Charles Ellicott Commentary Numbers 11

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 Septuagint has, “And the people murmured sinfully before the Lord.” Compare to 1 Corinthians 10:10: “Neither murmur you as some of them also murmured.”

And consumed those who were in the uttermost parts of the camp — Better, and devoured at the extremity of the camp. Most commentators have remarked, and justly, upon the great severity of the Divine judgments which were inflicted after the giving of the Law, as compared with those which were inflicted before it. Reference may be made in illustration of this point to Exodus 14:11-14; Exodus 15:24–25; Exodus 16:2–8; Exodus 17:3–7.

The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews argues from the just recompense of reward which every transgression and disobedience received under the Law, the impossibility of the escape of those who neglect the great salvation of the Gospel. See Hebrews 2:2-3. Compare also Hebrews 10:28-29; Hebrews 12:25.

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, more probable that it consumed some of the Israelites themselves, than that it consumed only some of their tents. Some suppose that the reference is to the simoom, or fiery south wind, which sometimes blows in the Eastern desert, and which stifles those over whom it sweeps.

Taberah — that is, burning, a word cognate to the verb which is rendered burnt in Numbers 11:1 and in this verse.

And the mixed multitude.— The Authorised Version follows the Septuagint and the Vulgate in rendering the word asaph-suph, which occurs only in this place, and which is derived from a verb that means to collect, in the same way as the ereb of Exodus 12:38, a mixed multitude, vulgus promiscuum—in many cases, probably, the children of Hebrew women by Egyptian fathers. This mixed multitude appears to have been very considerable, and they may have become, as the Gibeonites at a later period, servants to the Israelites, as hewers of wood and drawers of water (Deuteronomy 29:11).

It is probable that this mixed multitude may have partaken even more largely than the Israelites of the fish and vegetables of Egypt, and they appear to have instigated the Israelites to repine at the deprivations to which they were exposed in the wilderness. There is no mention in Exodus 16:3 of weeping, but the same craving after the flesh-pots of Egypt was probably manifested in the same manner in both cases.

Who shall give us flesh to eat?—The word basar, which is rendered flesh, seems here to include—it may be to have primary reference to—fish. It is used of fish in Leviticus 11:11, and it is obvious from Numbers 11:22 that it was understood by Moses in this general signification. Compare to the use of flesh (1 Corinthians 15:39).

We remember the fish ... — Classical writers and modern travelers agree in testifying to the abundance of fish in the Nile and in the neighboring canals and reservoirs. The cucumbers in Egypt are of great size and finely flavored. The watermelons serve to moderate the internal heat that the climate produces. (See The Land and the Book, p. 508.)

The word rendered leeks (in Psalms 104:14, grass for cattle) is thought by some to denote a species of clover that is unique to Egypt. The young and fresh shoots of this clover are said to be used as food and to be an excellent digestive aid.

The onions of Egypt are said to be the sweetest in the world, and they constitute the common food of the poorest people. Garlic is still much used by modern Arabs. It is only the fish, which was probably equally available to all, that the Israelites are said to have eaten freely, i.e., not abundantly, but gratuitously. It is probable, however, that many of them cultivated the land to a greater or lesser degree, and so obtained vegetables for themselves.