Numbers 11:1-15, Numbers 11:16-17, Numbers 11:31-33

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 11:1-3

Here is, I. The people's sin. They complained, Num. 11:1. They were, as it were, complainers. So it is in the margin. There were some secret grudgings and discontents among them, which as yet did not break out in an open mutiny. But how great a matter did this little fire kindle! They had received from God excellent laws and ordinances, and yet no sooner had they departed from the mount of the Lord than they began to quarrel with God himself. See in this, 1. The sinfulness of sin, which takes... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 11:4-15

These verses represent things sadly unhinged and out of order in Israel, both the people and the prince uneasy. I. Here is the people fretting, and speaking against God himself (as it is interpreted, Ps. 78:19), notwithstanding his glorious appearances both to them and for them. Observe, 1. Who were the criminals. (1.) The mixed multitude began, they fell a lusting, Num. 11:4. The rabble that came with them out of Egypt, expecting only the land of promise, but not a state of probation in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 11:1

And when the people complained ,.... Or "were as complainers" F16 ×›×ž×ª×× × ×™× "ut conquerentes injuste", Montanus, Fagius, Vatablus; "ut qui vaba moliuntur", Drusius. ; not merely like to such, but were truly and really complainers, the ×› , "caph", here being not a note of similitude, but of truth and reality, as in Hosea 5:10 . This Hebraism is frequent in the New Testament, Matthew 14:5 . What they complained of is not said, it being that for which there was no... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 11:2

And the people cried unto Moses ,.... And entreated him to pray for them, being frightened at the fire which consumed many of them, lest it should spread and become general among them: and when Moses prayed unto the Lord ; as he did, in which he was a type of Christ, the mediator between God and man, the advocate of his people, an intercessor for transgressors: the fire was quenched ; it stopped and proceeded no further; as through Christ's mediation God is pacified with his people... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 11:3

And he called the name of the place Taberah ,.... That is, "burning": Moses called it so; or it may be rendered impersonally, it was called F19 ויקרא "et vocatum est", Tigurine version, Fagius, Piscator. so in later times by the people: because the fire of the Lord burnt among them ; to perpetuate the, memory of this kind of punishment for their sins, that it might be a terror and warning to others; and this history is indeed recorded for our caution in these last days, that we... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 11:4

And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting ,.... These came out of Egypt with them, Exodus 12:38 ; having either contracted affinity with them, or such intimacy of conversation, that they could not part, or being proselyted to the Jewish religion, at least in pretence; these were not only Egyptians, but a mixture of divers people, who having heard or seen the wonderful things done for Israel, joined them in hopes of sharing the blessings of divine goodness with them; so... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 11:5

We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely ,.... Fish was food the Egyptians much lived upon; for though Herodotus says the priests might not taste of fish, the common people ate much; yea, he himself says that some lived upon nothing else but fish gutted and dried in the sun; and he observes, that the kings of Egypt had a great revenue from hence F23 Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 37,92,149. ; the river Nile, as Diodorus Siculus F24 Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 32. says, abounded... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 11:6

But now our soul is dried away ,.... Meaning their bodies, which, for want of flesh food, they pretended had no moisture in them, or they were half starved, and in wasting and consuming circumstances: there is nothing at all besides this manna before our eyes ; which in itself was a truth and matter of fact; they had nothing to look to, and live upon but the manna, and that was enough, and with which, no doubt, many of them were contented, and satisfied and thankful for it, though... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 11:7

And the manna was as coriander seed ,.... Not in colour, for that is black or darkish, whereas the manna was white, as is generally observed; of which See Gill on Exodus 16:31 ; however it might be like the coriander, because of its form and figure, being round, and because of its quantity, being small, Exodus 16:14 ; Some think the mustard seed is meant, as Aben Ezra observes, which is the least of all seeds; it seems that the manna fell in small round grains, like to such seed. This,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 11:8

And the people went about and gathered it ,.... Went about the camp on all sides, where it fell in plenty; this they did every morning, and this was all the trouble they were at; they had it for gathering, without any expense to them: and ground it in mills : in hand mills, as Aben Ezra; for though it melted through the heat of the sun, and became a liquid, yet, when gathered in the morning, it was hard like grains of corn, or other seeds, and required to be ground in mills: or... read more

Numbers 11:1-15, Numbers 11:16-17, Numbers 11:31-33

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