Charles Spurgeon Commentary Numbers 11

And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD:

Interpreters cannot discern what they had to complain of. The curse of labor had been removed; they did not earn their bread with the sweat of their face, for it fell from heaven every day. They were at no expense for clothing; and though they journeyed, their feet did not swell.

I suppose that they complained of the weather. It was too cold; it was too hot; it was too wet; it was too dry. They complained when they stood still; they were much too long in a place. They complained when they marched; they moved too often.

In fact, they were very like ourselves; they often complained most when they had least to complain of. Discontent is chronic to our humanity; and I do not believe that the poorest are the most discontented. It is often the very reverse.

When a man is put in a place where he has nothing to complain of, especially if he is an Englishman, he feels quite out of place. He must have something to grumble at, something or other to be a grievance, or else he is not happy. 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.

He could hear their first murmurings, as they were new to the wilderness, they were hungry, they were thirsty, and the Lord pitied them. But now, when there was no reason for their complaining, his fire in terrible judgment visited his people, on account of their rebellion and murmuring against the goodness of God.

And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched. And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.

And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting:

All evil seems to begin there, among the mixt multitude, as it does among those church members who are unconverted, and among those people who try to hold with the hare and run with the hounds, those who want to be Christians and worldly people, too.

And the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? (Numbers 11:4)

Even the true people of God caught the infection of the scum that was mixed with them, and they fell weeping, and said.

Fine stuff, that, to recollect! "Why!" you say, "you have read something very much like that before." I am reading another record; but there is no originality in grumbling; it is always the same old thing over again. You might well suppose that I was reading in the Book of Exodus, but I am not; there are many years in between.

He who sits down with a discontented hand to paint a picture will paint the same picture that he painted before. There is no originality in the murmuring, although they put in a few new touches. Before, it was the flesh pots that they remembered; now, in addition to the flesh, there are these savory vegetables: the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick.

Here they pour contempt upon the bread of angels, upon the food of heaven, upon the blessing of God. Oh, what will people not complain of?