Numbers 11

1

Now the people complained about their hardships in the

hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was

aroused. Then fire from the LORD burned among them and

consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.

2

When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the LORD

and the fire died down.

3

So that place was called Taberah, because fire from the LORD

had burned among them.

4

The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again

the Israelites started wailing and said, "If only we had meat

to eat!

5

We remember fish we ate in Egypt at no cost - also the

cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.

6

But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything

but this manna!"

7

The manna was like coriander seed and looked like resin.

8

The people went around gathering it, and then ground it

in a handmill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in

a pot or made it into cakes. And it tasted like something

made with olive oil.

9

When the dew settled on the camp at night, the manna

also came down.

10

Moses heard the people of every family wailing, each at

the entrance to his tent. The LORD became exceedingly

angry, and Moses was troubled.

11

He asked the LORD, "Why have you brought this trouble

on your servant? What have I done to displease you

that you put the burden of all these people on me?

12

Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth?

Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a

nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on

oath to their forefathers?

13

Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep

wailing to me, 'Give us to meat eat!'

14

I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is

too heavy for me.

15

If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death

right now - if I have found favor in your eyes - and do not

let me face my own ruin."

16

The LORD said to Moses, "Bring me seventy of Israel's

elders who are known to you as leaders and officials

among the people. Have them come to the Tent of

Meeting that they may stand there with you.

17

I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take

of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them.

They will help you carry the burden of the people so that

you will not have to carry it alone.

18

"Tell the people: 'Consecrate yourselves innpreparation

for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The LORD heard

you when you wailed, "If only we had meat to eat! We

were better off in Egypt!" Now the LORD will give you

meat, and you will eat it.

19

You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five,

ten or twenty days,

20

but for a whole month - until it comes out of your

nostrilsnand you loathe it - because you rejected the

LORD, who is among you, and have wailed before him,

saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?" ' "

21

But Moses said, "Here I am among six hundred thousand

men on foot, and you say, 'I will give them meat to eat

for a whole month!'

22

Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered

for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea

were caught for them?"

23

The LORD answered Moses, "Is the LORD's arm too short?

You will now see whether or not what I say will come

true for you."

24

So Moses went out and told the people what the LORD had

said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had

them stand around the Tent.

25

Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke with

him, and he took of the Spirit that was on him and put

the Spirit on the seventy,elders. When the Spirit rested on

them, they prophesied, but they did not do so again.

26

However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad,

had remained in the camp. They were listed among the

elders, but did not go out to the Tent. Yet the Spirit

also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp.

27

A young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad

are prophesying in the camp.

28

Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' aide since

youth, spoke up and said, "Moses, my lord, stop them!"

29

But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that

all the LORD's people were prophets and that the LORD

would put his Spirit on them!"

30

Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

31

Now a wind went out from the LORD and drove quail in

from the sea. It brought them down all around the camp

to about three feet above the ground, as far as a day's

walk in any direction.

32

All that day and night and all the next day the people

went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than

ten homers. Then they spread them out all around the camp.

33

But while the meat was still between and before it could be

consumed, the anger of the LORD burned against the

people, and he struck them with a severe plague.

34

Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah, because

there they buried the people who had craved other food.

35

From Kibroth Hattaavah the people traveled to Hazeroth

and stayed there.