Numbers 11:4-34

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 11:16-23

We have here God's gracious answer to both the foregoing complaints, wherein his goodness takes occasion from man's badness to appear so much the more illustrious. I. Provision is made for the redress of the grievances Moses complains of. If he find the weight of government lie too heavy upon him, though he was a little too passionate in his remonstrance, yet he shall be eased, not by being discarded from the government himself, as he justly might have been if God had been extreme to mark what... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 11:24-30

We have here the performance of God's word to Moses, that he should have help in the government of Israel. I. Here is the case of the seventy privy-counsellors in general. Moses, though a little disturbed by the tumult of the people, yet was thoroughly composed by the communion he had with God, and soon came to himself again. And according as the matter was concerted, 1. He did his part; he presented the seventy elders before the Lord, round the tabernacle (Num. 11:24), that they might there... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 11:31-35

God, having performed his promise to Moses by giving him assessors in the government, thereby proving the power he has over the spirits of men by his Spirit, he here performs his promise to the people by giving them flesh, proving thereby his power over the inferior creatures and his dominion in the kingdom of nature. Observe, 1. How the people were gratified with flesh in abundance: A wind (a south-east wind, as appears, Ps. 78:26) brought quails, Num. 11:31. It is uncertain what sort of... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 11:9

And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night ,.... As it usually, and even constantly did: the manna fell upon it ; as constantly, and had thereby a clean place to fall on; and then another dew fell upon that, which kept it the cleaner still, and from any vermin creeping upon it; see Exodus 16:14 ; so careful was the Lord of this their provision, and so constantly every morning were they supplied with it: and which fell in the night when they were asleep, and at rest, and without... read more

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