Num 11:1 | Clarke | STEP | The people complain, the Lord is displeased, and many of them are consumed by fire, . Moses intercedes for them, and the fire is quenched, . The place is called Taberah, . The mixed multitude long for flesh, and murmur, . The manna described, . The people weep in their tents, and the Lord is displeased, . Moses deplores his lot in being obliged to hear and bear with all their murmurings, . He is commanded to bring seventy of the elders to God that he may endue them with the same spirit, and cause them to divide the burden with him, , . He is also commanded to inform the people that they shall have flesh for a whole month, . Moses expresses his doubt of the possibility of this, , . The Lord confirms his promise, . The seventy men are brought to the tabernacle, ; and the spirit of prophecy rests upon them, . Eldad and Medad stay in the camp and prophesy, , . Joshua beseeches Moses to forbid them, . Moses refuses, , . A wind from the Lord brings quails to the camp, , . While feeding on the flesh, a plague from the Lord falls upon them, and many of them die, . The place is called Kibroth-hattaavah, or the graves of lust, . They journey to Hazeroth, . Verse 1 And when the people complained - What the cause of this complaining was, we know not. The conjecture of St. Jerome is probable; they complained because of the length of the way. But surely no people had ever less cause for murmuring; they had God among them, and miracles of goodness were continually wrought in their behalf. It displeased the Lord - For his extraordinary kindness was lost on such an ungrateful and rebellious people. And his anger was kindled - Divine justice was necessarily incensed against such inexcusable conduct. And the fire of the Lord burnt among them - Either a supernatural fire was sent for this occasion, or the lightning was commissioned against them, or God smote them with one of those hot suffocating winds which are very common in those countries. And consumed - in the uttermost parts of the camp - It pervaded the whole camp, from the center to the circumference, carrying death with it to all the murmurers; for we are not to suppose that it was confined to the uttermost parts of the camp, unless we could imagine that there were none culpable any where else. If this were the same with the case mentioned , then, as it is possible that the mixed multitude occupied the outermost parts of the camp, consequently the burning might have been confined to them.

Numbers 11:1

Introduction

The people complain, the Lord is displeased, and many of them are consumed by fire, Num 11:1. Moses intercedes for them, and the fire is quenched, Num 11:2. The place is called Taberah, Num 11:3. The mixed multitude long for flesh, and murmur, Num 11:4-6. The manna described, Num 11:7-9. The people weep in their tents, and the Lord is displeased, Num 11:10. Moses deplores his lot in being obliged to hear and bear with all their murmurings, Num 11:11-15. He is commanded to bring seventy of the elders to God that he may endue them with the same spirit, and cause them to divide the burden with him, Num 11:16, Num 11:17. He is also commanded to inform the people that they shall have flesh for a whole month, Num 11:18-20. Moses expresses his doubt of the possibility of this, Num 11:21, Num 11:22. The Lord confirms his promise, Num 11:23. The seventy men are brought to the tabernacle, Num 11:24; and the spirit of prophecy rests upon them, Num 11:25. Eldad and Medad stay in the camp and prophesy, Num 11:26, Num 11:27. Joshua beseeches Moses to forbid them, Num 11:28. Moses refuses, Num 11:29, Num 11:30. A wind from the Lord brings quails to the camp, Num 11:31, Num 11:32. While feeding on the flesh, a plague from the Lord falls upon them, and many of them die, Num 11:33. The place is called Kibroth-hattaavah, or the graves of lust, Num 11:34. They journey to Hazeroth, Num 11:35.

Verse 1

And when the people complained - What the cause of this complaining was, we know not. The conjecture of St. Jerome is probable; they complained because of the length of the way. But surely no people had ever less cause for murmuring; they had God among them, and miracles of goodness were continually wrought in their behalf.

It displeased the Lord - For his extraordinary kindness was lost on such an ungrateful and rebellious people. And his anger was kindled - Divine justice was necessarily incensed against such inexcusable conduct.

And the fire of the Lord burnt among them - Either a supernatural fire was sent for this occasion, or the lightning was commissioned against them, or God smote them with one of those hot suffocating winds which are very common in those countries.

And consumed - in the uttermost parts of the camp - It pervaded the whole camp, from the center to the circumference, carrying death with it to all the murmurers; for we are not to suppose that it was confined to the uttermost parts of the camp, unless we could imagine that there were none culpable any where else. If this were the same with the case mentioned Num 11:4, then, as it is possible that the mixed multitude occupied the outermost parts of the camp, consequently the burning might have been confined to them.