Numbers 11

Numbers 11:1-3

Before Christ burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. 2. And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched. 3. And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.

From the mercies they had experienced, and their promising beginnings, we might have expected a gracious issue to their journey; but alas! what a change is here!

1. A spirit of murmuring is among them; why or wherefore, it is hard to guess. They had every blessing their hearts could reasonably defire, and such extraordinary influences of God’s love to them, as should have made them rejoice with joy unfeasible. But a discontented spirit will never be without cause of murmuring, even in the midst of mercies. God heard their rejoicing; for to him our most fierce thoughts are fully known; and justly angry at their ingratitude, as he must ever be with those complacency, who find fault with his provision for them, as He finds a fire of wrath among them, either from the sanctuary, as against Nallah and Abolio, or some immediate stroke of lightning from heaven. It burnt in the uttermost part of the camp; in the tribe of Han probably, where the chief feat of the murmures lay. God will not spare, if foremen provide him; and happy for us if we take warning by others, and repent of the like sins, that we be not consumed with their plagues. 3. Thus did the people; they cried unto Moses; for in difficultness of God’s highest ministers will be the first to be applied to; and Moses kindly interceded for them, and the fire was flayed. The prayers of a righteous man avail much. It is a great blessing to have an interest in them. 4. The name given the place, Taberah, Burning. The place of the former’s torment thereby will be everlasting burning. Let us fear to murmur, lest we should likewise perish.

2. ¶ And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lufling: and the children of Israel also wept again, and laid, Who shall give us flesh to eat? 5. We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garbids! 6. But now our God is dried away; there is nothing at all, besides this manna, before our eyes. 7. And the manna was as coriander-feed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium. 8. And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. 9. And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.

Numbers 11:4-9

One fin feverely visited prevents not new provocations. 1. The mixed multitude, a mungrel breed, such as followed in hopes of sharing Israel’s good, not to serve Israel’s God, began the mutiny, and communicated the spirit of infection to the camp. A bad neighbourhood is dangerous, and fin contagious; nor are any foe high in grace or attainment, but they need watch and pray, lest they enter into temptation. 2. They lufled for flesh to eat, dissatisfied with God’s provision, and wanting to be their own esteem. Indulgent our appetites is usually our ruin: to gratify the body, men destroy their foul. 3. They dissatisfied God’s power to supply their wants, though every day living by a miracle. Unbelief is a fin that miracles cannot cure. 4. They compare their pretext with their past affairs, and draw the most ungrateful conclusions. They remember the leeks and onions, but not the hall-matters of Egypt, and speak of that manna, the breed of heaven, as if it famished instead of fed them. Note, (1.) Ingratitude is among the greatest sins. (2.) The discontented loath their very blessings, and form felicitous to make themselves miserable. (3.) It is a strong mark of the curse of God upon the heart, to see rejoining in the midst of plenty.

10. ¶ Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent; and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased. 11. And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hath thou afflicted thy fervour? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? 12. Have I conceived all this people? how I hegetten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom (as a nursing father beareth the fucking child) unto the land which thou foreseest unto their fathers? 13. Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto 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 thou deal thou with me, kill me, I pray thee, one of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.

Numbers 11:10-15

Moses heard the general murmur, and was justly displeased; and God also beheld with anger their faith ingratitude. Had Moses rested here, he had done well; but impatience at their perversion, and despair of supporting the burden of such a people, seems to have provoked him to speak unadvisedly with his lips. He finds fault with that charge which was his highest honour; and wishes for that death with impatience, which he should wait for with resignation. Note, (1.) In heavy trials, we are too apt rather to wish ourselves rid of them by death, rather than glorify God under them by patient submission. (2.) Many have desired to die in a passion, who would gladly unlay their words, if God had granted their request. (3.) The merrest of men have corruption in their hearts, and sometimes it will rise. (4.) They whom God calls to be rulers of others, have need to look peculiarly to the government of their own spirits.

16. ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me “feventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. 17. And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which it upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not myself alone. 18. And say thou unto the people, Sandily yourselves against to-morrow, and ye 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 the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. 19. Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; 20. But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have defended the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, ‘Why came we forth out of Egypt? 21. And Moses said, ‘The people amongst whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen: and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. 22. ‘Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? 23. And the LORD said unto Moses, ‘Is the LORD’s hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee, or not.

Numbers 11:16-23

God answers both these requests of Moses and the people, but with very different regards; Moses in mercy, the people in judgment.

1. Moses receives an instance of God’s mercy. He does not upbraid his hallmark, but grants his petition. He is commanded to elude seventy elders, the most approved for wisdom, and God will strengthen them for their office, to bear with him the burden of the people. Note, (1.) None can reasonably conclude they are called to an office, who are not qualified for it. (2.) Government is of divine institution, and we must be obedient for conscience, and not only to the king as supreme, but unto every magistrate who bears with him the burden.

2. The people’s request is gratified; better, perseverance, for them, had it been denied. Gifts in anger are judgments in disguise. They shall not only have enough to falsify, but to forfeit. Note, (1.) Loath and loathing are near allied. (2.) The indulgence of brutal appetite will bring its own punishment along with it.

3. Moses expresses some difficult how this should be done for such a multitude. The strongest faith is sometimes shaken by indulging vain reasonings; but God blames his doubts with a convincing argument. His almighty power can effect whatever his grace promises. He that divided the sea, and opened the windows of heaven, is able to give them flesh also. Let God’s people be comforted in every trial, that his hand is not shortened that it cannot save; and be encouraged to pray, for his ear is not heavy that it cannot bear.

4. ¶ And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and let them round about the tabernacle. 25. And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came

to

to pass, that when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. 26. But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eklad, and the name of the other Medad: and the Spirit rested upon them (and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle) and they prophesied in the camp. 27. And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eklad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. 28. And Joshua the son of Non, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, ‘My lord Moses, forbid them. 29. And Moses said unto him, Envieh thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD’s people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them. 30. And Moses got him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.

Numbers 11:24-30

Moses obeys the divine mandate, and having told the people the words of the Lord, he gathers the favorite elders before the tabernacle, and the glory of the Lord appears. God never fails to meet those who are found waiting upon him. As they were blinded by his order, he furnishes them for their place, bestowing upon them a portion of that spirit which rested on Moses; not diminishing his gifts, but increasing theirs. Grace is an inexhaustible fountain; no man has the left, because of others who partake with him. Heresy they prophesied, that is, joined in God’s praises, or spoke of the things of God, or forested some future events to the people. Two of the seventy were absent, either not receiving timely notice of the honour done them, or through modesty declining it; but they prophesied also, prayed, or preached, or praised God in the camp. An appearance to extraordinary was soon noted, and carried to Moses; and Joshua, jealous for Moses’ honour, is ready to condemn and silence them for irregularity; but he rejoices in the manifestation of God’s favour, and wishes finally every soul in the camp possessed the same spirit. Note, (1.) Others gifts and graces are too often the occasion of every to us. (2.) What we may think irregular for ourselves, we may not be too bully to condemn in others. (3.) If men prophesy in the name of Jesus, and souls are edified, we should therein rejoice, though they may not follow with us. (4.) If others increase in usefulness, and we decrease, so the cause prophets, we should be willing to be the last and the least. If God be glorified, that is enough.

31. ¶ And ’there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, ‘as it were a day’s journey on this tide, and as it were a day’s journey on the other tide, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth. 32. And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails; he that gathered least, gathered ten bowers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. 33. And ‘while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed; the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD froze the people with a very great plague. 34. And he called the name of that place, Kibroth-hattazvah: because there they buried the people that lurled. 35. And ’the people journeyed from Kibroth-hattazvah unto Hazeroth: and tabode at Hazeroth.

Numbers 11:31-35

The people now obtain their desire, and suffer for their lust.

1. God sends them flesh to eat. Either that delicious bind we call a quail, or, as learned men have conjectured, locuits, which were a common food in those Eastern countries, and in such quantities that for sixteen miles square they were two cubits high; and, during two days and a night, afforded employment for all the loats to gather them, and the least had ten bowers, or all-loads, of them, which they spread to dry around the camp. Now they have enough, and round in plenty; but when the fume is most joyous, the sword of vengeance is then defending.

2. God fume them with a very great plague. They who indulge their lusts, must pay dear for them. The meat was yet between their teeth when the wrath of God came upon them. How short-lived is the prosperity of the wicked! when his possession of what he covered is to appearance must firmly secured, death branches him away, and all his hopes perish.

3. The name of the place; Kibroth-hattazvah, The graven of lust. Note, This title may suit every tomb-flame. By lust an entered into the world, and death passed upon all, because all have flared.

Vol. I.