Numbers 11:1-3

D. COMPLAINT AND PUNISHMENT AT TABERAH (Numbers 11:1-3)

TEXT

Numbers 11:1. And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. 2. And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire was quenched, 3. And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the Lord burnt among them.

PARAPHRASE

Numbers 11:1. Now the people complained and it displeased the Lord: He heard it and His anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed those who were in the outer sections of the camp, 2. Then the people cried out to Moses; and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire was quenched. 3. And he called the place Taberah because the fire of the Lord burned among them.

COMMENTARY

Several factors combine to produce the probable causes of the complaints during Israel's first march from Sinai. PC mentions fatigue and anxiety in the march; the year of comparative idleness; the frightful nature of the country into which they were coming; the unknown terrors of the way before them (p. 102). To face such trials, it would be necessary for them to trust implicitly in the God who had promised to lead them and care for their needs. Having but recently been slaves, it is conceivable that the people found such a trust very difficult, despite the signs already given them that God made no foolish, unwarranted pledges.

Even so, the complaints are unjustified. Their needs had always been supplied, often in dramatic and convincing form. The people are, after all, but little more than a year removed from the confounding of Pharaoh's army at the crossing of the Red Sea; they are but a few months removed from the disastrous defection at Sinai when the calf of gold had been erected. From these and other incidents, they might be expected to have found that reliance upon the Lord was a confidence well placed. We are given no precise grounds for their murmuring on this occasion; perhaps no single incident was the precipitator. The dissatisfaction seems to have been general in nature, and significant enough to bring the Lord's intervention dramatically into play.

The fire, whatever its exact nature and however it was brought unto the people, was limited to the outer portion of tents, probably consuming the tents and their occupants. The Targum of Palestine assigns the fire to the tribe of Dan, where a graven image had been concealed; the tradition is remote and unsupported, and may actually be an anticipation of the defection of Dan reported in Judges 18.

IB states, without evidence, that the place called Taberah was established before the Israelites came upon the grounds; that the story told here is but a familiar legend from the Near East which has been adapted and entered into the text to demonstrate Yaweh's guidance to the spot, p. 193. The assertion is totally unsupported excepting by the wishful thinking of the commentator.

Whether the incident occurred before, during or after the three days-' march has been much discussed. Since the tribes were encamped, it seems unlikely they were marching and merely settled down for the night. The site of Taberah, then, would either be near Sinai or, as PC suggests may be an earlier name for Kibroth-Hattaavah, p. 103. The exact spot cannot be identified today.

QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS

193.

Compare those grounds the Israelites might have used as the basis of their complaints with those factors which should have prevented such complaining.

194.

Where did the fire visit? What tradition has grown up about it?

195.

What can we say about the nature of this fire?

196.

How was the fire ended?

197.

What does Taberah mean?

198.

What can be said about the location of this place?