the Third Week after Easter
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Filipino Cebuano Bible
Bilang 11:4
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from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
the mixed: Exodus 12:38, Leviticus 24:10, Leviticus 24:11, Nehemiah 13:3
fell a lusting: Heb. lusted a lust
the children: 1 Corinthians 15:33
wept again: Heb. returned and wept
Who shall: Psalms 78:18-20, Psalms 106:14, Romans 13:14, 1 Corinthians 10:6
Reciprocal: Exodus 16:3 - flesh Exodus 17:2 - the people Leviticus 25:20 - General Numbers 11:18 - ye have wept Numbers 33:16 - Kibrothhattaavah Deuteronomy 9:7 - from the day Deuteronomy 9:22 - Kibrothhattaavah Deuteronomy 12:20 - I will Deuteronomy 29:11 - stranger 2 Samuel 23:15 - longed 1 Chronicles 11:17 - longed Psalms 78:19 - Can God Psalms 105:40 - asked Proverbs 27:7 - full Malachi 1:12 - The table Matthew 4:3 - command 1 John 2:16 - the lust of the flesh Revelation 18:14 - thy soul
Gill's Notes on the Bible
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 the Targum of Jonathan calls them proselytes, that were gathered among them: these "lusted a lusting" t, as the words may be rendered; not after women, as some Jewish writers u think, even after such that were near akin to them, with whom they were forbidden to marry, and therefore desired to have those laws dissolved; but they lusted after eating flesh taken in a proper sense, as the latter part of the verse and the whole context show:
and the children of Israel also wept again; they lusted after flesh likewise, following the example of the mixed multitude; thus evil communication corrupts good manners, 1 Corinthians 15:33; and a little leaven leavens the whole lamp, 1 Corinthians 5:6; wicked men prove great snares to, and do much mischief among good men, when they get into their societies, Jeremiah 5:26: and because the Israelites could not have what they would to gratify their lusts, they wept as children do, when they cannot have what they are desirous of; and they wept "again", for it seems they had wept before, either when they complained, Numbers 11:1; or at Rephidim, where they wanted water, Exodus 17:1, as here flesh, or before that when they wanted bread, Exodus 16:3;
and said, who shall give us flesh to eat? shall Moses, or even the Lord himself? from lusting they fell to unbelief and distrust of the power and providence of God; for so the Psalmist interprets this saying of theirs, Psalms 78:19.
t התאוו תאוח "concupiverunt concupiscentiam", Pagninus: Montanus, Drusius. u Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 15. fol. 219. 1.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Occurrences at Kibroth-hattavah.
Numbers 11:4
The mixt multitude - The word in the original resembles our “riff-raff,” and denotes a mob of people scraped together. It refers here to the multitude of strangers (see Exodus 12:38) who had followed the Israelites from Egypt.
Numbers 11:5
The natural dainties of Egypt are set forth in this passage with the fullness and relish which bespeak personal experience.
Numbers 11:6-7
There is nothing at all ... - literally, “Nought at all have we except that our eyes are unto this manna;” i. e. “Nought else have we to expect beside this manna.” On the manna see Exodus 16:15 note; on bdellium see Genesis 2:12 note.
Numbers 11:10
The weeping was general; every family wept (compare Zechariah 12:12), and in a manner public and unconcealed.
Numbers 11:11-15
The complaint and remonstrance of Moses may be compared with that in 1 Kings 19:4 ff; Jonah 4:1-3, and contrasted with the language of Abraham (Genesis 18:23 ff) The meekness of Moses (compare Numbers 12:3) sank under vexation into despair. His language shows us how imperfect and prone to degeneracy are the best saints on earth.
Numbers 11:16
Seventy men of the elders of Israel - Seventy elders had also gone up with Moses to the Lord in the mount Exodus 24:1, Exodus 24:9. Seventy is accordingly the number of colleagues assigned to Moses to share his burden with him. To it, the Jews trace the origin of the Sanhedrim. Subsequent notices Numbers 16:25; Joshua 7:6; Joshua 8:10, Joshua 8:33; Joshua 9:11; Joshua 23:2; Joshua 24:1, Joshua 24:31 so connect the elders with the government of Israel as to point to the fact that the appointment now made was not a merely temporary one, though it would seem to have soon fallen into desuetude. We find no traces of it in the days of the Judges and the Kings.
Elders of the people, and officers over them - In English idiom, “elders and officers of the people.” Both elders and officers appear in Egypt (Exodus 3:16; Exodus 5:6 ff): the former had headed the nation in its efforts after freedom; the latter were the subordinate, though unwilling, agents of Egyptian tyranny. The two classes no doubt were working together; and from those who belonged to either, perhaps from those who were both eiders and officers, the council of Seventy was to be selected.
Numbers 11:17
I will take of the spirit which is upon thee - Render rather separate from the spirit, etc.; i. e. they shall have their portion in the same divine gift which thou hast.
Numbers 11:25
They prophesied - i. e. under the extraordinary impulse of the Holy Spirit they uttered forth the praises of God, or declared His will. Compare the marginal references.
And did not cease - Rather, and added not, i. e. they prophesied at this time only and not afterward. The sign was granted on the occasion of their appointment to accredit them in their office; it was not continued, because their proper function was to be that of governing not prophesying.
Numbers 11:26
Of them that were written - i. e. enrolled among the Seventy. The expression points to a regular appointment duly recorded and permanent.
Numbers 11:29
Enviest thou for my sake? - (Compare Mark 9:38 ff) The other members of the Seventy had been with Moses (compare Numbers 6:16, Numbers 6:24-25) when the gift of prophecy was bestowed on them. They received “of the spirit that was upon him,” and exercised their office visibly through and for him. Eldad and Medad prophesying in the camp seemed to Joshua to be acting independently, and so establishing a separate center of authority.
Numbers 11:31
The southeast wind, which blew from the neighboring Elanitic gulf of the Red Sea, brought the quails Exodus 16:13.
Two cubits high - Better, “two cubits above the face of the ground:” i. e. the quails, wearied with their long flight, flew about breast high, and were easily secured by the people, who spread them all abroad for themselves Numbers 11:32, in order to salt and dry them. The quail habitually flies with the wind, and low.
Numbers 11:32
Ten homers - About 55 bushels. Compare Leviticus 27:16.
Numbers 11:33
Ere it was chewed - Better, ere it was consumed. See Numbers 11:19-20. The surfeit in which the people indulged, as described in Numbers 11:32, disposed them to sickness. God’s wrath, visiting the gluttonous through their gluttony, aggravated natural consequences into a supernatural visitation.
Numbers 11:34, Numbers 11:35
(Kibroth-hattaavah has been identified by Palmer with the extensive remains, graves, etc., at Erweis El Ebeirig, and Hazeroth “enclosures” with Ain Hadherah.)
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Numbers 11:4. The mixed multitude — האספסף hasaphsuph, the collected or gathered people. Such as came out of Egypt with the Israelites; and are mentioned Exodus 12:38. This mongrel people, who had comparatively little of the knowledge of God, feeling the difficulties and fatigues of the journey, were the first to complain; and then we find the children of Israel joined them in their complainings, and made a common cause with these demi-infidels.
