
and his complaints of the heavy burden of the people
upon him
Numbers 11:10; and
to make him easy
it is promised
that seventy of the elders of Israel should
partake of his spirit
and assist in bearing the burden
Numbers 11:16; and
that the people should have flesh to serve them a whole month
Numbers 11:18; at
which last Moses expressed some degree of unbelief
Numbers 11:21;
however God fulfilled his promise with respect to both. Some of the spirit of
Moses was taken and given to seventy elders
who prophesied
and two men are
particularly taken notice of
who did so
Numbers 11:24;
quails in great numbers were brought by a wind to the people; but while they
were eating them wrath came upon them
and they were smitten with a plague
whence the place was called Kibrothhattaavah
Numbers 11:31; and
from thence they removed to Hazeroth
Numbers 11:35.
Numbers 11:1 Now when the people complained
it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it
and His anger
was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned
among them
and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp.
YLT
1And the people is evil
as
those sighing habitually in the ears of Jehovah
and Jehovah heareth
and His
anger burneth
and the fire of Jehovah burneth among them
and consumeth in the
extremity of the camp.
And when the people complained
.... Or
"were as complainers"F16כמת×× × ×™×
"ut conquerentes injuste"
Montanus
Fagius
Vatablus; "ut qui
vaba moliuntur"
Drusius. ; not merely like to such
but were truly and
really complainers
the ×›
"caph"
here
being not a note of similitude
but of truth and reality
as in Hosea 5:10. This
Hebraism is frequent in the New Testament
Matthew 14:5. What
they complained of is not said
it being that for which there was no
foundation; it is generally supposed to be of their journey; but if they were
come but eight miles
as observed on Numbers 10:33; they
could not be very weary; and especially as they were marching towards the land
of Canaan
it might be thought they would be fond and eager of their journey.
Some think it was for want of flesh
being weary of manna
and that this was
only the beginning of their complaints on that head
which opened more
afterwards; but if that is the case
one would think that the fire
which
consumed many of them
would have put a stop to that. Jarchi says
the word signifies
taking an occasion
and that the sense is
that these men sought an occasion
how to separate from the Lord; they wanted to return to Egypt again
that was
what they were meditating and contriving; so the Targum of Jonathan
"and
the ungodly of the people were in distress
and intended and meditated evil
before the Lord:"
it displeased the Lord: a murmuring complaining
spirit is always displeasing to him
when a thankful heart for mercies received
is an acceptable sacrifice; murmurers and complainers God will judge at the
great day
Judges 1:14
and the Lord heard it: though it was an inward
secret complaint
or an evil scheme formed in their minds; at most but a
muttering
and what Moses had not heard
or had any knowledge of; but God
that
knows the secrets of all hearts
and every word in the tongue before it is well
formed or pronounced
he heard what they complained of
and what they whispered
and muttered to one another about:
and his anger was kindled
and the fire of the Lord burnt among
them; from the pillar of fire
or from heaven
such as destroyed Nadab
and Abihu
Leviticus 10:1; the
two hundred fifty men that had censers in Korah's company
Numbers 16:35; and
the captains of fifties that came to take Elijah
2Â Kings
1:14; and might be lightning from heaven
or a burning wind sent by the
Lord
such as is frequent in the eastern countries. ThevenotF17Travels
par. 1. l. 2. c. 34. speaks of one in 1658
which destroyed at once twenty
thousand men:
and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the
camp; who very likely were the principal aggressors; or it began to
arouse and terrify the body of the people
and bring them to repentance
who
might fear it would proceed and go through the whole camp
the hinder part or
rearward of which was the camp of Dan; and so the Targum of Jonathan.
Numbers 11:2 2 Then the people cried out to Moses
and when Moses
prayed to the Lord
the fire was quenched.
YLT
2And the people cry unto
Moses
and Moses prayeth unto Jehovah
and the fire is quenched;
And the people cried unto Moses
.... And entreated him to
pray for them
being frightened at the fire which consumed many of them
lest
it should spread and become general among them:
and when Moses prayed unto the Lord; as he did
in which he
was a type of Christ
the mediator between God and man
the advocate of his
people
an intercessor for transgressors:
the fire was quenched; it stopped and proceeded
no further; as through Christ's mediation God is pacified with his people for
all that they have done
and his wrath
and all the effects of it
are turned
away from them
and entirely cease with respect to them; or it "sunk
down"F18תשקע "sunk down"
so Ainsworth; "compressus est"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Drusius; "resedit"
Tigurine version. into its place
as the Targum
of Jonathan
as if it rose out of the earth. This may serve to confirm the notion
of its being a burning wind
to which the idea of sinking down and subsiding
well agrees.
Numbers 11:3 3 So he called the name of the place Taberah
[a] because
the fire of the Lord had burned among them.
YLT
3and he calleth the name of
that place Taberah
for the fire of Jehovah hath `burned' among them.
And he called the name of the place Taberah
.... That is
"burning": Moses called it so; or it may be rendered impersonally
it
was calledF19ויקרא "et vocatum
est"
Tigurine version
Fagius
Piscator. so in later times by the people:
because the fire of the Lord burnt among them; to perpetuate
the
memory of this kind of punishment for their sins
that it might be a
terror and warning to others; and this history is indeed recorded for our
caution in these last days
that we murmur not as these Israelites did
and
were destroyed of the destroyer
1 Corinthians 10:10.
Numbers 11:4 4 Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to
intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will
give us meat to eat?
YLT
4And the rabble who [are] in
its midst have lusted greatly
and the sons of Israel also turn back and weep
and say
`Who doth give us flesh?
And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting
.... These
came out of Egypt with them
Exodus 12:38;
having either contracted affinity with them
or such intimacy of conversation
that they could not part
or being proselyted to the Jewish religion
at least
in pretence; these were not only Egyptians
but a mixture of divers people
who
having heard or seen the wonderful things done for Israel
joined them in hopes
of sharing the blessings of divine goodness with them; so the Targum of
Jonathan calls them proselytes
that were gathered among them: these
"lusted a lusting"F20התאוו תאוח "concupiverunt concupiscentiam"
Pagninus:
Montanus
Drusius.
as the words may be rendered; not after women
as some
Jewish writersF21Bemidbar Rabba
sect. 15. fol. 219. 1. think
even
after such that were near akin to them
with whom they were forbidden to marry
and therefore desired to have those laws dissolved; but they lusted after
eating flesh taken in a proper sense
as the latter part of the verse and the
whole context show:
and the children of Israel also wept again; they lusted
after flesh likewise
following the example of the mixed multitude; thus evil
communication corrupts good manners
1 Corinthians 15:33;
and a little leaven leavens the whole lamp
1 Corinthians 5:6;
wicked men prove great snares to
and do much mischief among good men
when
they get into their societies
Jeremiah 5:26
and
because the Israelites could not have what they would to gratify their lusts
they wept as children do
when they cannot have what they are desirous of; and
they wept "again"
for it seems they had wept before
either when
they complained
Numbers 11:1; or at
Rephidim
where they wanted water
Exodus 17:1
as
here flesh
or before that when they wanted bread
Exodus 16:3
and said
who shall give us flesh to eat? shall Moses
or even the Lord himself? from lusting they fell to unbelief and distrust of
the power and providence of God; for so the Psalmist interprets this saying of
theirs
Psalm 78:19.
Numbers 11:5 5 We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt
the
cucumbers
the melons
the leeks
the onions
and the garlic;
YLT
5We have remembered the fish
which we do eat in Egypt for nought
the cucumbers
and the melons
and the
leeks
and the onions
and the garlick;
We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely
.... Fish was
food the Egyptians much lived upon; for though Herodotus says the priests might
not taste of fish
the common people ate much; yea
he himself says that some
lived upon nothing else but fish gutted and dried in the sun; and he observes
that the kings of Egypt had a great revenue from henceF23Euterpe
sive
l. 2. c. 37
92
149. ; the river Nile
as Diodorus SiculusF24Bibliothec.
l. 1. p. 32. says
abounded with all kind of fish
and with an incredible
number
so that there was a plenty of them
and to be bought cheap; and so Aben
Ezra and Ben Gersom interpret the word freely
of a small price
as if they had
them for nothing almost; but surely they forgot how dear they paid for their
fish
by their hard toil
labour
and service. Now this
with what follows
they call to mind
to increase their lust
and aggravate their present
condition and circumstances:
the cucumbers
and the melons
and the leeks
and the onions
and
the garlic; in the Hebrew language
the word for "cucumbers" has
the signification of hardness
because they are hard of digestion In the TalmudF25T.
Bab. Avodah Zarah
fol. 11. 1. they are so called
because they are as harmful
to the body as swords; though it is said in the same
that Antoninus always had
them at his table; and SuetoniusF26In Vit. August. c. 77. and PlinyF1Nat.
Hist. l. 19. c. 5. say
that they were in great esteem with the emperors
Augustus and Tiberias; though some think what they call cucumbers were melons.
We are toldF2Alpinus de Plant. Aegypt. l. 1. p. 114. apud
Scheuchzer. Physic. Saer. vol. 3. p. 369.
that the Egyptian cucumbers are
very different from our European ones
which in the eastern countries serve
only to feed hogs with
and not men; but the Egyptian cucumber
called
"chate"
differs from the common one in size
colour
and softness;
and not only its leaves
but its fruit
are different from ours
being sweeter
to the taste
and of more easy digestion
and reckoned to be very wholesome to
the bodies of men: and so their "melons" are different from ours
which they call "abdellavi"
to distinguish them from others called "chajar"
which are of little use for food
and not pleasant
and more insipid
and of a
softer pulpF3Alpinus ib. : as for the "leeks
onions
and
garlic"
that these were commonly and in great plenty eaten of by the
Egyptians appears from the vast sums of money spent upon the men that worked in
building one of the pyramids
in radishes
onions
and garlic only
which
HerodotusF4Ut supra
(Euterpe
sive
l. 2.) c. 125.
Diodorus
SiculusF5Ut supra. (Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 58.)
and PlinyF6Nat.
Hist. l. 36. c. 12. make mention of. Indeed
in later times these were
worshipped as gods
and not suffered to be eaten
as PlinyF7lb. l.
19. c. 6. and JuvenalF8"Porrum et coepe nefas violare"
&c. Satyr. 15. inform us; but there is little reason to believe that this
kind of idolatry obtained so early as the time of Israel's being in Egypt;
though some have thought that these were cheaper because of that
and so the
Israelites could more easily come at them; but if that had been the case
it is
more reasonable to believe that the Egyptians would not have allowed them to
have eat of them at all: however
these are still in great plenty
and much
used in Egypt to this day
as VanslebF9Relation of a Voyage to
Egypt
p. 186. relates
who says
for desserts they have fruits
as onions
dried dates
rotten olives
melons
or cucumbers
or pompions
or such like
fruits as are in season: thus carnal men prefer their sensual lusts and
pleasures
and self-righteous men their righteousness
to Christ
the heavenly
manna
his grace and righteousness.
Numbers 11:6 6 but now our whole being is dried up; there is
nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”
YLT
6and now our soul [is] dry
there is not anything
save the manna
before our eyes.'
But now our soul is dried away
.... Meaning their bodies
which
for want of flesh food
they pretended had no moisture in them
or they
were half starved
and in wasting and consuming circumstances:
there is nothing at all
besides this manna before our eyes; which in itself was a
truth and matter of fact; they had nothing to look to
and live upon but the
manna
and that was enough
and with which
no doubt
many of them were
contented
and satisfied and thankful for it
though the greater part were not;
and therefore this
though a truth
was foolishly and wickedly spoken
being
said in disdain and contempt of the manna: so Christ
the heavenly manna
the
antitype of this
of which See Gill on Exodus 16:14; See
Gill on Exodus 16:15; See
Gill on Exodus 16:16; See
Gill on Exodus 16:17; See
Gill on Exodus 16:18; is
indeed the only food that is set before us in the Gospel to feed and live upon;
nor is there anything at all besides him
nor do true believers in him desire
any other
but pray that evermore this bread may be given them; but carnal men
and carnal professors slight the Gospel feast
of which Christ is the sum and
substance; and at least would have something besides him
something along with
him
something of their own in justification for him
or to give them a right
unto him
or to trust in along with him; they cannot bear to have nothing at
all but Christ; or that he
and he alone
should be exalted
and be all in all
as he is justification and salvation
and in the Gospel provision
in which
nothing is set before us but him.
Numbers 11:7 7 Now the manna was like coriander seed
and its
color like the color of bdellium.
YLT
7And the manna is as
coriander seed
and its aspect as the aspect of bdolach;
And the manna was as coriander seed
.... Not in
colour
for that is black or darkish
whereas the manna was white
as is
generally observed; of which See Gill on Exodus 16:31;
however it might be like the coriander
because of its form and figure
being
round
and because of its quantity
being small
Exodus 16:14; Some
think the mustard seed is meant
as Aben Ezra observes
which is the least of
all seeds; it seems that the manna fell in small round grains
like to such
seed. This
with what follows
is observed
to expose the folly and ingratitude
of the Israelites
that having such bread from heaven
angels food
that they
should slight it
and hanker after other food:
and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium; not an
aromatic gum
which PlinyF11Nat. Hist. l. 12. c. 9. speaks of
which
is clear as wax
for that is black or blackish
and not white as the manna;
besides
this should be read
not "bdellium"
but
"bdeloah"
and is a precious stone
and
according to Bochart
the
pearl; so Ben Melech observes
that it is a precious stone; some say the
diamond
and others a round white stone
which they bore and join stones
together
and make a chain of
he doubtless means a pearl necklace; though Jarchi
says it is the crystal
and so the Jewish writers commonly; See Gill on Genesis 2:12; hence
it appears the manna was very pleasant to look at
being of a round form
and
of a pearl or crystal colour.
Numbers 11:8 8 The people went about and gathered it
ground it
on millstones or beat it in the mortar
cooked it in pans
and
made cakes of it; and its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil.
YLT
8the people have turned
aside and gathered [it]
and ground [it] with millstones
or beat [it] in a
mortar
and boiled [it] in a pan
and made it cakes
and its taste hath been as
the taste of the moisture of oil.
And the people went about and
gathered it
.... Went about the camp on all sides
where it fell in plenty;
this they did every morning
and this was all the trouble they were at; they
had it for gathering
without any expense to them:
and ground it in mills: in hand mills
as Aben
Ezra; for though it melted through the heat of the sun
and became a liquid
yet
when gathered in the morning
it was hard like grains of corn
or other
seeds
and required to be ground in mills:
or beat it in a mortar; with a pestle
as spices
are beaten and bruised:
and baked it in pans; or rather boiled it in a
pot
as the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem
since it follows:
and made cakes of it; which were baked on the
hearth; all which may denote the sufferings of Christ
who was beaten
and
bruised
and broken
that he might become fit food for faith
Isaiah 53:4
and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil; which is very
grateful and pleasant
as well as very fattening and nourishing; so that the
Israelites had no reason to complain of their being dried away by continual
eating of it; See Gill on Exodus 16:31.
Numbers 11:9 9 And when the dew fell on the camp in the night
the
manna fell on it.
YLT
9And in the descending of
the dew on the camp by night
the manna descendeth upon it.
And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night
.... As it
usually
and even constantly did:
the manna fell upon it; as constantly
and had
thereby a clean place to fall on; and then another dew fell upon that
which
kept it the cleaner still
and from any vermin creeping upon it; see Exodus 16:14; so
careful was the Lord of this their provision
and so constantly every morning
were they supplied with it: and which fell in the night when they were asleep
and at rest
and without any labour of theirs; and was ready to their hands
when they arose
and had nothing to do but gather it; and yet were so
ungrateful as to make light of it
and despise it.
Numbers 11:10 10 Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their
families
everyone at the door of his tent; and the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased.
YLT
10And Moses heareth the
people weeping by its families
each at the opening of his tent
and the anger
of Jehovah burneth exceedingly
and in the eyes of Moses [it is] evil.
Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families
.... So
general was their lusting after flesh
and their discontent for want of it; and
so great their distress and uneasiness about it
that they wept and cried for
it
and so loud and clamorous
that Moses heard the noise and outcry they made:
every man in the door of his tent: openly and publicly
were not ashamed of their evil and unbecoming behaviour
and in order to excite
and encourage the like temper and disposition in others; though it may have
respect
as some have observed
to the door of the tent of Moses
about which
they gathered and mutinied; and which better accounts for his hearing the
general cry they made; and so in an ancient writing of the Jews it is saidF12Siphri
apud Yalkut in loc.
they were waiting for Moses until he came out at the door
of the school; and they were sitting and murmuring:
and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly; because of
their ingratitude to him
their contempt of the manna he had provided for them
and their hankering after their poor fare in Egypt
and for which they had
endured so much hardship and ill usage
and for the noise and clamour they now
made:
Moses also was displeased; with the people on the
same account
and with the Lord also for laying and continuing so great a
burden upon him
as the care of this people
which appears by what follows.
Numbers 11:11 11 So Moses said to the Lord
“Why have
You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight
that
You have laid the burden of all these people on me?
YLT
11And Moses saith unto
Jehovah
`Why hast Thou done evil to Thy servant? and why have I not found
grace in Thine eyes -- to put the burden of all this people upon me?
And Moses said unto the Lord
wherefore hast thou afflicted thy
servant?.... Or "done evil"F13הרעת
"malefecisti"
Pagninus
Montanus
Drusius. to him
that which was
distressing to him
and gave him trouble; namely
setting him at the head of
the people of Israel
and laying the government of them on his shoulders; which
surely was doing him honour
though that is not to be expected without care and
trouble; Moses does not seem to be in a good frame of spirit throughout the
whole of this discourse with the Lord: the best of men are not always alike in
their frames
and sometimes act contrary to that for which they are the most
eminent
as Moses was for his
meekness and humility:
and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight; he had found
much favour in the sight of God
to have so many wonderful things done by him
in Egypt
to be the instrument of the deliverance of Israel from thence
to be
the leader of them through the Red sea
to be taken up to the mount with God
and receive the law from him to give to that people; but the favour he
complains of that was denied him
is
his not being excused
when he desired
it
from taking on him the office he was called unto
of being the deliverer
and ruler of the people
Exodus 4:10
that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? with respect
to matters heavier and more difficult; for as to lighter and lesser things
be
was assisted and relieved by the officers placed over the various divisions of
the people at the advice of Jethro
Exodus 18:21;
government is a burdensome thing
and especially when a people are prone to
mutiny and rebellion
as the people of Israel were.
Numbers 11:12 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them
that You should say to me
‘Carry them in your bosom
as a guardian carries a
nursing child
’ to the land which You swore to their fathers?
YLT 12I -- have I conceived all
this people? I -- have I begotten it
that Thou sayest unto me
Carry it in thy
bosom as the nursing father beareth the suckling
unto the ground which Thou
hast sworn to its fathers?
Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them?.... Conceived
them as a mother
or begotten them as a father? am I a parent of either sort to
them
in a literal sense
that I should have the like care of them as parents
of their children? but though this was not the case
yet
in a civil and
political sense
he was their parent
as every king and governor of a country
is
or should be
the father of it
and should have a paternal affection for
his subjects
and a tender care of them
and a hearty concern for their good
and welfare: this
in a spiritual sense
may denote the weakness of the law of
Moses
as Ainsworth observes
which has no concern in the regeneration of the
spiritual Israel of God; who are born not of blood
nor of the will of men
nor
of the will of the flesh
but of God; he only does and can regenerate men by
his Spirit and grace; and though ministers of the word are instruments
yet it
is not through the law
but through the Gospel that they beget souls to Christ
even by the word of truth
the Gospel of salvation
by that word which lives
and abides for ever; it is not through the doctrine of the law
but through the
doctrine of faith
that the Spirit
as a spirit of regeneration and
sanctification
is received; faith
hope
and love
and every other grace
come
the same way; see 1 Corinthians 4:15
that thou shouldest say unto me; as in Exodus 32:34;
"go
lead the people unto the place"
&c. which words
Jarchi
thinks
are here referred to:
carry them in thy bosom as a nursing father beareth the sucking
child
unto the land which thou swarest to their fathers? the land of
Canaan: kings should be nursing fathers; civil governors should rule with
gentleness and mildness; such are most beloved
and most cheerfully obeyed by
their people: the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem interpret the word for
"nursing father"
by "pedagogue"
which is the same word
the apostle uses of the law
Galatians 3:24;
that indeed was a severe schoolmaster
that menaced
whipped
and scourged for
every fault
and not a tender nursing father; there is not one kind tender word
in the law; it accuses of sin
pronounces guilty of it
curses and condemns for
it; but the Gospel ministry
and ministers of it
use men gently; the apostles
of Christ were gentle
as a nurse cherisheth her children
1 Thessalonians 2:7;
fed men as they were able to bear it; and when they delivered out their
charges
it was in a kind manner
and even their reproofs were in love; and
especially Christ himself was so
by whose meekness and gentleness the Apostle
Paul beseeches men
1 Corinthians 10:1;
who gathers the lambs in his arms
carries them in his bosom
and gently leads
those that are with young; and supplies them with food
and brings them all
safely to Canaan's land
the heavenly glory
where the law and the deeds of it
will never bring men
Isaiah 40:11.
Numbers 11:13 13 Where am I to get meat to give to all these people?
For they weep all over me
saying
‘Give us meat
that we may eat.’
YLT
13Whence have I flesh to give
to all this people? for they weep unto me
saying
Give to us flesh
and we
eat.
Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people?.... This
seems to countenance the Israelites in their lusting after flesh
as if it was
no evil in them
and as if it was but right they should have what they desired
though it was out of his power to give it them:
for they weep unto me
saying
give us flesh
that we may eat; he seems to
pity them
whereas he ought to have reproved them for their murmurings and
ingratitude
and put them in mind of the manna which was provided for them
every day
and with which they ought to have been content.
Numbers 11:14 14 I am not able to bear all these people alone
because
the burden is too heavy for me.
YLT
14I am not able -- I alone --
to bear all this people
for [it is] too heavy for me;
I am not able to bear all this people alone
.... The
burden of government of them
to take care of them and provide sustenance for
them; but he was not alone
for
not to take notice of the rulers and officers
in the several divisions of the people that assisted and eased him in lighter
matters
advised to by Jethro
Exodus 18:21
the
Lord himself was with him in all matters of moment and difficulty; to whom he
could apply at any time for advice
and who had promised to supply and did
supply the people with suitable and proper provisions every day:
because it is too heavy for me; to answer the
requests
redress the grievances
and supply the necessities of this people.
Numbers 11:15 15 If You treat me like this
please kill me here and
now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and do not let me see my wretchedness!”
YLT
15and if thus Thou art doing
to me -- slay me
I pray Thee; slay
if I have found grace in thine eyes
and
let me not look on mine affliction.'
And if thou deal thus with me
.... Let the whole weight
of government lie upon me
and leave the alone to bear it:
kill me
I pray thee
out of hand; take me out of the world
at once
or "kill me now
in killing"F14הרגני נא הרג
"occide me nunc occidendo"
Drusius; "occide me jam
occide"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator. ; dispatch me immediately
and
make a thorough end of me directly:
if I have found favour in thy sight; if thou hast any love
for me
or art willing to show me a kindness
to remove me by death
I shall
take as one:
and let me not see my wretchedness; or live to be the
unhappy man I shall be; pressed with such a weight of government
affected and
afflicted with the wants of a people I cannot relieve
or seeing them bore down
with judgments and punishments inflicted on them for their sins and
transgressions I am not able to prevail upon them to abstain from: so the
Targum of Jerusalem
"that I may not see their evil
who are thy people;'so
Abendana
and in the margin of some Hebrew copies
it is read
"this is one
of the eighteen words
the correction of the scribes;'who
instead of "my
wretchedness" or evil
corrected it
"their wretchedness" or
evil; but Aben Ezra says there is no need of this correction.
Numbers 11:16 16 So the Lord said to
Moses: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel
whom you know to be
the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle
of meeting
that they may stand there with you.
YLT
16And Jehovah saith unto
Moses
`Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel
whom thou hast known
that they are elders of the people
and its authorities; and thou hast taken
them unto the tent of meeting
and they have stationed themselves there with
thee
And the Lord said unto Moses
.... Without making any
reflection upon him
or upbraiding him with his unbecoming speeches to him
but
in a kind and tender manner directs for his assistance and case:
gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel; out from
among them
such as were not only men in years
but men of gravity
prudence
and wisdom; elders there were among the people in Egypt
Exodus 3:16; and it
was from among such as those the seventy men were to be taken; we read of
seventy elders before this time
that went up to the mount with Moses
Exodus 24:1; but
they are supposed only to be selected for that purpose at that time
and did
not continue as a separate body
or in any office: according to this number
seventy
the great sanhedrim
or court of judicature the sat at Jerusalem in
later times
consisted of seventy persons
with a prince or president at the
head of them
as Moses was at the head of those: and so our Lord
besides his
twelve apostles
sent out seventy disciples to be assisting in his work and
service
Luke 10:1
whom thou knowest to be elders of the people; either in
age
or in some sort of office and authority among them
or
however
to be
good and just men
and had a considerable share of knowledge
understanding
and wisdom:
and officers over them; such as Jethro advised
to constitute
Exodus 18:21; and
it is not improbable that these seventy were chosen out of them:
and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation
that they
may stand there with thee; and be seen by all the people what honour
was done them
what authority was conferred upon them
and what gifts were
bestowed on them
qualifying them for their office
in which they were to be
treated with respect by them.
Numbers 11:17 17 Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will
take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon
them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you
that you may not
bear it yourself alone.
YLT
17and I have come down and
spoken with thee there
and have kept back of the Spirit which [is] upon thee
and have put on them
and they have borne with thee some of the burden of the
people
and thou dost not bear [it] thyself alone.
And I will come down and talk with thee there
.... Descend
from heaven
by some visible token of his power and presence
and in a friendly
manner converse with him face to face; which was an instance of great
condescension and grace
and especially when Moses had showed a very froward
peevish spirit; yet all is overlooked
and the Lord vouchsafes the most
intimate communion with him
and does him honour before the people:
and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee; the spirit of
government
and the spirit of prophecy
the gifts of the spirit qualifying for
these things
of which Moses had a large measure:
and will put it upon them; that is
gifts of the
same kind with his; not that his gifts were diminished
or that properly
speaking anything was taken from Moses and given to the seventy elders; but
from the same fountain and fulness of the spirit Moses partook of
they were
furnished with like gifts and qualifications
he having not at all the less for
what was communicated to them; see 1 Corinthians 12:4;
several of the Jewish writers
and particularly Jarchi
illustrate it by the
lamp in the golden candlestick in the sanctuary
which was always burning
and
at which all the rest were lighted
without any diminution of its light at all:
and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee
that thou
bear it not thyself alone: assist in the government
of them
take part in all weighty and difficult matters
hear the complaints of
the people
and bear a share of the blame and reproach they at any time should
cast upon their rulers.
Numbers 11:18 18 Then you shall say to the people
‘Consecrate
yourselves for tomorrow
and you shall eat meat; for you have wept in the
hearing of the Lord
saying
“Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with
us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give
you meat
and you shall eat.
YLT
18`And unto the people thou
dost say
Sanctify yourselves for to-morrow
and ye have eaten flesh (for ye
have wept in the ears of Jehovah
saying
Who doth give us flesh? for we [had]
good in Egypt) -- and Jehovah hath given to you flesh
and ye have eaten.
And say thou unto the people
.... For what follows
respects them
as what goes before regarded himself:
sanctify yourselves against tomorrow; or prepare
yourselves
as the Targums of Onkelos
and Jonathan
either to receive mercies
or to meet the Lord in the way of his judgments; so Jarchi interprets
it
"prepare for punishments
'for what is said should be
and what they
had
was not as a blessing
but in a way of punishment:
and ye shall eat flesh; which they lusted after
wept for
and could not be easy without:
for ye have wept in the ears of the Lord; complaining
of him
and which he has taken notice of:
saying
who shall give us flesh to eat? for though
they so earnestly desired it
they despaired of it
and even called in question
the power of God to give it:
for it was well with us in Egypt; where they
had their fleshpots
as well as their cucumbers
melons
leeks
onions
and
garlic
Exodus 16:3; but
they forgot how ill it went with them by reason of their hard bondage
when
their lives were made bitter by it
notwithstanding their fleshpots
and of
which there is not much reason to believe any great share came to them: like to
them were their posterity in later times
Jeremiah 44:17
therefore the Lord will give you flesh; to show his
power:
and ye shall eat; to your shame and confusion
not for
pleasure or profit.
Numbers 11:19 19 You shall eat
not one day
nor two days
nor five
days
nor ten days
nor twenty days
YLT
19Ye do not eat one day
nor
two days
nor five days
nor ten days
nor twenty days; --
Ye shall not eat one day
.... Only
as in Exodus 16:12
nor two days
nor five days
neither ten days
nor twenty days; but even
thirty days
a whole month
as in Numbers 11:20.
Numbers 11:20 20 but for a whole month
until it comes out of
your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you
because you have despised the Lord who is among you
and have wept before Him
saying
“Why did we
ever come up out of Egypt?”’”
YLT
20unto a month of days
till
that it come out from your nostrils
and it hath become to you an abomination;
because that ye have loathed Jehovah
who [is] in your midst
and weep before
Him
saying
Why is this? -- we have come out of Egypt!'
But even a whole month
.... So long
the Israelites continued at Taberah or Kibrothhattaavah
as the JewsF15Seder
Olam Rabba
c. 8. p. 24. conclude from this clause:
until it come out at your nostrils; being vomited up
through a nausea of it
the stomach being overfilled and glutted with it; in
which case
it will make its way through the nostrils
as well as out of the
mouth:
and it be loathsome unto you; being surfeited with it;
or it shall be for "dispersion"F16לזרא
"in dispersionem"
Munster
Fagius
Montanus: so R. Joseph Kimchi
apud Kimchi Sepher Shorash rad. זרה "et Aben
dana".
scattered about from the mouth and nostrils:
because that ye have despised the Lord which is among you; who dwelt in
the tabernacle that was in the midst of them
whom they despised by treating
the manna with contempt he so plentifully spread about their camp
and by
distrusting his power to give them flesh
and by murmuring and complaining
against him on the account of their having none: the Targums of Onkelos and
Jonathan are
"because ye have loathed the Word of the Lord
whose
Shechinah (or the glory of whose Shechinah
as Jonathan) dwelleth among
you;'the essential Word
and who was figured by the manna they tasted and
despised:
and have wept before him; complaining of him
and
murmuring against him:
saying
why came we forth out of Egypt? suggesting it
would have been better for them if they had stayed there; thus reflecting on
the wisdom
power
and goodness of God
displayed in the deliverance of them
and for which they had the utmost reason to be thankful.
Numbers 11:21 21 And Moses said
“The people whom I am among are
six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said
‘I will give them meat
that they may eat for a whole month.’
YLT
21And Moses saith
`Six
hundred thousand footmen [are] the people in whose midst I [am]; and Thou
Thou
hast said
Flesh I give to them
and they have eaten
a month of days!
And Moses said
.... By way of objection to what God had
promised
distrusting his power to perform:
the people amongst whom I am; among whom he dwelt
of
whom he was a part
and over whom he was a ruler:
are six hundred thousand
footmen; that were able to travel on foot
and were fit for war: this was
the number of them when they came out of Egypt
Exodus 12:37; they
amounted in their last numbering to 3
550 more
which lesser number is here
omitted
as Aben Ezra and Jarchi observe
and only the round number given: some
say that all above the six hundred thousand were destroyed by the fire at
Taberah
Numbers 11:1
and thou hast said
one will give them flesh
that they may eat a
whole month; this Moses could not tell how to credit.
Numbers 11:22 22 Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them
to
provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together
for them
to provide enough for them?”
YLT
22Is flock and herd
slaughtered for them
that one hath found for them? -- are all the fishes of
the sea gathered for them -- that one hath found for them?'
Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them
to suffice them?....
Suggesting that if all their cattle
their sheep
and oxen were killed
which
they and the mixed multitude brought out of Egypt
they would not be sufficient
for them to live upon a whole month; and intimating also
that it would be an
unwise thing
and very improper
to slay them all
were they sufficient
since
then they would have none for sacrifice
or to breed when they came into the
land of Canaan; the Targum of Jonathan is
"shall the sheep that are in
Arabia and the oxen that are in Nabatea be slain for them
and be sufficient
for them?"
or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them to
suffice them? of the great sea
as Jonathan; which
to gather together
is
humanly speaking
impossible; indeed
if it could be done
they would not
suffice such a number of people a month together: Moses takes notice only of
the flesh of beasts and of fishes
and seems not to have thought of the flesh
of fowls with which
and not the other
the Lord afterwards fed them a whole
month.
Numbers 11:23 23 And the Lord said to
Moses
“Has the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will
happen to you or not.”
YLT
23And Jehovah saith unto
Moses
`Is the hand of Jehovah become short? now thou dost see whether My word
meeteth thee or not.'
And the Lord said unto Moses
.... In answer to his
objection
without upbraiding him with his sin of unbelief:
is the Lord's hand waxed short? or his power diminished
since the creation
when he formed all things out of nothing
and what is it
then he is not able to do? or since he wrought the wonders in Egypt
divided
the Red sea
rained down manna from heaven
and smote the rock at Horeb
from
whence waters flowed sufficient for all this people
and their flocks and
herds; and he that did all this could give them flesh that would suffice them a
whole month
see Isaiah 59:1
thou shall see now whether my words shall come to pass unto thee
or no; whether I am able to make good my promise; a short time will
decide it
it shall be seen presently whether I am and will do what I have
said.
Numbers 11:24 24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the
Lord
and he gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and
placed them around the tabernacle.
YLT
24And Moses goeth out
and
speaketh unto the people the words of Jehovah
and gathereth seventy men of the
elders of the people
and causeth them to stand round about the tent
And Moses went out
.... Either out of his own tent
about which
the people assembled
complaining and weeping
Numbers 11:10; or
rather
as Aben Ezra
out of the tabernacle of the congregation
and the
sanctuary where he had been conversing with God
about the affairs complained
of both by the people and by himself; so the Targum of Jonathan says
he went
out of the tabernacle
the house of the Shechinah or divine Majesty:
and told the people of the words of the Lord; what he had
ordered him to do for his ease in the government of them
and how he had promised
to give them flesh on the morrow:
and gathered the seventy men of the elders of Israel; sent for them
by name
and ordered them to assemble at such a time and place; and though two
of them came not
after mentioned
Numbers 11:26
yet
the full number of seventy is given:
and set them round about the tabernacle; they seem to
be set not promiscuously in a body together
but distinctly
one by another
in
a circular form; that they might be seen
observed
and taken notice of by the
people that came about the tabernacle
who they were
what were done to them
and what befell them.
Numbers 11:25 25 Then the Lord came down
in the cloud
and spoke to him
and took of the Spirit that was upon
him
and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened
when
the Spirit rested upon them
that they prophesied
although they never did so
again.[b]
YLT
25and Jehovah cometh down in
the cloud
and speaketh unto him
and keepeth back of the Spirit which [is] on
him
and putteth on the seventy men of the elders; and it cometh to pass at the
resting of the Spirit on them
that they prophesy
and do not cease.
And the Lord came down in a cloud
.... In a cloud of glory
or a glorious one
as the Targums; either in the same that went before the
people in the wilderness
or in one distinct from it
and only used on this
occasion
as a visible token of the presence of God:
and spake unto him; to Moses
talked with him
as he said he
would
Numbers 11:17
and took of the Spirit which was upon him
and gave it
unto the seventy elders; See Gill on Numbers 11:17
and it came to pass that when the Spirit rested upon them
they prophesied; either they sung the praises of God
which is sometimes the
sense of prophesying
1 Chronicles 25:1;
blessing God for the honour done them
and the gift bestowed on them; or they
opened and explained the laws of God
in virtue of the gifts they had received
according to which they were to assist Moses in the government of the people
or they foretold things come: the Jews say they prophesied of the quails
but
that is not very likely:
and did not cease; from prophesying; the spirit of prophecy
continued with them
which
in some cases
might be necessary: or
they ceased
not to prophesy all that day
though they afterwards did: and in the Hebrew
text it is
"they added not"F17יספו
"et non addiderunt"
Pagninus
Montanus
Drusius; "et non am
lin"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator.
that is
to prophesy
and
Jarchi says they only prophesied that day
as it is interpreted in an ancient book
of theirs
called Siphre: wherefore this spirit of prophecy is thought only to
be given them as a temporary thing
for the confirmation of their having
received the spirit of government
or gifts qualifying them for that
and to
make them respectable among the people
and to show that they were appointed it
by divine authority
and that this was not a device of Moses to ease himself.
Numbers 11:26 26 But two men had remained in the camp: the name of one was
Eldad
and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them. Now
they were among those listed
but who had not gone out to the
tabernacle; yet they prophesied in the camp.
YLT
26And two of the men are left
in the camp
the name of the one [is] Eldad
and the name of the second Medad
and the spirit resteth upon them
(and they are among those written
and have
not gone out to the tent)
and they prophesy in the camp;
But there remained two of the men in the camp
.... Of the
seventy who were summoned
that came not out of the camp of Israel to the
tabernacle when the rest did:
the name of the one was Eldad
and the name of the other
Medad: who
according to the Targum of Jonathan
were brethren of Moses
by his mother's side; for it says
they were the sons of Elizaphan the son of
Parnac
whom Jochebed the daughter of Levi brought forth at the time that Amram
her husband dismissed her
and she was married to him before she brought forth
Moses; but it is elsewhere saidF18Shalshalet Hakabala
fol. 7. 1.
that Elizaphan married her after the death of Amram; and Eldad and Medad were
born unto them:
and the Spirit rested upon them; as it did upon the rest
of the seventy that came to the tabernacle; these two had the same gifts of the
Spirit bestowed upon them as they had:
and they were of them that were written; among the
seventy whose names were put down in the summons Moses gave them to attend the
tabernacle; for as for the notion of the Jews about schedules and pieces of
paper put into an urn to draw lots with
there is no foundation in the text:
but went not out unto the tabernacle; out of the
camp to it
when they were summoned to come together; which they declined
as
is commonly said
out of modesty
thinking themselves unfit for such an high
office; and therefore
as Saul hid himself among the stuff when he was about to
be chosen king
so did they
or something like it: the Targum of Jonathan is
express for it
which adds
because they hid themselves to flee from
government; but the Spirit of God found them out
and filled them with his
gifts
and constrained them to prophesy
whereby they were discovered:
and they prophesied in the camp; perhaps in a private
manner
it may be in their own houses; which
how it came to be known is after
related: what they prophesied of cannot be said; according to the Targums of
Jonathan and Jerusalem
and other Jewish writersF19Vid. T. Bab.
Sanhedrin
fol. 17. 1. Abendana in Miclol Yophi in loc.
they prophesied of
the quails
and of the death of Moses
and the succession of Joshua
of Gog and
Magog
and their armies
and of their destruction by the Messiah
and of the
resurrection of the dead; but these are things not to be depended on.
Numbers 11:27 27 And a young man ran and told Moses
and said
“Eldad
and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
YLT
27and the young man runneth
and declareth to Moses
and saith
`Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the
camp.'
And there ran a young man
.... From the camp to the
tabernacle
who had heard Eldad and Medad prophesy; which he thought was not
right
being done without the knowledge and approbation of Moses
and in a
private tent in the tabernacle
not among the elders
but the common people:
who this young than was is not material to know; some of the Rabbins
as Jarchi
says
affirm he was Gershon the son of Moses; whoever he was
no doubt
it was
with a good design
consulting the glory of God and the honour of Moses
and
therefore in great haste ran to him with the information:
and told Moses
and said
Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp; who seem by
this
to be persons well known
and of some note and figure; since not only the
young man could call them by their names
but there needed no other description
of them to Moses and those with him.
Numbers 11:28 28 So Joshua the son of Nun
Moses’ assistant
one
of his choice men
answered and said
“Moses my lord
forbid them!”
YLT
28And Joshua son of Nun
minister of Moses
[one] of his young men
answereth and saith
`My lord Moses
restrain them.'
And Joshua the son of Nun
the servant of Moses
.... That
waited upon him
and ministered to him
and executed his orders
especially in
civil things
and was to be his successor:
one of his young men; not that
Joshua was a young man in age
for he must be now between fifty and sixty years
of age; see Gill on Exodus 33:11; nor
does the word necessarily suppose that those men were young among whom Joshua
was; but choice excellent persons
the principal servants of Moses
at the head
of whom Joshua was being his prime minister: the Targum of Onkelos and the
Syriac version render it
"from his youth"
joining it with the word
servant
as if he was the servant of Moses from his youth
or ever since he was
a young man; but Moses had not been out of Midian but about two years
where he
had kept his father's sheep; however
he
answered and said
my lord Moses
forbid them; prophesying
restrain them from it
suffer them not to go on in it; he would have him exert
his authority as the chief magistrate
which he thought was affected by their
prophesying without his knowledge and consent; and because a word from the root
here used signifies a prison
some here interpret it
"put them in
prison
'which is a sense Jarchi mentions; but it can hardly be thought that
Joshua meant that such rigorous measures should be taken
only that they should
be rebuked for what they had done
and be charged for the future to be silent.
Numbers 11:29 29 Then Moses said to him
“Are you zealous for my sake?
Oh
that all the Lord’s people were prophets and
that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!”
YLT
29And Moses saith to him
`Art thou zealous for me? O that all Jehovah's people were prophets! that
Jehovah would put His Spirit upon them!'
Moses said unto him
enviest thou for my sake?.... Lest his
authority should be weakened
and his honour lessened
because they began not
to prophesy in his presence
and at the tabernacle
and among the rest of the
elders
and so seemed not to have received of the Spirit that was upon him
and
to be independent of him:
would God that all the Lord's people were prophets; this is not
to he understood in the most absolute sense
as if Moses wished that every
individual person among the people of Israel were prophets
as the word may
signify a set and order of men
and an office in the church or state
as
ministers of the word extraordinary or ordinary; for then there would be none
to prophesy to
or to teach and instruct; and so likewise not rulers
or helps
and assistants in government
for then there would be none to be governed; but
it is to be taken comparatively
and is designed to show how far Moses was from
an envious spirit at the gifts of others
that he could wish
if it was the
will of God
and consistent with the order of things
that every man had as
great or greater gifts than he had
qualifying them for public service and
usefulness; such was the modesty and meekness of Moses: there is a sense
indeed
in which all the Lord's people
all good men
are and should be
prophets
and for which by the grace of the Spirit of God they are qualified;
and should act as such
by praying and singing praises
which are sometimes
meant by prophesying
and by spiritual conferences in private with one another
building up each other on their most holy faith
and by teaching and
instructing all under their care in their families:
and that the Lord would put
his Spirit upon them; the gifts of it
which are necessary to fit men for public
service in church or state
or for private usefulness
1 Corinthians 12:7.
Numbers 11:30 30 And Moses returned to the camp
he and the elders of
Israel.
YLT
30And Moses is gathered unto
the camp
he and the elders of Israel.
And Moses got him into the camp
.... From the door of the
tabernacle
where he had been settling the elders in their office
and now
betook himself to the camp of Israel
perhaps to look more particularly into
the affair of Eldad and Medad
and settle that
and put them among the elders;
for they were of them that were written
whose names were put down for elders
in the paper Moses had written for that purpose
and in the summons that were
given; or more generally to do public business
to exercise rule and
government
with this new assistance granted him
as follows:
he and the elders of Israel; he went in company with
them
to impart to them the honour and glory they were to share with him in the
government
as Aben Ezra observes; or they went together
to observe what would
be done for the people
according to the promise of the Lord
to give them
flesh; who had made good his word to Moses
by taking of his Spirit and putting
it on seventy men for his assistance; the other remained to be done
and was
done as follows.
Numbers 11:31 31 Now a wind went out from the Lord
and it brought quail from the sea and left them fluttering
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 two cubits above the surface of
the ground.
YLT
31And a spirit hath journeyed
from Jehovah
and cutteth off quails from the sea
and leaveth by the camp
as
a day's journey here
and as a day's journey there
round about the camp
and
about two cubits
on the face of the land.
And there went forth a wind from the Lord
.... Both an
east wind and a south wind
according to Psalm 78:26; either
first one wind
and then another; one to bring the quails
or whatever are
meant
to a certain point
and then the other to bring them to the camp of
Israel; or a southeast wind
as the Jewish writers interpret it: however
it
was not a common wind
but what was immediately raised by the Lord for the
following purpose:
and brought quails from the sea; the Red sea
from the
coasts of it
not out of it. JosephusF20Antiqu. l. 3. c. 1. sect. 5.
says
there were great numbers of this sort of fowl about the gulf of Arabia;
and Diodorus SiculusF21Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 55. says
near
Rhinocalura
a place not far from those parts
quails in flocks were brought
from the sea
which the people caught and lived upon. After Job Ludolphus
who
has wrote a learned dissertation on locusts
many are of opinion with him
that
locusts are intended here
and think that what is hereafter related best agrees
with them; it is pretty difficult to determine which is most correct; there are
learned advocates
and much to be said
for bothF23Vid. Calmet's
Dictionary in the word "Quails"
& Scheuchzer. Physica Sacr. in
loc. Bishop of Clogher's Chronology
p. 375
376. Shaw's Travels
p. 189. :
and let them fall by the camp: the camp of
Israel
and round about it on all sides
as follows; which agrees well enough
with locusts
which are usually brought by a wind
as the locusts of Egypt were
by an east wind
which fall
rest
and settle on the earth
and sometimes in
heaps
one upon another; and these
whatever they were
fell as thick as rain
and were as dust
and as the sand of the sea. The Jewish writers
who
understand them of quails
interpret this not of their falling to the ground
but of their flying low
two cubits from the earth
about the breast of a man
so that they had no trouble in taking them; so the Targum of Jonathan
Jarchi
Ben Gersom
and Abendana; but this seems to be without any foundation:
as it were a day's journey on this side
and as it were a day's
journey on the other side
round about the camp; on the north side
and
on the south side
as the Targum of Jonathan explains it; but it doubtless
means on all sides
since they fell round about the camp; and from thence they
lay thick upon the ground
a day's journey every way; which some compute at
sixteen
others at twenty miles on which space there must be a prodigious
number of quails or locusts; and it is certain the latter do come in great
numbers
so as to darken the air
and to cover a country
as they did Egypt;
and the quails also
in some countries
have been taken in great numbers; in
Italy
on the coast of Antium
within a month
in the space of five miles
100
000 quails were taken every dayF24Blond. ltal. Illustrat. p.
314. apud Huet. Alnetan. Quaest. l. 2. c. 12. sect. 17. :
and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth; as they fell
they lay one upon another
the height of two cubits; which it is thought better
agrees with locusts than with quails
since the quails
by lying one upon
another such a depth
must be suffocated; whereas the locusts
through the
length of their feet
and the thinness of their wings
would not.
Numbers 11:32 32 And the people stayed up all that day
all night
and
all the next day
and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten
homers); and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp.
YLT
32And the people rise all
that day
and all the night
and all the day after
and gather the quails -- he
who hath least hath gathered ten homers -- and they spread them out for
themselves round about the camp.
And the people stood up all that day
.... The day
on which they fell in the morning:
and all that night; the night following:
and all the next day; after that
even the
space of thirty six hours:
and they gathered the quails; not took them flying
as
the Jewish writers suggest
before observed
but from the earth where they
fell
in order to lay them up as a provision for time to come; or otherwise
had they taken them only for present use
they would not have been so long in
gathering them; but they seemed greedy of them
and therefore took up all they
could
or knew what to do with:
he that gathered least gathered ten homers; or so many
ass loads
as some interpret it; the words for an ass and an homer being near
the same: an homer in measure is the same with the "cor"
and held
ten ephahs; and
according to Bishop CumberlandF25Of Scripture
Weights
&c. p. 86.
contained seventy five wine gallons
seven pints
and
somewhat more
which must hold a vast quantity of quails; though not the
measure
but the number of fowls
is commonly given. Some render the word
"heaps"
as in Exodus 8:14; and is
supposed better to agree with locusts; but then it will be difficult to assign
a reason why the number of them should be given
since heaps might be greater
or lesser:
and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about
the camp; according to some
they were taken alive
and put into cages
which were hung round the camp
so that all places were full of them
in which
they were kept
and used as they wanted them; but they seem rather
be they
what they will
to be dead
and to be spread about to be dried in the sun
being
salted; and so the Vulgate Latin version renders the word
"and they dried
them"F26So the word is used in Misn. Sabbat
c. 22. sect. 4.
for spreading things in the sun to dry them. ; and agrees both with quails
which
according to some writersF1Athenaeus
Hipparchus
&
Hesychius apud Bochart
Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 1. c. 15. col. 107.
used to be
salted for food for time to come; and with locusts
on which the inhabitants of
some parts of Ethiopia always lived
as PlinyF2Nat. Hist. l. 6. c.
30. says
being hardened in smoke
and with salt
and was their food for the
year round. And this custom was used in Arabia; for Leo AfricanusF3Descriptio
Africae
l. 9. p. 769. relates
that the people of Arabia Deserta
and of
Lybia
reckon the coming of the locusts an happy omen; for either boiled
or
dried with the sun
they beat them into meal (or powder) and eat them: and of
the Nasamones
a people in Africa
it is saidF4Herodot. Melpomene
sive
l. 4. c. 172.
that they hunt locusts
and dry them in the sun
and
grind them
and then
sprinkling milk upon them
sup them up.
Numbers 11:33 33 But while the meat was still between their
teeth
before it was chewed
the wrath of the Lord was
aroused against the people
and the Lord struck the
people with a very great plague.
YLT
33The flesh is yet between
their teeth -- it is not yet cut off -- and the anger of Jehovah hath burned
among the people
and Jehovah smiteth among the people -- a very great smiting;
And while the flesh was yet between their teeth
.... When they
had just got it into their mouths
and were about to bite it:
ere it was chewed; or "cut off"; or cut into pieces
by the "incisores"
or fore teeth
and then ground by the
"molares"
or grinders
and so became fit to be swallowed. Both
quails and locusts were eaten as food; the former is a fat and delicious fowl
and the latter
some sorts of them
at least
were allowed clean food for the
Jews
and were fed on by many people:
the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people; for their
lusting after flesh
and despising the manna:
and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague; the
pestilence
as Aben Ezra; or with fire
as BochartF5Ut supra
(Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 1. c. 15.) Colossians 109.
who gives the following reasons why the people were so severely punished now
and not before
when they murmured on a like account; because their sin's were
greater
and more aggravated
they falling again into the same sin which had
been forgiven them; and besides
they were before pressed with famine
now they
had a plenty of manna every day; and also were better instructed
having
received the law
which was not yet given when they were just come out of
Egypt. SulpitiusF6 the historian says
23
000 perished at this time.
Numbers 11:34 34 So he called the name of that place Kibroth Hattaavah
[c] because
there they buried the people who had yielded to craving.
YLT
34and [one] calleth the name
of that place Kibroth-Hattaavah
for there they have buried the people who
lust.
And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah
.... That is
Moses called it so
or it was called by the children of Israel
and by others
in later times
by this name
which signifies "the graves of lust";
dug by lust
or which lust was the cause and occasion of
and where those that
indulged it were buried
as follows:
because there they buried the people that lusted; not all that
lusted
for the lusting was pretty general; but all that died through their
gluttony and intemperance
and the judgment of God on them; or who were the
most inordinate in their lust
and encouraged others in it
and were the
ringleaders in the murmur and mutiny.
Numbers 11:35 35 From Kibroth Hattaavah the people moved to Hazeroth
and camped at Hazeroth.
YLT
35From Kibroth-Hattaavah have
the people journeyed to Hazeroth
and they are in Hazeroth.
And the people journeyed from
Kibrothhattaavah unto Hazeroth
.... After having stayed there a month or
more
as is gathered from Numbers 11:20
and abode at Hazeroth; at least seven days
as
appears from Numbers 12:15;
which
according to BuntingF7Travels
p. 82.
was eight miles from
Kibrothhattaavah
or Taberah
which were the same place.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)