Num 11:4-35 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Num 11:4-15: 11:4-15 Israel had not relinquished the attitude that brought about the judgment at Taberah (11:1-3 ), so they readily joined the foreign rabble in craving the delicacies of Egypt, forgetting the misery of slavery there. Summary for Num 11:4-6: 11:4-6 Oh, for some meat! The Israelites had flocks and herds (e.g., 32:1 ; Exod 12:32 , 38 ; 17:3 ; 34:3 ), but the animals were more valuable for their dairy products and other benefits produced while alive and were only butchered for meat on a selective basis. The Hebrews would not have had enough meat to feed such a large population regularly (cp. Num 11:21-22 ).

Summary for Num 11:4-15: 11:4-15 ^a Israel had not relinquished the attitude that brought about the judgment at Taberah (11:1-3 ^b), so they readily joined the foreign rabble in craving the delicacies of Egypt, forgetting the misery of slavery there.
Summary for Num 11:4-6: 11:4-6 ^c Oh, for some meat! The Israelites had flocks and herds (e.g., 32:1 ^d; Exod 12:32 ^e, 38 ^f; 17:3 ^g; 34:3 ^h), but the animals were more valuable for their dairy products and other benefits produced while alive and were only butchered for meat on a selective basis. The Hebrews would not have had enough meat to feed such a large population regularly (cp. Num 11:21-22 ⁱ).
11:6 ^j The Lord had earlier provided manna and quail (Exod 16 ^k).
Summary for Num 11:7-9: 11:7-9 ^l The manna has often been explained as one of various edible substances that occur naturally (but see Deut 8:3 ^m); even so, its quantity and duration were miraculous.
Summary for Num 11:10-15: 11:10-15 ⁿ The Israelites’ persistent whining led a frustrated Moses to register his own complaints with God. With biting sarcasm, Moses reminded God that he had not wanted this job in the first place (cp. Exod 4:10 ^o). Israel became such a burden that Moses wished that God would do him the favor of killing him (cp. Job 6:9 ^p).

• Moses’ complaint was acceptable, unlike the complaints of the people, because he was seeking the Lord rather than pining for the delights of Egypt.
Summary for Num 11:16-30: 11:16-30 ^q When Jethro proposed a judicial hierarchy (Exod 18:13-26 ^r), he was concerned with practical matters, as were the tribal leaders who helped Moses with the registration (Num 1:5-15 ^s). By contrast, this group of seventy ... elders would provide Israel with spiritual guidance. They needed a share of God’s Spirit that already rested upon Moses and made him the Lord’s special spokesman. Their capacity as leaders depended on the presence of God’s Spirit (cp. 1 Sam 10:6 ^t; 19:20 ^u; Joel 2:28 ^v; Acts 2:16-18 ^w; 1 Cor 12:10 ^x; 2 Pet 1:20-21 ^y).
11:25 ^z We are not told what happened when the Spirit rested upon them and they prophesied. Whatever happened (possibly ecstatic utterances; cp. Acts 2:4 ^aa; 1 Cor 14:2 ^ab), it was a unique occurrence.
Summary for Num 11:28-29: 11:28-29 ^ac Joshua’s zealous protest was prompted by his jealousy in a worthy but immature desire to safeguard his master’s status. Moses was humble (Num 12:3 ^ad) and was not threatened by Eldad and Medad’s prophecy. Instead, he was magnanimous about sharing the spotlight and happy to learn that God was working through others in such special ways. Moses had leadership qualities that the younger Joshua had not yet acquired (cp. Mark 9:38-40 ^ae).
Summary for Num 11:31-35: 11:31-35 ^af God responded to the people’s complaints by sending a storm of quail and a plague. God had provided quail along with manna in Exod 16:13 ^ag, but here they expressed God’s judgment in their sickeningly overabundant supply.
Summary for Num 11:34-35: 11:34-35 ^ah The precise locations of Kibroth-hattaavah and Hazeroth are unknown.