Numbers 11:21

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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.

Complete Jewish Bible:

But Moshe said, "Here I am with six hundred thousand men on foot, and yet you say, 'I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!'

Berean Standard Bible:

But Moses replied, “Here I am among 600,000 men on foot, yet You say, ‘I will give them meat, and they will eat for a month.’

American Standard Version:

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.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And Moses^{H4872} said^{H559}, The people^{H5971}, among^{H7130} whom I am, are six^{H8337} hundred^{H3967} thousand^{H505} footmen^{H7273}; and thou hast said^{H559}, I will give^{H5414} them flesh^{H1320}, that they may eat^{H398} a whole^{H3117} month^{H2320}.

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Commentary for Numbers 11:21

**Themes:**
- **God's Provision:** The verse highlights the theme of God's provision for His people, as He promises to supply them with meat despite their grumbling and ingratitude.
- **Leadership and Intercession:** Moses acts as a mediator between the Israelites and God, demonstrating the role of leadership in interceding for the people.
- **Testing of Faith:** The situation tests the faith of both the Israelites and Moses, as they are to trust in God's ability to fulfill His promise.
- **Divine Generosity vs. Human Expectation:** There is a contrast between the divine generosity of God, who is willing to provide abundantly, and the human expectation and complaint about the provision.

**Historical Context:**
- **Exodus and Wilderness Wanderings:** The book of Numbers is set during the time of the Exodus, after the Israelites have left Egypt but before they enter the Promised Land. The people are wandering in the wilderness, facing various trials and hardships.
- **The Grumbling of the Israelites:** The Israelites have been complaining about their living conditions, longing for the food they had in Egypt, and expressing dissatisfaction with the manna God has been providing.
- **Moses's Role:** Moses is the leader of the Israelites, and in this verse, he is shown grappling with the challenge of leading a large and often ungrateful population. His reference to "six hundred thousand footmen" indicates the massive size of the community he is responsible for.
- **God's Response:** God responds to the people's complaints by promising to provide meat. Moses's reaction reflects both his concern for how this promise will be fulfilled and his role as an intercessor for the people.

In Numbers 11:21, Moses is addressing God's promise to provide meat for the entire Israelite community, which numbers six hundred thousand men, not including women and children. This promise comes in response to the people's complaints about their diet of manna, which they have grown tired of eating. Moses's words convey both the enormity of the task and a subtle challenge to God's ability to provide for such a large group, reflecting the tension between human doubt and divine power.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H4872
   There are 704 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מֹשֶׁה
   Transliteration: Môsheh
   Pronunciation: mo-sheh'
   Description: from מָשָׁה; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver; Moses.
   
2. Strong's Number: H559
   There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָמַר
   Transliteration: ʼâmar
   Pronunciation: aw-mar'
   Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
   
3. Strong's Number: H5971
   There are 1654 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עַם
   Transliteration: ʻam
   Pronunciation: am
   Description: from עָמַם; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock; folk, men, nation, people.
   
4. Strong's Number: H7130
   There are 220 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: קֶרֶב
   Transliteration: qereb
   Pronunciation: keh'-reb
   Description: from קָרַב; properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center, whether literal, figurative or adverbial (especially with preposition); [idiom] among, [idiom] before, bowels, [idiom] unto charge, [phrase] eat (up), [idiom] heart, [idiom] him, [idiom] in, inward ([idiom] -ly, part, -s, thought), midst, [phrase] out of, purtenance, [idiom] therein, [idiom] through, [idiom] within self.
   
5. Strong's Number: H8337
   There are 203 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שֵׁשׁ
   Transliteration: shêsh
   Pronunciation: shaysh
   Description: masculine שִׁשָּׁה; a primitive number; compare שׂוּשׂ; six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand); as ord. sixth; six(-teen, -teenth), sixth.
   
6. Strong's Number: H3967
   There are 512 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מֵאָה
   Transliteration: mêʼâh
   Pronunciation: may-aw'
   Description: or מֵאיָה; properly, a primitive numeral; a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction; hundred((-fold), -th), [phrase] sixscore.
   
7. Strong's Number: H505
   There are 496 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֶלֶף
   Transliteration: ʼeleph
   Pronunciation: eh'-lef
   Description: prop, the same as אֶלֶף; hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand; thousand.
   
8. Strong's Number: H7273
   There are 12 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רַגְלִי
   Transliteration: raglîy
   Pronunciation: rag-lee'
   Description: from רֶגֶל; a footman (soldier); (on) foot(-man).
   
9. Strong's Number: H5414
   There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָתַן
   Transliteration: nâthan
   Pronunciation: naw-than'
   Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield.
   
10. Strong's Number: H1320
    There are 241 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בָּשָׂר
    Transliteration: bâsâr
    Pronunciation: baw-sawr'
    Description: from בָּשַׂר; flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of aman; body, (fat, lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-) kind, [phrase] nakedness, self, skin.
    
11. Strong's Number: H398
    There are 825 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אָכַל
    Transliteration: ʼâkal
    Pronunciation: aw-kal'
    Description: a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively); [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite.
    
12. Strong's Number: H3117
    There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יוֹם
    Transliteration: yôwm
    Pronunciation: yome
    Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger.
    
13. Strong's Number: H2320
    There are 224 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: חֹדֶשׁ
    Transliteration: chôdesh
    Pronunciation: kho'-desh
    Description: from חָדַשׁ; the new moon; by implication, a month; month(-ly), new moon.