Numbers 11:22
Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Moses' question isn't just about quantity, but about the type of provision God should use. He contrasts the practical, but finite, resources of livestock and fish with the incomprehensible abundance God could provide, highlighting his own limited human perspective compared to God's power.
The Israelites are complaining bitterly, craving the meat they ate in Egypt and growing weary of the manna God has provided. Moses, overwhelmed by their constant grumbling, questions God about how he could possibly provide meat for such a vast multitude for a whole month, even if all their livestock and all the fish in the sea were gathered for them. God responds by rebuking Moses's lack of faith and affirming that His power is not limited by natural means.
When faced with insatiable cravings, what do we reach for? Moses highlights the sheer impossibility of meeting the Israelites' demands with the world's resources.
The Israelites, grumbling for meat after a month in the wilderness, demand flesh to eat. Moses, in a rhetorical question, points out the utter inadequacy of the natural world to meet their desire.
A Vast, Yet Finite, Supply
Moses isn't just stating facts; he's revealing the desperate state of the people's complaints – their desires outstrip the very creation God made.
The Israelites demanded the impossible from Moses. But what is impossible for humanity is merely a starting point for God.
Moses’ rhetorical questions, while highlighting human limitations, serve as a setup for God's powerful response.
The Divine Answer
This event occurs during the Israelites' difficult journey through the wilderness after their escape from Egypt. The people's discontent and craving for the familiar foods of Egypt, despite God's miraculous provision of manna, highlights their lack of faith and the spiritual dangers of focusing on past comforts over God's present promises.
c. 1440 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites, after centuries of slavery, are miraculously delivered from Egypt by God, led by Moses. They begin their journey into the wilderness towards the Promised Land, a journey that will last 40 years.
c. 1440-1400 BC
Wilderness Wanderings Begin
Following the Exodus, the Israelites begin their prolonged period of wandering in the Sinai desert. This era is marked by both miraculous provision and frequent instances of grumbling and disobedience.
c. 1440-1400 BC— this verse
The Mixed Multitude Lusts for Meat
A 'mixed multitude' (non-Israelites who joined the Exodus) and some Israelites begin to crave the foods they ate in Egypt, specifically meat and vegetables, discontented with the daily manna provided by God.
c. 1440-1400 BC
God's Judgment and Provision of Quail
In response to the people's persistent grumbling, God sends a plague and then a miraculous abundance of quail for them to eat, fulfilling their desire but also leading to judgment.
This passage shows the Israelites expressing a similar longing for the food they had in Egypt, specifically mentioning meat and fish, which directly parallels the complaints in Numbers 11.
Psalm 78:27-31This Psalm recounts the story of the Israelites' desire for meat in the wilderness, detailing God's provision of quail and the subsequent judgment on their gluttony, offering a retrospective and theological interpretation of this event.
1 Corinthians 10:6Paul explicitly references the Israelites' grumbling and lusting for things in the wilderness as a warning to believers against desiring evil things and falling into idolatry and immorality.
Philippians 4:11-13This passage offers a powerful contrast, with Paul teaching contentment in all circumstances, whether in abundance or need, highlighting the spiritual bankruptcy of the Israelites' constant dissatisfaction and craving for physical comforts.
ellicottNumbers 11:22: "Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?"
(22) 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 Moses alluded exclusively…
gillNumbers 11:22: "Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?"
Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them?.... Suggesting that if all their cattle, their sheep, and oxen were killed, which they and the mixed multitude brought out of Egypt, they would not be sufficient for them to live upon a whole month; and intimating also, that it would be an unwise thing, and very impr…
Moses' question isn't just about quantity, but about the type of provision God should use. He contrasts the practical, but finite, resources of livestock and fish with the incomprehensible abundance God could provide, highlighting his own limited human perspective compared to God's power.
The Israelites are complaining bitterly, craving the meat they ate in Egypt and growing weary of the manna God has provided. Moses, overwhelmed by their constant grumbling, questions God about how he could possibly provide meat for such a vast multitude for a whole month, even if all their livestock and all the fish in the sea were gathered for them. God responds by rebuking Moses's lack of faith and affirming that His power is not limited by natural means.
The Israelites are complaining bitterly, craving the meat they ate in Egypt and growing weary of the manna God has provided. Moses, overwhelmed by their constant grumbling, questions God about how he could possibly provide meat for such a vast multitude for a whole month, even if all their livestock and all the fish in the sea were gathered for them. God responds by rebuking Moses's lack of faith and affirming that His power is not limited by natural means.
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This contrast reveals a core truth: our faith is often tested not by the size of the problem, but by our willingness to believe that God's power transcends our perceived limitations.
c. 1440-1400 BC
Burial at Kibroth-hattaavah
The place where the Israelites buried those who succumbed to greedy desires is named Kibroth-hattaavah, meaning 'graves of craving,' a somber reminder of the consequences of their sin.
"Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them?”" — Moses' question isn't just about quantity, but about the type of provision God should use. He contrasts the practical, but finite, resources of livestock and fish with the incomprehensible abundanc…
