Numbers 11:1–23
11 And tthe people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, uhis anger was kindled, and vthe fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. 2 Then wthe people cried out to Moses, xand Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. 3 So the name of that place was called yTaberah,1 because the fire of the Lord burned among them.
4 Now the zrabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also awept again and said, b“Oh that we had meat to eat! 5 cWe remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 6 But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”
7 Now dthe manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. 8 eThe people went about and gathered it and ground it in handmills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it. fAnd the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. 9 gWhen the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.
10 Moses heard the people hweeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. 11 iMoses said to the Lord, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, j‘Carry them in your bosom, as a knurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land lthat you swore to give their fathers? 13 mWhere am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 nI am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.”
16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me oseventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and pofficers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. 17 qAnd I will come down and talk with you there. And rI will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and sthey shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone. 18 And say to the people, t‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? uFor it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. 19 You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, 20 but a whole month, vuntil it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before him, saying, w“Why did we come out of Egypt?” ’ ” 21 But Moses said, x“The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month!’ 22 yShall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them?” 23 And the Lord said to Moses, z“Is the Lord’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether amy word will come true for you or not.”