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Numbers 21:5

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And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for [there is] no bread, neither [is there any] water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

And the people {H5971} spake {H1696} against God {H430}, and against Moses {H4872}, Wherefore have ye brought us up {H5927} out of Egypt {H4714} to die {H4191} in the wilderness {H4057}? for there is no bread {H3899}, neither is there any water {H4325}; and our soul {H5315} loatheth {H6973} this light {H7052} bread {H3899}.

The people spoke against God and against Moshe: "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt? To die in the desert? There's no real food, there's no water, and we're sick of this miserable stuff we're eating!"

and spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you led us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!”

And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

Commentary

This verse captures a moment of intense dissatisfaction and rebellion among the Israelites during their wilderness journey.

Context

Numbers 21:5 occurs late in the Israelites' forty years of wandering after the Exodus from Egypt. Following a victory over the Canaanite king of Arad and a detour to bypass Edom, the people grew impatient and weary of the difficult journey. They were likely traveling through a harsh, barren region. This verse reflects their frustration boiling over into direct accusation against both Moses and God Himself, echoing earlier instances of discontent recorded in the book of Exodus and other parts of Numbers.

Key Themes

  • Complaint and Grumbling: The central theme is the people's persistent complaining against God and Moses, a recurring pattern throughout their wilderness experience.
  • Lack of Faith: Their words reveal a fundamental distrust in God's power and plan, questioning His motives for bringing them out of Egypt.
  • Despising God's Provision: They express contempt for the manna ("light bread") that God had miraculously provided daily for years, highlighting their ingratitude despite the lack of natural food sources.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "light bread" (Hebrew: lehem haqQelōqēl) is a term used to describe the manna. The Hebrew word qelōqēl suggests something worthless, vile, or despised. The people's use of this term starkly contrasts with the miraculous nature and life-sustaining quality of the manna God provided, demonstrating their deep contempt and ingratitude.

Commentary

Weariness from the journey and the lack of familiar comforts led the Israelites to speak "against God, and against Moses." Their complaint was twofold: they accused their leaders (and implicitly, God) of bringing them out of Egypt only "to die in the wilderness," and they expressed utter disgust with the manna, the supernatural food God had provided daily. The complaint about "no bread, neither is there any water" is particularly telling, as God had consistently provided both, albeit not always in the way they expected or desired (manna for bread, water from the rock). Their description of the manna as "light bread" that their "soul loatheth" reveals a deep-seated ingratitude and a failure to appreciate God's faithful and miraculous provision, despite its monotonous nature. This attitude was a direct affront to the God who had delivered them from slavery in Egypt and sustained them in the wilderness.

Cross-References & Connections

  • This complaint is similar to earlier instances of grumbling about food and water, such as recorded in Exodus 16:3 (about lack of food) and Exodus 17:3 (about lack of water).
  • Their despising of the manna is also echoed in Numbers 11:6, where they craved meat instead.
  • The consequences of such rebellious complaining are severe, as seen in the plague that followed this specific instance (Numbers 21:6) and the broader judgment that prevented that generation from entering the Promised Land (Numbers 14:23).

Practical Application

This verse serves as a stark warning against the dangers of complaining and ingratitude. It reminds us that impatience with our circumstances, even difficult ones, can quickly lead to speaking against God and despising the very provisions He gives us. We are called to cultivate a spirit of thankfulness, recognizing God's hand in our lives and trusting His faithfulness, even when our journey is hard or His provisions seem mundane. Our attitude towards what God provides reveals the state of our faith and our hearts.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

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Cross-References

  • Psalms 78:19 (6 votes)

    Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?

  • Numbers 16:41 (4 votes)

    ¶ But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD.

  • Exodus 17:2 (4 votes)

    Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?

  • Exodus 17:3 (4 votes)

    And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore [is] this [that] thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

  • Numbers 16:13 (4 votes)

    [Is it] a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?

  • Numbers 16:14 (4 votes)

    Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.

  • Numbers 11:1 (3 votes)

    ¶ And [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.