The Fourth Book of Moses: Numbers

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 11 -

When the people became murmurers, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it, therefore his wrath was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed the vtmost parte of the hoste.

Then the people cryed vnto Moses: and when Moses praied vnto the Lord, the fire was quenched.

And he called the name of that place Taberah, because the fire of the Lord burnt among them.

And a nomber of people that was amog them, fell a lusting, and turned away, and the children of Israel also wept, and saide, Who shall giue vs flesh to eate?

We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt for nought, the cucumbers, and the pepons, and the leekes, and the onions, and the garleke.

But now our soule is dryed away, we can see nothing but this Man.

(The Man also was as coriander seede, and his colour like the colour of bdelium.

The people went about and gathered it, and ground it in milles, or beat it in morters, and baked it in a cauldron, and made cakes of it, and the taste of it was like vnto the taste of fresh oyle.

And when the dewe fell downe vpon the hoste in the night, the Man fell with it)

The Complaint of Moses

Then Moses heard the people weepe throughout their families, euery man in the doore of his tent, and the wrath of the Lord was grieuously kindled: also Moses was grieued.

And Moses saide vnto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou vexed thy seruant? and why haue I not found fauour in thy sight, seeing thou hast put the charge of al this people vpon mee?

Haue I conceiued al this people? or haue I begotte them, that thou shouldest say vnto me, Cary them in thy bosome (as a nurse beareth the sucking childe) vnto the lande, for the which thou swarest vnto their fathers?

Where should I haue flesh to giue vnto al this people? for they weepe vnto me, saying, Giue vs flesh that we may eate.

I am not able to beare al this people alone, for it is too heauie for me.

Therefore if thou deale thus with mee, I pray thee, if I haue founde fauour in thy sight, kill me, that I behold not my miserie.

Seventy Elders Anointed

Then the Lord said vnto Moses, Gather vnto me seuetie men of ye Elders of Israel, whome thou knowest, that they are the Elders of the people, and gouernonrs ouer them, and bring them vnto the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and let them stand there with thee,

And I will come downe, and talke with thee there, and take of the Spirite, which is vpon thee, and put vpon them, and they shall beare the burthen of the people with thee: so thou shalt not beare it alone.

Furthermore thou shalt saye vnto the people, Bee sanctified against to morowe, and yee shall eate flesh: for you haue wept in the eares of the Lord, saying, Who shall giue vs flesh to eate? for we were better in Egypt: therefore the Lord will giue you flesh, and ye shall eate.

Ye shall not eat one day nor two daies, nor fiue daies, neither ten daies, nor twentie dayes,

But a whole moneth, vntill it come out at your nostrels, and bee lothesome vnto you, because ye haue contemned the Lord, which is among you, and haue wept before him, saying, Why came we hither out of Egypt?

And Moses saide, Six hundreth thousande footemen are there of the people, among whom I am: and thou saiest, I will giue them flesh, that they may eate a moneth long.

Shall the sheepe and the beeues be slaine for them, to finde them? either shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them to suffice them?

And the Lord saide vnto Moses, Is the Lordes hand shortened? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to passe vnto thee, or no.

So Moses went out, and told the people the wordes of the Lord, and gathered seuentie men of the Elders of the people, and set them round about the Tabernacle.

Then the Lord came downe in a cloude, and spake vnto him, and tooke of the Spirit that was vpon him, and put it vpon the seuentie Ancient men: and when the Spirit rested vpon them, then they prophecied, and did not cease.

But there remained two of the men in the hoste: the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad, and the Spirit rested vpon them, (for they were of them that were written, and went not out vnto the Tabernacle) and they prophecied in the hoste.

Then there ranne a yong man, and tolde Moses, and saide, Eldad and Medad doe prophesie in the hoste.

And Ioshua the sonne of Nun the seruant of Moses one of his yong men answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.

But Moses saide vnto him, Enuiest thou for my sake? yea, would God that all the Lordes people were Prophets, and that the Lord woulde put his Spirit vpon them.

And Moses returned into the hoste, he and the Elders of Israel.

The Quail and the Plague

Then there went foorth a winde from the Lord, and brought quailes from the Sea, and let them fall vpon the campe, a dayes iourney on this side, and a dayes iourney on the other side, round about the hoste, and they were about two cubites aboue the earth.

Then the people arose, al that day, and all the night, and all the next day, and gathered the quailes: he that gathered the least, gathered ten Homers full, and they spred them abroade for their vse round about the hoste.

While the flesh was yet betweene their teeth, before it was chewed, euen the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with an exceeding great plague.

So the name of the place was called, Kibroth-hattaauah: for there they buried the people that fell a lusting.

From Kibroth-hattaauah ye people tooke their iourney to Hazeroth, and abode at Hazeroth.

The people were complaining in the ears of the LORD. When the LORD heard it, his anger burned; and the LORD’s fire burned among them, and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.

The people cried to Moses; and Moses prayed to the LORD, and the fire abated.

The name of that place was called Taberah,(a) because the LORD’s fire burned among them.

The mixed multitude that was among them lusted exceedingly; and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, “Who will give us meat to eat?

We remember the fish, which we ate in Egypt for nothing; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic;

but now we have lost our appetite. There is nothing at all except this manna to look at.”

The manna was like coriander seed, and it looked like bdellium.(b)

The people went around, gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in mortars, and boiled it in pots, and made cakes of it. Its taste was like the taste of fresh oil.

When the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.

The Complaint of Moses

Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, every man at the door of his tent; and the LORD’s anger burned greatly; and Moses was displeased.

Moses said to the LORD, “Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why haven’t I found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me?

Have I conceived all this people? Have I brought them out, that you should tell me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing infant, to the land which you swore to their fathers’?

Where could I get meat to give all these people? For they weep before me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’

I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.

If you treat me this way, please kill me right now, if I have found favor in your sight; and don’t let me see my wretchedness.”

Seventy Elders Anointed

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; and bring them to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you.

I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit which is on you, and will put it on them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you don’t bear it yourself alone.

“Say to the people, ‘Sanctify yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, and you will eat meat; for you have wept in the ears 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 will eat.

You will not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days,

but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils, and it is loathsome to you; because you have rejected the LORD who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we come out of Egypt?”’”

Moses said, “The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand men on foot; and you have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month.’

Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to be sufficient for them? Shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to be sufficient for them?”

The LORD said to Moses, “Has the LORD’s hand grown short? Now you will see whether my word will happen to you or not.”

Moses went out, and told the people the LORD’s words; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them around the Tent.

The LORD came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was on him, and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did so no more.

But two men remained in the camp. The name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad; and the Spirit rested on them. They were of those who were written, but had not gone out to the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp.

A young man ran, and told Moses, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”

Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his chosen men, answered, “My lord Moses, forbid them!”

Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!”

Moses went into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.

The Quail and the Plague

A wind from the LORD went out and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, about a day’s journey on this side, and a day’s journey on the other side, around the camp, and about two cubits(c) above the surface of the earth.

The people rose up all that day, and all of that night, and all the next day, and gathered the quails. He who gathered least gathered ten homers;(d) and they spread them all out for themselves around the camp.

While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the LORD’s anger burned against the people, and the LORD struck the people with a very great plague.

The name of that place was called Kibroth Hattaavah,(e) because there they buried the people who lusted.

From Kibroth Hattaavah the people traveled to Hazeroth; and they stayed at Hazeroth.

Footnotes

(a)11:3 Taberah means “burning”

(b)11:7 Bdellium is a resin extracted from certain African trees.

(c)11:31 A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters.

(d)11:32 1 homer is about 220 liters or 6 bushels

(e)11:34 Kibroth Hattaavah means “graves of lust”