Matthew Henry Commentary Numbers 11
Matthew Henry Commentary
Numbers 11
Matthew Henry Commentary
Numbers 11
"And the people were as murmurers, [speaking] evil in the ears of Jehovah: and when Jehovah heard it, his anger was kindled; and the fire of Jehovah burnt among them, and devoured in the uttermost part of the camp. And the people cried unto Moses; and Moses prayed unto Jehovah, and the fire abated. And the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of Jehovah burnt among them." — Numbers 11:1-3 (ASV)
Here is the people's sin: they complained. Observe the sinfulness of sin, which uses the commandment itself as an occasion to be rebellious. The weakness of the law revealed sin but could not destroy it; it restrained sin but could not conquer it.
They complained. Those who have a discontented spirit will always find something to quarrel or worry about, even if their outward circumstances are very favorable. The Lord heard their complaining, though Moses did not. God knows the secret anxieties and murmurings of the heart, even when they are hidden from other people.
What God observed, He was very displeased with, and He chastised them for this sin. The fire of their wrath against God burned in their minds; justly, then, did the fire of God's wrath take hold of their bodies. But God's judgments came upon them gradually, so that they might take warning.
It became clear that God does not delight in punishing; when He begins, He is soon persuaded to relent.
"And the mixed multitude that was among them lusted exceedingly: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic: but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all save this manna to look upon. And the manna was like coriander seed, and the appearance thereof as the appearance of bdellium. The people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in mortars, and boiled it in pots, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it." — Numbers 11:4-9 (ASV)
Man, having forsaken his proper rest, feels uneasy and wretched, even when prosperous. They were weary of the provision God had made for them, even though it was wholesome and nourishing food. It cost no money or care, and the labor of gathering it was very little indeed; yet they talked of Egypt's cheapness and the fish they ate there freely, as if that cost them nothing, when they paid dearly for it with hard service!
While they lived on manna, they seemed exempt from the curse sin had brought on man, that in the sweat of his face he should eat bread; yet they spoke of it with scorn. Peevish, discontented minds will find fault with what has no fault in it, except that it is too good for them. Those who could be happy often make themselves miserable through discontent.
They could not be satisfied unless they had meat to eat. It is evidence of the dominion of the carnal mind when we desire the delights and satisfactions of the senses. We should not indulge in any desire that we cannot in faith turn into prayer, as we cannot when we ask meat for our lust. What is lawful in itself becomes evil when God does not allot it to us, yet we still desire it.
"And Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, every man at the door of his tent: and the anger of Jehovah was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased. And Moses said unto Jehovah, Wherefore hast thou dealt ill with thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favor in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father carrieth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favor in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness." — Numbers 11:10-15 (ASV)
The provocation was very great; yet Moses expressed himself in a way that was unbecoming of him. He undervalued the honour God had put upon him. He magnified his own performances, while he had the Divine wisdom to direct him, and Almighty power to dispense rewards and punishments. He speaks distrustfully of the Divine grace.
Had the work been much less, he could not have gone through it in his own strength; but had it been much greater, through God strengthening him, he might have done it. Let us pray, Lord, lead us not into temptation.
"And Jehovah said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the Spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow, and ye shall eat flesh; for ye have wept in the ears of Jehovah, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore Jehovah will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days, but a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you; because that ye have rejected Jehovah who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt? And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. Shall flocks and herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? And Jehovah said unto Moses, Is Jehovah`s hand waxed short? now shalt thou see whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not." — Numbers 11:16-23 (ASV)
Moses was to choose those he knew to be elders, that is, wise and experienced men. God promised to qualify them. If they were not found fit for the task, they would be made fit. Even the discontented people would also be satisfied, so that every mouth might be silenced. Observe here:
- The vanity of all the pleasures of the senses; they will become tiresome, but they will not satisfy. Spiritual pleasures alone will satisfy and last. As the world passes away, so do the lusts of it.
- What brutish sins gluttony and drunkenness are! They cause what should be for the body's health to harm it. Moses objects. Even true and great believers sometimes find it hard to trust God under the discouragements of second causes, and against hope to believe in hope.
God here brings Moses to this point: The Lord God is Almighty. He then puts the proof upon the outcome, saying, You shall see whether My word will come to pass or not. If He speaks, it is done.
"And Moses went out, and told the people the words of Jehovah: and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the Tent. And Jehovah came down in the cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and put it upon the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, but they did so no more. But there remained two men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the Spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but had not gone out unto the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp. And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. And Moses said unto him, Art thou jealous for my sake? would that all Jehovah`s people were prophets, that Jehovah would put his Spirit upon them! And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel." — Numbers 11:24-30 (ASV)
We have here the fulfillment of God's word to Moses, that he should have help in the government of Israel. He gave His Spirit to the seventy elders. They spoke to the people about the things of God, so that all who heard them might say that God was truly with them. Two of the elders, Eldad and Medad, did not go out to the tabernacle as the others did, being aware of their own weakness and unworthiness.
But the Spirit of God found them in the camp, and there they exercised their gift of praying, preaching, and praising God; they spoke as moved by the Holy Ghost. The Spirit of God is not confined to the tabernacle, but, like the wind, blows where He listeth. And those who humble themselves shall be exalted; and those who are most fit for government are least ambitious of it. Joshua does not desire that they should be punished, but only restrained for the future.
He made this motion out of zeal for what he thought to be the unity of the church. He would have them silenced, lest they should cause a schism, or should rival Moses; but Moses was not afraid of any such effects from that Spirit which God had put upon them. Shall we reject those whom Christ has owned, or restrain any from doing good, because they do not agree with us in everything?
Moses wishes that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon all of them. Let the testimony of Moses be believed by those who desire to be in power—namely, that government is a burden. It is a burden of care and trouble to those who are conscientious in fulfilling its duty; and to those who do not, it will prove a heavier burden on the day of account.
Let the example of Moses be followed by those in power; let them not despise the advice and assistance of others, but desire it, and be thankful for it. If all the present number of the Lord's people were made prophets, or ministers, by the Spirit of Christ, though not all might agree on outward matters, there is work enough for all, in calling sinners to repentance, and faith in our Lord Jesus.
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