Numbers 11:13

Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.

Whence {H370} should I have flesh {H1320} to give {H5414} unto all this people {H5971}? for they weep {H1058} unto me, saying {H559}, Give {H5414} us flesh {H1320}, that we may eat {H398}.

Where am I going to get meat to give to this entire people? - because they keep bothering me with their crying and saying, 'Give us meat to eat!'

Where can I get meat for all these people? For they keep crying out to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’

Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.

Commentary

Numbers 11:13 captures Moses' profound frustration and weariness as he grapples with the incessant demands of the Israelite people in the wilderness. Having endured the miraculous exodus from Egypt and countless divine provisions, the Israelites now weep for meat, despising the manna God had provided daily.

Context

This verse is a direct cry from Moses to God, born out of the immense pressure of leading a vast and often ungrateful nation. The people, described as a "mixed multitude" (Numbers 11:4), had grown tired of the manna and began to crave the diverse foods they remembered from Egypt. Their discontent escalated into loud weeping and demands for flesh, pushing Moses to his breaking point. This scene follows directly after the people's craving for meat became a "lust," prompting them to complain bitterly against God and Moses. Their discontent echoes earlier complaints about food, as seen in Exodus 16:3, showing a recurring pattern of ingratitude despite God's faithfulness.

Key Themes

  • Moses' Overwhelming Burden: The verse powerfully conveys Moses' feeling of inadequacy and the sheer impossibility of satisfying the people's insatiable desires from his own resources. He expresses a leader's profound sense of being overwhelmed, questioning how he could possibly provide meat for such a vast multitude. This burden was so heavy that God later instructed him to share it with seventy elders.
  • The People's Ungrateful Complaining: The Israelites' "weeping" for flesh highlights their spiritual immaturity and lack of faith. Despite witnessing God's powerful deliverance and daily provision of manna, they quickly forgot His goodness and focused on their immediate desires, demonstrating a deep-seated ingratitude.
  • Human Limitation vs. Divine Power: Moses' question, "Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people?" underscores the vast chasm between human capability and divine omnipotence. What seems impossible for man is entirely possible for God, who ultimately provides the quail for them (see Numbers 11:31).

Practical Application

Numbers 11:13 offers valuable lessons for today. It reminds us that leadership, especially in spiritual contexts, can be incredibly taxing and often feels beyond human capacity. It encourages leaders to acknowledge their limitations and to turn to God in times of overwhelming pressure, rather than trying to bear the burden alone. For believers, this verse serves as a stark warning against the dangers of discontent and complaining. It challenges us to cultivate gratitude for God's provisions, even when they don't perfectly align with our desires, and to trust in His ability to meet our true needs, even when circumstances seem impossible.

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 using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Mark 8:4

    And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these [men] with bread here in the wilderness?

  • Matthew 15:33

    And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

  • Mark 9:23

    Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things [are] possible to him that believeth.

  • John 6:5

    When Jesus then lifted up [his] eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

  • John 6:9

    There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
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