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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Numbers 11:16–23. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We have here God's gracious answer to both the foregoing complaints, wherein his goodness takes occasion from man's badness to appear so much the more illustrious.
I.Provision is made for the redress of the grievances Moses complains of.
If he find the weight of government lie too heavy upon him, though he was a little too passionate in his remonstrance, yet he shall be eased, not by being discarded from the government himself, as he justly might have been if God had been extreme to mark what he said amiss, but by having assistants appointed him, who should be, as the apostle speaks (Co1 12:28), helps, governments (that is, helps in government), not at all to lesson or eclipse his honour, but to make the work more easy to him, and to bear the burden of the people with him. And that this provision might be both agreeable and really serviceable,
1.Moses is directed to nominate the persons, Num 11:16. The people were too hot and heady and tumultuous to be entrusted with the election; Moses must please himself in the choice, that he may not afterwards complain. The number he is to choose is seventy men, according to the number of the souls that went down into Egypt. He must choose such as he knew to be elders, that is, wise and experienced men. Those that had acquitted themselves best, as rulers of thousands and hundreds (Exo 18:25), purchase to themselves now this good degree. "Choose such as thou knowest to be elders indeed, and not in name only, officers that execute their office." We read of the same number of elders (Exo 24:1) that went up with Moses to Mount Sinai, but they were distinguished only for that occasion, these for a perpetuity; and, according to this constitution, the Sanhedrim, or great council of the Jews, which in after ages sat at Jerusalem, and was the highest court of judgment among them, consisted of seventy men. Our Saviour seems to have had an eye to it in the choice of seventy disciples, who were to be assistants to the apostles, Lu. 10.
2.God promises to qualify them. If they were not found fit for the employ, they should be made fit, else they might prove more a hindrance than a help to Moses, Num 11:17. Though Moses had talked too boldly with God, yet God does not therefore break off communion with him; he bears a great deal with us, and we must with one another: I will come down (said God) and talk with thee, when thou art more calm and composed; and I will take of the same spirit of wisdom, and piety, and courage, that is upon thee, and put it upon them. Not that Moses had the less of the Spirit for their sharing, nor that they were hereby made equal with him; Moses was still unequalled (Deu 34:10), but they were clothed with a spirit of government proportionable to their place, and with a spirit of prophecy to prove their divine call to it, the government being a Theocracy. Note,
(1.)Those whom God employs in any service he qualifies for it, and those that are not in some measure qualified cannot think themselves duly called.
(2.)All good qualifications are from God; every perfect gift is from the Father of lights.
II.Even the humour of the discontented people shall be gratified too, that every mouth may be stopped.
They are ordered to sanctify themselves (Num 11:18), that is, to put themselves into a posture to receive such a proof of God's power as should be a token both of mercy and judgment. Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel, Amo 4:12.
1.God promises (shall I say?) - he threatens rather, that they shall have their fill of flesh, that for a month together they shall not only be fed, but feasted, with flesh, besides their daily manna; and, if they have not a better government of their appetites than now it appears they have they shall be surfeited with it (Num 11:19, Num 11:20): You shall eat till it come out at your nostrils, and become loathsome to you. See here,
(1.)The vanity of all the delights of sense; they will cloy, but not satisfy: spiritual pleasures are the contrary. As the world passes away, so do the lusts of it, Jo1 2:17. What was greedily coveted in a little time comes to be nauseated.
(2.)What brutish sins (and worse than brutish) gluttony and drunkenness are; they put a force upon nature, and make that the sickness of the body which should be its health; they are sins that are their own punishments, and yet not the worst that attend them.
(3.)What a righteous thing it is with God to make that loathsome to men which they have inordinately lusted after. God could make them despise flesh as much as they had despised manna.
2.Moses objects the improbability of making good this word, Num 11:21, Num 11:22. It is an objection like that which the disciples made, Mar 8:4, Whence can a man satisfy these men? Some excuse Moses here, and construe what he says as only a modest enquiry which way the supply must be expected; but it savours too much of diffidence and distrust of God to be justified. He objects the number of the people, as if he that provided bread for them all could not, by the same unlimited power, provide flesh too. He reckons it must be the flesh either of beasts or fishes, because they are the most bulky animals, little thinking that the flesh of birds, little birds, should serve the purpose. God sees not as man sees, but his thoughts are above ours. He objects the greediness of the people's desires in that word, to suffice them. Note, Even true and great believers sometimes find it hard to trust God under the discouragements of second causes, and against hope to believe in hope. Moses himself could scarcely forbear saying, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? when this had become the common cry. No doubt this was his infirmity.
3.God gives a short but sufficient answer to the objection in that question, Has the Lord's hand waxed short? Num 11:23. If Moses had remembered the years of the right hand of the Most High, he would not have started all these difficulties; therefore God reminds him of them, intimating that this objection reflected upon the divine power, of which he himself had been so often, not only the witness, but the instrument. Had he forgotten what wonders the divine power had wrought for that people, when it inflicted the plagues of Egypt, divided the sea, broached the rock, and rained bread from heaven? Had that power abated? Was God weaker than he used to be? Or was he tired with what he had done? Whatever our unbelieving hearts may suggest to the contrary, it is certain,
(1.)That God's hand is not short; his power cannot be restrained in the exerting of itself by any thing but his own will; with him nothing is impossible. That hand is not short which measures the waters, metes out the heavens (Isa 40:12), and grasps the winds, Pro 30:4.
(2.)That it has not waxed short. He is as strong as ever he was, fainteth not, neither is weary. And this is sufficient to silence all our distrusts when means fail us, Is any thing too hard for the Lord? God here brings Moses to this first principle, sets him back in his lesson, to learn the ancient name of God, The Lord God Almighty, and puts the proof upon the issue: Thou shalt see whether my word shall come to pass or not. This magnifies God's word above all his name, that his works never come short of it. If he speaks, it is done.
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Summary
Numbers 11:18 reveals the LORD's decisive, yet profoundly challenging, response to the Israelites' persistent and ungrateful clamoring for meat in the wilderness. Despite God's miraculous provision of manna, the people's discontent escalated into open lament, expressing a dangerous nostalgia for the perceived comforts of their Egyptian bondage. In this pivotal verse, God commands Moses to instruct the people to "sanctify themselves," preparing them for a divine intervention that will indeed provide the desired flesh, but as a severe consequence of their unholy craving rather than a benevolent gift, underscoring the gravity of their rebellion.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is strategically placed within a critical narrative segment depicting Israel's tumultuous journey through the wilderness, specifically following their departure from Mount Sinai. The immediate preceding verses detail the "rabble" among the Israelites, swiftly followed by the entire congregation, expressing intense craving for meat, lamenting their diet of manna, and dangerously romanticizing their past in Egypt, a sentiment vividly captured in Numbers 11:4-6. Overwhelmed by the people's incessant grumbling and the crushing burden of leadership, Moses then pours out his despair to the LORD, questioning his capacity to lead such a rebellious people, as seen in Numbers 11:10-15. In response to Moses' plea and the people's demands, God promises to provide meat for the people and to empower seventy elders with His Spirit to assist Moses in governance, a promise outlined in Numbers 11:16-17. Numbers 11:18 serves as the direct divine command delivered to Moses, setting the ominous stage for the dramatic and ultimately punitive provision of quail and the subsequent plague at Kibroth-hattaavah, a tragic event recounted in Numbers 11:31-34.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Israelites, a newly liberated people, were navigating a harsh and unforgiving desert environment. Their primary sustenance, the miraculous manna, had been provided daily by God since their exodus from Egypt, a divine provision detailed in Exodus 16:4. Culturally, the command to "sanctify yourselves" was a deeply ingrained practice, signifying a ritualistic and spiritual preparation for encountering the holy presence or action of God. This preparation often involved ceremonial cleansing, abstinence, and a focus on spiritual purity, as exemplified before the momentous giving of the Law at Sinai in Exodus 19:10-11. However, in the context of Numbers 11:18, this command carries a distinctly ominous tone, preparing them not merely for a blessing but for a profound divine response to their sin. Their longing for the diverse and abundant foods of Egypt, including meat, fish, and various vegetables, as explicitly stated in Numbers 11:5, reflects a pervasive human tendency to idealize a past, even one of brutal bondage, when confronted with present difficulties and the demands of faith and endurance.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully illustrates several profound theological themes. It highlights the Divine Response to Discontent and Rebellion, demonstrating that God hears and responds to His people's grievances, even when those grievances are rooted in deep-seated ingratitude and open rebellion against His provision. The command to "Sanctify yourselves" underscores the theme of Preparation for Divine Encounter, indicating that God's actions, whether in blessing or in judgment, demand a certain reverence, solemnity, and readiness from His people. Most significantly, it introduces the theme of the Consequences of Ungrateful Lust and Idolatry of Appetite, where God, in His sovereign judgment, gives the people precisely what they demand, not as a benevolent gift, but as a stern and painful lesson in the dangers of insatiable craving. This provision of meat, as the unfolding narrative tragically reveals, comes with severe and deadly consequences, powerfully demonstrating that sometimes God's "yes" can indeed be a form of judgment, allowing people to reap the bitter fruit of their sinful desires, a truth echoed in Psalm 78:29-31. Finally, the lament "for [it was] well with us in Egypt" reveals a profound and Dangerous Nostalgia for Bondage, a spiritual amnesia that willfully forgets the suffering of slavery and romanticizes a past that was anything but "well," demonstrating a profound lack of faith in God's liberating hand and His ongoing, faithful provision.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
A primitive root meaning "to be (causatively, make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally); appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate, defile, hallow, (be, keep) holy(-er, place), keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, sanctify(-ied one, self), [idiom] wholly." In this context, the command to "sanctify yourselves" implies a solemn call to spiritual and physical readiness, not necessarily for a blessing, but for a significant and weighty divine manifestation. It underscores the gravity of the impending event and God's holy nature, even in His punitive response to their sin.
A primitive root meaning "to weep; generally to bemoan; [idiom] at all, bewail, complain, make lamentation, [idiom] more, mourn, [idiom] sore, [idiom] with tears, weep." The phrase "ye have wept in the ears of the LORD" vividly emphasizes the audible, persistent, and emotionally charged nature of their complaint. This was not a humble cry for help or repentance, but a lament born of deep discontent, craving, and ungratefulness, directly challenging God's miraculous and sustaining provision of manna.
From בָּשַׂר, meaning "flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of a man; body, (fat, lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-) kind, [phrase] nakedness, self, skin." Its repeated mention in the verse highlights the singular, intense object of the people's craving, standing in stark contrast to the manna God had graciously provided. The desire for "flesh" here symbolizes a deeper spiritual hunger for immediate, worldly satisfaction over divine sustenance and patient trust.
Verse Breakdown
"And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh:"
This opening clause is God's direct and authoritative command to Moses, positioning him as the divine intermediary. The instruction to "sanctify yourselves" is a solemn and weighty preparation, signaling that the coming event is a significant and serious divine intervention. The promise that "ye shall eat flesh" directly addresses their specific demand, setting the stage for the fulfillment of their desire, though with an implicit warning.
"for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat?"
This clause provides the divine rationale and justification for the impending provision. God explicitly states that His action is a direct and intentional response to their audible, persistent, and ungrateful lament. Their weeping was not a humble, faith-filled petition but a demanding, complaining challenge to God's ability or willingness to provide adequately.
"for [it was] well with us in Egypt:"
This deeply revealing phrase exposes the people's profound spiritual amnesia and distorted perception. They romanticize their past in Egypt, selectively remembering only the availability of diverse foods and forgetting the brutal slavery, oppression, and suffering they endured. This statement profoundly underscores their lack of faith in God's present provision and His liberating power, highlighting a dangerous preference for perceived material comfort over true freedom and divine relationship.
"therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat."
This concluding declaration confirms God's unwavering resolve to fulfill their craving. The "therefore" explicitly links God's action directly to their complaint and ungratefulness. While it is a promise of provision, the broader context of the chapter and the subsequent narrative in Numbers 11:31-34 reveal that this is not a blessing but a stern, even punitive, granting of their desire, allowing them to experience the bitter consequences of their unholy lust and rebellion.
Literary Devices
Numbers 11:18 is rich with literary devices that amplify its profound theological message. Irony is central to the verse, as the people's fervent longing for the "flesh" of Egypt, a symbol of their former bondage and worldly allure, is met with a provision of flesh that ultimately brings judgment and death. This highlights the paradoxical truth that sometimes getting exactly what one desires can be far worse than its absence. Anthropomorphism is powerfully evident in the phrase "wept in the ears of the LORD," portraying God as intimately attentive and responsive to human complaints, even those rooted in ingratitude and rebellion. The text also employs effective Contrast, juxtaposing the miraculous, daily provision of manna (God's gracious and sufficient sustenance) with the people's insatiable craving for meat (human desire for worldly satisfaction and indulgence). Furthermore, the verse contains a strong element of Foreshadowing, as the explicit promise of abundant flesh subtly hints at the severe and tragic consequences that will inevitably follow, preparing the reader for the narrative of the quail and the devastating plague at Kibroth-hattaavah.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Numbers 11:18 offers profound theological insights into the nature of God, the depths of human sin, and the complexities of divine provision and judgment. It reveals God's perfect auditory perception and His active, engaged relationship with His people, even when their cries are born of discontent and rebellion rather than genuine need or humble supplication. It underscores the insidious danger of ingratitude and the spiritual amnesia that can lead individuals to romanticize past bondage over present freedom and divine guidance. The verse teaches a sobering truth: God, in His absolute sovereignty, may sometimes grant desires that are not aligned with His perfect, sanctifying will, allowing individuals to experience the detrimental, even destructive, consequences of their unholy choices. This serves as a stark reminder that not all answered prayers are blessings, particularly when they stem from selfish cravings and a lack of trust in God's wisdom and provision. It calls believers to cultivate deep contentment in God alone and to prayerfully discern their desires in light of His perfect, all-wise plan.
Reflection and Application
Numbers 11:18 stands as a powerful and timeless cautionary tale for believers across all generations. It confronts the insidious nature of discontent and the profound spiritual danger of ungratefulness, even when we are surrounded by God's miraculous and faithful provision. Like the Israelites, we are often prone to romanticize past comforts or long for perceived "better" circumstances, much like they longed for the "flesh pots of Egypt," tragically forgetting the spiritual freedom, divine presence, and true sustenance that only God can provide. This verse challenges us to undertake a deep and honest examination of our own hearts: Are we truly content with God's daily provision and His sovereign leading, or do we harbor unholy cravings that, if granted, might ultimately lead to our spiritual detriment or even judgment? It calls us to cultivate a profound trust in God's wisdom, knowing that His refusal of a particular desire is often a greater act of love and protection than its fulfillment. Our spiritual health and flourishing depend on actively cultivating a spirit of profound gratitude and finding our ultimate satisfaction and joy in God Himself, rather than in the fleeting pleasures or perceived necessities of the world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did God command them to "sanctify" themselves if the provision of meat was a judgment?
The command to "sanctify yourselves" (Hebrew: qadash) is a call to prepare for a holy encounter with God's presence and action. While often associated with purification for worship or receiving blessing, it also signifies preparing for a divine manifestation that carries solemnity and gravity, whether that be blessing or judgment. In this context, it emphasizes the seriousness of their ungratefulness and the impending divine response. It was not a call to make themselves worthy of a blessing, but rather to acknowledge the holiness and power of the God with whom they were contending. It underscored that even in His stern response, God remained holy, and their encounter with His power, even in judgment, required a measure of reverence and readiness. It was a stark reminder of who God is and the gravity of weeping in His ears with unholy demands, as detailed in Numbers 11:4-6.
What does "it was well with us in Egypt" truly mean in this context?
This phrase reveals a profound spiritual amnesia and a distorted, highly selective memory on the part of the Israelites. When they claim "it was well with us in Egypt," they are not referring to their experience as slaves, which was characterized by brutal oppression, forced labor, and the horrific murder of their male infants, as clearly depicted in Exodus 1:11-14. Instead, they are romanticizing the availability of certain foods (fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, garlic — a list explicitly given in Numbers 11:5) and the perceived stability or predictability of their former life, contrasting it sharply with the perceived hardship of the wilderness journey and the monotonous diet of manna. This statement highlights a dangerous preference for physical comfort and perceived security, even under the yoke of bondage, over the spiritual freedom and covenant relationship offered by God in the wilderness. It demonstrates a profound lack of faith and an inability to see God's liberating hand and faithful provision in their present circumstances.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The Israelites' insatiable craving for "flesh" in Numbers 11:18, despite God's miraculous and sustaining provision of manna, profoundly foreshadows humanity's deeper spiritual hunger and our pervasive tendency to seek satisfaction in fleeting earthly desires rather than in God Himself. Just as Israel rejected the heavenly bread for worldly meat, humanity often rejects the true spiritual sustenance offered by God for temporary, often detrimental, pleasures. Jesus, in His transformative ministry, declared Himself to be the "bread of life," the ultimate and perfect provision sent from heaven, far superior to the manna that sustained Israel physically but did not grant eternal life, a truth He powerfully articulates in John 6:35 and John 6:48-51. He warned His followers against laboring for food that perishes and instead urged them to seek the food that endures to eternal life, a profound spiritual directive found in John 6:27. The "flesh" the Israelites craved brought judgment and death, but Jesus offers His own flesh and blood, through the Eucharist, as true spiritual nourishment that leads to eternal life for those who believe and partake, as He teaches in John 6:53-56. Thus, Numbers 11:18, while depicting a poignant moment of Israel's unfaithfulness and God's stern response, ultimately points forward to Christ as the one who fully satisfies our deepest spiritual hunger, offering Himself as the true and eternal provision, contrasting sharply with the temporary and often detrimental satisfactions of the world.