Numbers 11:11

KJV

And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

KJV (with Strong's)

And Moses {H4872} said {H559} unto the LORD {H3068}, Wherefore hast thou afflicted {H7489} thy servant {H5650}? and wherefore have I not found {H4672} favour {H2580} in thy sight {H5869}, that thou layest {H7760} the burden {H4853} of all this people {H5971} upon me?

Complete Jewish Bible

Moshe asked ADONAI, "Why are you treating your servant so badly? Why haven't I found favor in your sight, so that you put the burden of this entire people on me?

Berean Standard Bible

So Moses asked the LORD, “Why have You brought this trouble on Your servant? Why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid upon me the burden of all these people?

American Standard Version

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?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Numbers 11:11 encapsulates a profoundly raw and human moment of despair from Moses, the divinely appointed leader of Israel. Overwhelmed by the incessant grumbling and demands of the Israelite people in the wilderness, Moses pours out his heart to the LORD, questioning why God has seemingly afflicted him and why he has not found favor, to the extent that the crushing burden of leading such a rebellious nation has been laid solely upon him. This lament powerfully illustrates the immense pressure of spiritual leadership and the profound vulnerability even of God's most faithful servants.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within a critical turning point in the book of Numbers, immediately following a fresh wave of Israelite complaining. Chapters 10 and 11 detail the Israelites' departure from Mount Sinai, where they had received the Law and established the covenant. Almost immediately, their journey is marked by discontent. First, the people complain about hardship, leading to a consuming fire from the LORD, as described in [Numbers 11:1-3](/numbers/11-1-3 "Numbers 11:1-3 - The Fire of the LORD"). This is quickly followed by the "rabble" (mixed multitude) among them, and then the Israelites themselves, expressing a strong craving for meat, lamenting the consistent provision of manna and recalling the varied diet they enjoyed in Egypt, as detailed in [Numbers 11:4-6](/numbers/11-4-6 "Numbers 11:4-6 - The People Crave Meat"). This persistent, ungrateful grumbling, coupled with the sheer logistical and spiritual weight of leading such a vast and rebellious multitude, pushes Moses to his breaking point, eliciting this direct and desperate cry to God. The events immediately following this lament include God's promise to provide meat (quail) and His instruction to Moses to gather seventy elders to share the burden of leadership, as recorded in [Numbers 11:16-17](/numbers/11-16-17 "Numbers 11:16-17 - The Appointment of Seventy Elders").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The setting is the harsh and unpredictable wilderness, a desolate environment that amplified the people's dependence on divine provision and their propensity for complaint. The Israelites were a massive population, numbering potentially in the millions, making the task of leading, feeding, watering, and governing them an unparalleled logistical and pastoral challenge. Moses, as the sole intermediary between God and His people, bore the unique and immense responsibility for their spiritual well-being, their physical sustenance, and their adherence to the covenant. In the ancient Near East, leaders were often seen as divinely appointed, but the scale of Moses' task and the character of the people he led were exceptional. The cultural expectation was that a leader would provide for his people, and Moses, despite God's miraculous provision, felt personally accountable for their constant dissatisfaction and spiritual backsliding, a burden that few leaders in history have ever had to carry.
* **Key Themes:** Numbers 11:11 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Numbers and the Pentateuch. It powerfully illustrates **The Burden of Leadership**, showing the crushing weight and profound isolation that can accompany divine calling, especially when leading a rebellious and ungrateful people. Moses' lament underscores the theme of **Human Vulnerability and Lament**, revealing that even the most divinely appointed and steadfast leaders are susceptible to despair and are permitted to express their deepest frustrations honestly to God. This moment highlights the tension between God's faithfulness and Israel's persistent unfaithfulness, a recurring motif throughout the wilderness narrative. Furthermore, Moses' plea sets the stage for God's compassionate response, demonstrating **God's Patience and Provision** not only for the people's physical needs but also for His struggling servant, as seen in the subsequent appointment of the seventy elders to share the leadership load, detailed in [Numbers 11:16-17](/numbers/11-16-17 "Numbers 11:16-17 - God Provides Assistance to Moses"). This episode also subtly reinforces the theme of **Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility**, as Moses grapples with the task God has given him, ultimately seeking divine intervention for a burden he feels he cannot bear alone.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Afflicted (Hebrew, _râʻaʻ'_):** This verb, from the root H7489, properly means "to spoil (literally, by breaking to pieces)," and figuratively, "to make (or be) good for nothing, i.e., bad (physically, socially or morally)." Here, Moses uses it in a deeply personal and almost accusatory sense, perceiving God's actions (or perceived inaction in alleviating his burden) as causing him profound distress and hardship. It's not necessarily an accusation of God's moral evil, but rather an expression of his intense suffering and a questioning of why God has allowed such a grievous situation to befall His servant, the one He called.
* **Favour (Hebrew, _chên'_):** This noun, H2580, denotes "graciousness, i.e., subjective (kindness, favor) or objective (beauty)." Moses' question, "wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight," expresses a profound sense of abandonment or a perceived loss of God's special, benevolent regard. He feels as though the divine grace that once empowered and sustained him in his leadership has somehow been withdrawn, leaving him to bear an unbearable weight alone. It's a poignant plea for the restoration of that special, enabling relationship with God.
* **Burden (Hebrew, _massâʼ'_):** This word, H4853, literally means "a burden; specifically, tribute, or (abstractly) porterage." It can refer to a physical weight, but also to a heavy responsibility, an oracle, or a prophetic utterance (something "carried" by a prophet). In this context, it vividly portrays the crushing, oppressive nature of the responsibility Moses feels for the entire nation. It's a weight that is both physical (the logistics of leadership) and spiritual (the people's rebellion and unfaithfulness), an overwhelming load that threatens to crush him.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And Moses said unto the LORD":** This opening establishes the direct, personal, and profoundly intimate nature of the communication. Moses, the one who spoke "face to face" with God, now pours out his heart in raw honesty, addressing the divine source of his calling and his current affliction. This is not a casual complaint but a desperate cry to the sovereign God.
* **"Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant?":** This is a rhetorical question born of deep anguish and perplexity. Moses is not seeking a theological explanation as much as he is expressing his pain and questioning the perceived injustice of his situation. He feels distressed and burdened, and he attributes this state directly to God's allowance or orchestration of circumstances, highlighting his feeling of being overwhelmed by the divine assignment.
* **"and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight":** This parallels the first question, intensifying the lament. It suggests a feeling of being overlooked, abandoned, or no longer held in God's special regard. Moses feels isolated and unsupported, questioning why the divine grace that sustained him through previous trials seems absent now, leaving him vulnerable and struggling.
* **"that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?":** This clause reveals the core of Moses' complaint. The "burden of all this people" refers to the immense, overwhelming responsibility for their physical needs, their spiritual state, their constant grumbling, and their rebellious hearts. He feels this entire, crushing weight has been placed solely on his shoulders by God, leading to his profound despair and sense of being utterly alone in this impossible task.

#### Literary Devices
Numbers 11:11 is a powerful expression of lament, a common biblical genre. Moses employs **Rhetorical Question** with his repeated "wherefore" (Hebrew, _lamah'_), not necessarily seeking a direct answer but rather expressing profound anguish, perplexity, and a sense of injustice. These questions underscore his deep emotional distress and his struggle to reconcile God's character with his current suffering. The verse also utilizes **Hyperbole** when Moses refers to "all this people," emphasizing the immense scale of his responsibility and the overwhelming nature of the task, a slight exaggeration born of his despair, yet powerfully conveying his internal state. Furthermore, the phrase "layest the burden" functions as a potent **Metaphor**, portraying the emotional, spiritual, and logistical weight of leadership as a heavy, physical load that is crushing him. This vivid imagery effectively conveys the oppressive reality of his situation.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Moses' raw lament in Numbers 11:11 offers profound theological insights into the nature of divine calling, human weakness, and God's compassionate response. It reminds us that even the most faithful and divinely appointed leaders are not immune to the crushing weight of responsibility, despair, and a sense of being overwhelmed. Moses' honest outpouring to God, rather than a sign of weakness, is an act of profound faith, demonstrating his continued reliance on the LORD as the ultimate source of his calling and his only hope for relief. God does not rebuke Moses for his complaint but responds by providing a solution: the appointment of seventy elders to share the burden, illustrating God's understanding of human limitations and His provision of community and shared responsibility in leadership. This episode underscores that God's grace is sufficient not only for the task but also for the one performing it, even when they reach their breaking point.

* [Psalm 42:5](/psalms/42-5 "Psalm 42:5 - Hope in God Amidst Despair")
* [1 Kings 19:4](/1_kings/19-4 "1 Kings 19:4 - Elijah's Despair in the Wilderness")
* [1 Peter 5:7](/1_peter/5-7 "1 Peter 5:7 - Cast Your Anxieties on Him")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Moses' lament in Numbers 11:11 serves as a powerful and enduring model for all believers, especially those in leadership roles. It grants us permission to be utterly honest with God about our struggles, our frustrations, and our deepest despair, knowing that He is compassionate and understands our human limitations. We are not expected to maintain a façade of unwavering strength, but rather to bring our authentic selves, our burdens, and our questions directly to the One who called us. This passage reminds us that leadership, whether in the church, family, or community, is inherently burdensome and often isolating. It calls us to cultivate empathy for those who lead, to pray for them, and to actively support them, recognizing the immense pressures they face. Ultimately, Moses' experience teaches us that God, in His wisdom and grace, often provides relief not through supernatural removal of the burden, but through the provision of community, shared responsibility, and the empowering presence of His Spirit, enabling us to carry what we could not alone.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **When have you felt overwhelmed by a "burden" in your life or ministry, similar to Moses' experience? How did you respond?**
* **How does Moses' raw honesty in this verse encourage you to be more open and vulnerable with God about your struggles and frustrations?**
* **What support systems, mentors, or "elders" has God provided in your life to help share your burdens, and how can you better utilize them?**
* **In what ways can you actively support and pray for those in leadership positions within your community or church, recognizing the immense pressures they face?**

### FAQ
**Question?** Why did Moses feel "afflicted" by God, rather than by the people?

Answer: Moses perceived his suffering and overwhelming burden as ultimately coming from God because it was God who had called him to this impossible task and placed him in this position of singular responsibility. While the immediate cause of his distress was the people's grumbling, Moses directed his lament to the LORD, questioning God's wisdom or purpose in allowing such an overwhelming situation to persist and in not providing him with sufficient "favor" or relief. It's not an accusation of God being evil, but a cry of perplexity and pain directed at the ultimate orchestrator of his life and calling. He felt God had "laid" this burden upon him, implying divine agency in his affliction and a longing for God's intervention, as seen in the subsequent events of [Numbers 11](/numbers/11 "Numbers 11 - God Provides Quail and Elders").

**Question?** Did God rebuke Moses for his complaint and despair?

Answer: No, God did not rebuke Moses for his honest and desperate complaint. Instead, God responded with compassion and a practical solution. He instructed Moses to gather seventy elders from among the people, upon whom He would put some of the Spirit that was on Moses, enabling them to share the burden of leadership, as detailed in [Numbers 11:16-17](/numbers/11-16-17 "Numbers 11:16-17 - God's Solution to Moses' Burden"). This demonstrates God's understanding of human limitations, His willingness to provide support for His servants, and His grace in equipping leaders rather than crushing them under impossible loads. God validated Moses' feelings by providing a tangible response to his plea for help, showing His compassionate care for His servant.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Moses' profound lament in Numbers 11:11, though born of human weakness, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate burden-bearer, Jesus Christ. Moses, as the mediator of the Old Covenant and the shepherd of a rebellious people, experienced the crushing weight of their sin and unfaithfulness. Yet, his burden was ultimately shared and alleviated by God's provision of elders. In stark contrast, Jesus bore the ultimate burden of humanity's sin and rebellion alone. He was the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), carrying a weight infinitely greater than Moses could ever conceive. While Moses cried out in anguish, Jesus too experienced profound human despair and agony in Gethsemane, sweating drops of blood as He contemplated the cup of suffering, as recorded in [Luke 22:44](/luke/22-44 "Luke 22:44 - Jesus' Agony in Gethsemane"). Yet, unlike Moses who sought relief from his burden, Jesus willingly embraced the cross, fully submitting to the Father's will, knowing it was the only way to accomplish salvation. Where Moses felt a loss of "favor," Jesus always did what pleased the Father ([John 8:29](/john/8-29 "John 8:29 - Jesus Always Does What Pleases the Father")), even in His suffering. He is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep ([John 10:11](/john/10-11 "John 10:11 - Jesus the Good Shepherd")), and He now invites all who are weary and burdened to come to Him, promising rest for their souls ([Matthew 11:28-30](/matthew/11-28-30 "Matthew 11:28-30 - Jesus' Invitation to the Weary and Burdened")). Jesus, the ultimate leader, bore the burden of our sin so that we might find eternal favor and rest in Him.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 1:12

How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?

Exodus 5:22

And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou [so] evil entreated this people? why [is] it [that] thou hast sent me?

Numbers 11:15

And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.

Jeremiah 20:7

¶ O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.

Jeremiah 20:9

Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But [his word] was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not [stay].

Psalms 143:2

And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

Psalms 130:3

If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?