Numbers 11:22

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?

Complete Jewish Bible:

If whole flocks and herds were slaughtered for them, would it be enough? If all the fish in the sea were collected for them, would even that be enough?"

Berean Standard Bible:

If all our flocks and herds were slaughtered for them, would they have enough? Or if all the fish in the sea were caught for them, would they have enough?”

American Standard Version:

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?

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Shall the flocks^{H6629} and the herds^{H1241} be slain^{H7819} for them, to suffice^{H4672} them? or shall all the fish^{H1709} of the sea^{H3220} be gathered together^{H622} for them, to suffice^{H4672} them?

Cross-References (KJV):

Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:

BibleHub.com BibleRef.com

Commentary for Numbers 11:22

**Numbers 11:22 Themes:**
- Complaint and Doubt: The verse reflects the Israelites' complaints about their diet in the wilderness, doubting God's provision.
- Providence of God: It raises the question of whether God can provide enough meat for the entire community, challenging the limits of divine provision.
- Testing of Faith: The verse underscores the testing of the Israelites' faith in God's ability to sustain them.
- Human Limitations: It highlights the contrast between human limitations in providing for large numbers and God's omnipotence.

**Historical Context:**
- The Setting: The Israelites are in the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt, on their way to the Promised Land.
- The Complaint: The people have been grumbling about their diet of manna, which they regard as monotonous, and are longing for the variety of foods they had in Egypt.
- The Leadership: Moses is the leader of the Israelites, and he feels overwhelmed by the people's complaints and their constant demands for meat.
- The Immediate Context: This verse is part of Moses' response to God when He instructs Moses to tell the people that they will eat meat. Moses questions whether there are enough resources (flocks, herds, fish) to feed everyone, expressing his doubt and the apparent impossibility of the task from a human perspective.
- Divine Intervention: Shortly after this, God sends quail to the Israelites, demonstrating His ability to provide abundantly, but also as a response to their complaining, which has consequences.

In summary, Numbers 11:22 captures the tension between the Israelites' lack of trust in God's provision and the reality of God's limitless ability to care for His people, set against the backdrop of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness.

*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: H6629
   There are 247 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: צֹאן
   Transliteration: tsôʼn
   Pronunciation: tsone
   Description: or צאוֹן; (Psalm 144:13), from an unused root meaning to migrate; a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men); (small) cattle, flock ([phrase] -s), lamb ([phrase] -s), sheep(-cote, -fold, -shearer, -herds).
   
2. Strong's Number: H1241
   There are 172 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בָּקָר
   Transliteration: bâqâr
   Pronunciation: baw-kawr'
   Description: from בָּקַר; beef cattle or an animal of the ox family of either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd; beeve, bull ([phrase] -ock), [phrase] calf, [phrase] cow, great (cattle), [phrase] heifer, herd, kine, ox.
   
3. Strong's Number: H7819
   There are 70 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁחַט
   Transliteration: shâchaṭ
   Pronunciation: shaw-khat'
   Description: a primitive root; to slaughter (in sacrifice or massacre); kill, offer, shoot out, slay, slaughter.
   
4. Strong's Number: H4672
   There are 425 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מָצָא
   Transliteration: mâtsâʼ
   Pronunciation: maw-tsaw'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present; [phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), [idiom] occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
   
5. Strong's Number: H1709
   There are 18 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: דָּג
   Transliteration: dâg
   Pronunciation: dawg
   Description: or (fully) דָּאג; (Nehemiah 13:16), from דָּגָה; a fish (as prolific); or perhaps rather from דָּאַג (as timid); but still better from דָּאַג (in the sense of squirming, i.e. moving by the vibratory action of the tail); a fish (often used collectively); fish.
   
6. Strong's Number: H3220
   There are 339 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָם
   Transliteration: yâm
   Pronunciation: yawm
   Description: from an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the south; sea ([idiom] -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern, side, -ward).
   
7. Strong's Number: H622
   There are 281 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָסַף
   Transliteration: ʼâçaph
   Pronunciation: aw-saf'
   Description: a primitive root; to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e. remove (destroy, leave behind, put up, restore, etc.); assemble, bring, consume, destroy, felch, gather (in, together, up again), [idiom] generally, get (him), lose, put all together, receive, recover (another from leprosy), (be) rereward, [idiom] surely, take (away, into, up), [idiom] utterly, withdraw.