Numbers 11:4-35
4The rabble with them began to crave other food,
and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only
we had meat to eat! 5We remember the fish we ate in
Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks,
onions and garlic. 6But now we have lost our appetite;
we never see anything but this manna!”
7The manna was like coriander seed and looked like
resin. 8The 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. 9When the dew settled
on the camp at night, the manna also came down.
10Moses heard the people of every family wailing,
each at the entrance to his tent. The LORD became exceedingly
angry, and Moses was troubled. 11He 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? 12Did 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?
13Where can I get meat for all these people? They
keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14I cannot carry
all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for
me. 15If 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.”
16The 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. 17I 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 in preparation
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. 19You will not eat it for just one
day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, 20but for a
whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and
you loathe it—because you have rejected the LORD, who
is among you, and have wailed before him, saying,
“Why did we ever leave Egypt?” ’ ”
21But 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!’ 22Would 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?”
23The 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.”
24So 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. 25Then 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. a
26However, 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. 27A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and
Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
28Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide
since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop
them!”
29But 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!” 30Then Moses
and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.
31Now a wind went out from the LORD and drove
quail in from the sea. It brought them b down all around
the camp to about three feet c above the ground, as far
as a day’s walk in any direction. 32All that day and night
and all the next day the people went out and gathered
quail. No one gathered less than ten homers. d Then
they spread them out all around the camp. 33But while
the meat was still between their teeth and before it
could be consumed, the anger of the LORD burned
against the people, and he struck them with a severe
plague. 34Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah,
e because there they buried the people who had
craved other food.
35From Kibroth Hattaavah the people traveled to
Hazeroth and stayed there.