XI. (1) AND WHEN THE PEOPLE COMPLAINED... — Better, _And the people were as those who complained_ (or _murmured_)_,_ (which was) _evil in the ears of the Lord_. The LXX. has, “And the people murmured sinfully before the Lord.” Comp. 1 Corinthians 10:10 : “Neither murmur ye as some of them also murm... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FIRE WAS QUENCHED. — Better, _subsided_ or _sunk down._ No precise information is given as to the extent of the fire, or as to the objects which it destroyed. It broke out in the extremity of the encampment, and it was arrested in its progress at the supplication of Moses. It seems, however, mor... [ Continue Reading ]
TABERAH — _i.e., burning,_ a word cognate to the verb which is rendered _burnt_ in Numbers 11:1 and in this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MIXT MULTITUDE. — The Authorised Version follows the LXX. and the Vulgate in rendering the word _asaph-suph,_ which occurs only in this place, and which is derived from a verb which means to collect, in the same way as the _ereb_ of Exodus 12:38, _a mixed multitude, vulgus promiscuum_ — in m... [ Continue Reading ]
WE REMEMBER THE FISH... — Classical writers and modern travellers agree in bearing testimony to the abundance of the fish in the Nile and in the neighbouring canals and reservoirs. The cucumbers in Egypt are of great size and finely flavoured. The watermelons serve to moderate the internal heat whic... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS NOTHING AT ALL... — Better, _there is nothing, except that our eyes_ (_look_)_ upon, the manna. _... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MANNA WAS... — The design of the description of the manna in this place (comp. Exodus 16:14; Exodus 16:31, and Notes _in loc.;_ also Article M_anna,_ in “Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible”) was probably to exhibit in its just light the sinfulness of the Israelites in repining at the merciful p... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THE TASTE OF FRESH OIL. — Or, _of a fat cake of oil._ In Exodus 16:31 the taste of the manna is said to have been “like wafers made with honey.” The ancients used flour cakes mixed with oil and honey.... [ Continue Reading ]
MOSES ALSO WAS DISPLEASED. — Or, _And it was evil_ (or, _displeasing_)_ in the eyes of Moses._ Moses was displeased with the people on account of their murmuring, and he was oppressed with the heavy burden of responsibility to which he felt himself unequal.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE HAST THOU AFFLICTED. — Literally, _done evil to:_ the same verb, in a different conjugation, which is rendered “displeased” in Numbers 11:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE I CONCEIVED..? — The personal pronoun is emphatic in this and the following clause: Is _it I who have conceived all this people? Is it I who have brought them forth?_ (or, _begotten them_)_,_ as in Genesis 4:18; Genesis 10:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHENCE SHOULD I HAVE FLESH...? — Moses does not justify the murmuring of the people, and was doubtless conscious of their sinfulness. At the same time, he displays a spirit of discontent, and almost of despair, at God’s dealings with himself; and he appears to treat the demand of the Israelites. for... [ Continue Reading ]
TO BEAR ALL THIS PEOPLE ALONE. — In accordance with the advice of Jethro, able men had been chosen out of all Israel who heard and determined the small matters which arose among them (Exodus 18:25), but they were of no avail on occasions such as the present. MY WRETCHEDNESS. — Or, _my evil._ This i... [ Continue Reading ]
KILL ME, I PRAY THEE, OUT OF HAND. — Or, _Make an utter end of me. _... [ Continue Reading ]
SEVENTY MEN OF THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL... — We find mention made of _elders_ of the people in Exodus 3:16, and of officers (_shoterim_) in Exodus 5:16; also of seventy elders in Exodus 24:1. Frequent mention is made in Scripture of the number _seventy — _a number which is composed of the two sacred nu... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL COME DOWN... — The cloud which hovered over the Tabernacle appears to have descended to the entrance of it (Numbers 11:25). (Comp. Exodus 33:9; Numbers 12:5; Deuteronomy 31:15). I WILL TAKE OF THE SPIRIT WHICH IS UPON THEE... — These words do not imply that there was any diminution of th... [ Continue Reading ]
SANCTIFY YOURSELVES AGAINST TO-MORROW. — (Comp. Exodus 19:10.) The Israelites were required to sanctify themselves by purification for the more immediate manifestation of the Divine presence, although their request was a sinful one, and was granted in judgment as well as — or even more than — in mer... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SHALL NOT EAT ONE DAY... — The quails which had been sent the preceding year appear to have covered the camp only during one day (Exodus 16:13).... [ Continue Reading ]
SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND FOOTMEN. — In Numbers 1:46 the number is stated to be 603,550; but here, as elsewhere, a round number is mentioned.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL THE FLOCKS AND THE HERDS..? — Rather, _Shall flocks and herds_..? The definite article is not used here, nor the possessive pronoun, as elsewhere, where the flocks and herds of the Israelites are denoted. (Comp. Exodus 10:9; Exodus 34:3; Deuteronomy 12:6.) There is no evidence, therefore, that... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES WENT OUT... — i.e., as it should seem, from the tabernacle of the congregation, where he had been conversing with God. ROUND ABOUT THE TABERNACLE. — This does not necessarily imply that the seventy men were placed so that they surrounded the whole of the tent of meeting. Comp. Exodus 7:24... [ Continue Reading ]
IN A CLOUD. — Hebrew, _In the cloud._ AND GAVE IT UNTO... — Better, _and put it upon,_ as in Leviticus 2:15. THEY PROPHESIED, AND DID NOT CEASE. — Better, _they prophesied, but did so no more._ Comp. Genesis 8:12; Exodus 11:6; 2 Samuel 2:28; so the LXX. The word _prophesy_ does not necessarily deno... [ Continue Reading ]
MY LORD MOSES, FORBID THEM. — The motive which prompted Joshua in making this request appears to have been similar to that which led St. John to forbid the man to cast out devils who did not follow with the Apostles (Mark 9:38; Luke 9:49). But as the man did not cast out devils in his own name, but... [ Continue Reading ]
ENVIEST THOU FOR MY SAKE?-Better, _Art thou zealous for me?_ or, _Art thou displeased on my account?_ (Comp. Numbers 25:13; 1 Kings 19:10; 1 Kings 19:14.)... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE WENT FORTH A WIND. — In Psalms 78:26 we read thus: “He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.” A south-east wind would bring the quails from the neighbourhood of the Red Sea, where they abound. AND LET THEM FALL. — Better, _and scattered... [ Continue Reading ]
TEN HOMERS. — The _homer,_ which was equal to ten ephahs, or a hundred omers, appears to have contained between five and six bushels, according to the Rabbinists, but according to Josephus about double that quantity.... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH A VERY GREAT PLAGUE. — The noun, _maccah._ plague, is cognate to the verb which is rendered _smote._ It is frequently used of a stroke inflicted by God, as, _e.g.,_ pestilence or any epidemic sickness. A surfeit, such as that in which the Israelites had indulged, especially under the circumstan... [ Continue Reading ]
KIBROTH-HATTAAVAH — _i.e., the graves of lust_ ‘or, _desire_). In Numbers 33:16, Kibroth-hattaavah is mentioned as the first station after the departure from Sinai, whereas it is obvious that there must have been an encampment at Taberah. Taberah may have been the name given to a part of Kibroth-hat... [ Continue Reading ]