Numbers 11:4-23

New International Version

Quail From the Lord

⁴ The rabble with them began to crave other food,^(A) and again the Israelites started wailing^(B) and said, “If only we had meat to eat! ⁵ We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.^{(C) 6} But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!^(D)”

⁷ The manna was like coriander seed^(E) and looked like resin.^{(F) 8} The people went around gathering it,^(G) and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. ⁹ When the dew^(H) settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.

¹⁰ Moses heard the people of every family wailing^(I) at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. ¹¹ He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble^(J) on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?^{(K) 12} Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant,^(L) to the land you promised on oath^(M) to their ancestors?^{(N) 13} Where can I get meat for all these people?^(O) They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ ¹⁴ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.^{(P) 15} If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me^(Q)—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”

¹⁶ The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders^(R) who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people.^(S) Have them come to the tent of meeting,^(T) that they may stand there with you. ¹⁷ I will come down and speak with you^(U) there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them.^(V) They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.^(W)

¹⁸ “Tell the people: ‘Consecrate yourselves^(X) in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed,^(Y) “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!”^(Z) Now the Lord will give you meat,^(AA) and you will eat it. ¹⁹ You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, ²⁰ but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it^(AB)—because you have rejected the Lord,^(AC) who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”^(AD)

²¹ But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men^(AE) on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ ²² Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?”^(AF)

²³ The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short?^(AG) Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.^(AH)”