Numbers 11:22

KJV

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?

KJV (with Strong's)

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?

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?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Numbers 11:22 captures Moses' incredulous and humanly limited response to God's promise to provide meat for the entire Israelite multitude for a full month. Faced with the seemingly impossible task of feeding millions in the barren wilderness, Moses questions whether all the world's livestock and fish could even begin to satisfy such a demand. This verse powerfully highlights the stark contrast between human perception of scarcity and God's boundless omnipotence, setting the stage for a divine demonstration of supernatural provision.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Numbers 11:22 is a pivotal moment within a larger narrative of Israel's persistent grumbling and God's patient, yet sometimes exasperated, response. The chapter opens with the people complaining about their hardships, leading to a consuming fire from the Lord ([Numbers 11:1](/numbers/11-1 "Numbers 11 - Israel's Complaining and God's Provision")). Immediately following, the "rabble" among them, and then the Israelites themselves, express a deep longing for the diverse food of Egypt, despising the manna God had provided daily ([Numbers 11:4](/numbers/11-4 "Numbers 11:4 - The Rabble's Craving")). This incessant complaining deeply burdens Moses, who laments his overwhelming leadership responsibilities to God, feeling as though he alone cannot bear the weight of such a demanding people ([Numbers 11:11](/numbers/11-11 "Numbers 11:11 - Moses' Lament")). In response to their craving for meat, God promises to give them meat for a whole month, not just a day or two, until they are utterly sated and disgusted by it ([Numbers 11:18](/numbers/11-18 "Numbers 11:18 - God Promises Meat")). It is this audacious promise, defying all natural logic in the desert, that elicits Moses' astonished question in verse 22.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Israelites were a vast multitude, estimated to be over 600,000 men, besides women and children, implying a total population of perhaps 2-3 million people, journeying through the desolate Sinai wilderness ([Numbers 1:46](/numbers/1-46 "Numbers 1:46 - Census of Israel")). Their nomadic existence meant they had no agricultural base, and the desert offered minimal natural resources to sustain such a large group. Their recent past included slavery in Egypt, where they had enjoyed a varied diet of fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic, making the monotonous manna seem meager by comparison ([Numbers 11:5](/numbers/11-5 "Numbers 11:5 - Remembering Egyptian Food")). Moses' question reflects the practical impossibility of gathering enough livestock or fish to feed millions in such an environment, drawing upon the common understanding of resource limitations in the ancient world. The cultural expectation was that a large group required immense resources, and Moses' human reasoning could not fathom how God would accomplish this feat.
* **Key Themes:** Numbers 11:22 powerfully underscores several key themes. The primary tension is between **human limitation and divine omnipotence**. Moses, despite his intimate relationship with God and past experiences of miraculous provision (e.g., the parting of the [Red Sea](/exodus/14 "Exodus 14 - The Parting of the Red Sea") or the initial [provision of manna and quail](/exodus/16 "Exodus 16 - Manna and Quail")), momentarily falters, unable to reconcile God's promise with the physical realities of the desert. This highlights the theme of **faith versus sight**, where Moses' human perspective is overwhelmed by the scale of the need. The verse also implicitly touches on the **burden of leadership**, as Moses' weariness from the people's incessant complaints contributes to his moment of doubt, illustrating the immense pressure on those tasked with guiding God's people. Finally, it sets the stage for the theme of **God's abundant and often overwhelming provision**, which transcends human logic and expectation, as seen in the subsequent sending of vast quantities of quail ([Numbers 11:31](/numbers/11-31 "Numbers 11:31 - God Sends Quail")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Suffice (Hebrew, _day_):** This Hebrew word (דַּי) is a particle meaning "enough," "sufficient," or "abundance." It conveys the idea of meeting a need or being adequate for a purpose. In Moses' question, the repeated use of "to suffice them" emphasizes the immense, almost immeasurable, quantity of food that would be required to satisfy the craving of such a vast multitude for a month. Moses' rhetorical question implies that even an unimaginable slaughter of all available livestock and the gathering of all fish in the sea would *not* be "day" (enough) for them, underscoring the human perception of inadequacy when faced with overwhelming need. It sets up the dramatic contrast with God's supernatural sufficiency.
* **Slain (Hebrew, _shaḥaṭ_):** This verb (שָׁחַט) means "to slaughter," "to kill," often in the context of ritual sacrifice or for food. Moses envisions an immense, unprecedented slaughter of animals from "the flocks and the herds." The use of this word highlights the sheer scale of the physical act required to provide meat, emphasizing the practical impossibility of such an undertaking in the wilderness. It underscores the physical, tangible nature of the provision being requested and the human effort required to obtain it.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them?"**: Moses begins with a rhetorical question, expressing his astonishment and doubt. He considers the most obvious source of meat – livestock. The phrase "flocks and herds" encompasses all domestic animals (sheep, goats, cattle) that could provide meat. The idea of them being "slain" for the people implies a massive, continuous slaughter. The concluding "to suffice them" (לָהֶם דַּי, *lahem day*) highlights the immense and seemingly unattainable quantity needed to satisfy millions for an entire month, suggesting that even this vast supply would be inadequate.
* **"or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?"**: Moses then expands his thought to include an even more improbable source of food in the desert: fish. This hyperbole ("all the fish of the sea") underscores the extreme nature of his skepticism. The concept of "gathering together" all the fish implies an act of divine intervention on a scale that Moses, in his moment of human weakness, cannot conceive. Again, the phrase "to suffice them" emphasizes the insatiable nature of the people's craving and the seemingly insurmountable challenge of meeting it, even with the entirety of the world's aquatic life.

#### Literary Devices
Numbers 11:22 is rich in **Rhetorical Question**, a device where a question is posed not to elicit an answer, but to make an assertion or to create a dramatic effect. Moses' questions are not genuine inquiries about God's capabilities, but rather expressions of his profound doubt and human incredulity. By asking them, he emphasizes the perceived impossibility of God's promise from a human perspective. The verse also employs **Hyperbole**, particularly in the phrase "all the fish of the sea," which is an exaggeration used for emphasis. Moses uses this extreme statement to underscore the overwhelming scale of the demand and the perceived inadequacy of all earthly resources to meet it. This hyperbole effectively highlights the vast chasm between human limitation and divine omnipotence. Furthermore, there is a subtle **Irony** at play; Moses, the very leader who has witnessed countless supernatural acts of provision, momentarily forgets God's limitless power, setting the stage for God to demonstrate His sufficiency in an even more spectacular way.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Moses' question in Numbers 11:22 serves as a timeless illustration of the human tendency to limit God based on our finite understanding and resources. It highlights the fundamental theological truth that God's power and provision are not constrained by human logic, physical limitations, or the apparent scarcity of earthly means. Just as Moses struggled to comprehend how millions could be fed in a desert, we often face challenges that seem insurmountable from our vantage point, forgetting that God's capacity far exceeds our imagination. This moment of doubt, however, becomes a powerful backdrop for God to reveal His boundless nature, demonstrating that His resources are infinite and His promises are always fulfilled, regardless of how impossible they may seem to us. It is a profound lesson in trusting God's omnipotence over our own perceptions of impossibility.

* [Numbers 11:23](/numbers/11-23 "Numbers 11:23 - God's Response to Moses")
* [Isaiah 55:8-9](/isaiah/55-8 "Isaiah 55:8-9 - God's Thoughts and Ways")
* [Matthew 19:26](/matthew/19-26 "Matthew 19:26 - With God All Things Are Possible")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Moses' incredulous question in Numbers 11:22 provides a profound mirror for our own faith. How often do we, like Moses, look at the magnitude of a problem, the scarcity of resources, or the sheer impossibility of a situation, and unconsciously limit God? This verse challenges us to move beyond a human-centric view of provision and possibility. It calls us to remember that the God who created the heavens and the earth, who sustains all life, and who has a track record of miraculous intervention, is not bound by our economic models, our logistical constraints, or our limited imagination. When faced with overwhelming needs, whether personal, communal, or global, we are invited to shift our perspective from "How can *I* do this?" or "How can *this* be done?" to "How will *God* do this?" It is a call to radical trust in God's infinite capacity and unwavering faithfulness, even when His methods defy our understanding.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life are you currently limiting God based on your own perception of scarcity or impossibility?**
* **How does Moses' moment of doubt encourage or challenge your own faith when faced with overwhelming circumstances?**
* **What specific promises of God do you find difficult to believe or apply due to their seemingly impossible nature?**

### FAQ

**Why did Moses, after witnessing so many miracles, still doubt God's ability to provide?**

Answer: Moses' doubt, while seemingly contradictory to his experiences, highlights the persistent struggle of human faith in the face of overwhelming circumstances and personal weariness. By this point in the wilderness journey, Moses had been leading a perpetually complaining and rebellious people for a significant period. The constant burden of their grievances, as expressed in [Numbers 11:11-15](/numbers/11-11 "Numbers 11:11-15 - Moses' Burden"), had evidently taken a toll on him. His question was not necessarily a theological denial of God's omnipotence, but rather an outburst of human exasperation and a failure of immediate practical imagination. He was looking at the problem through human eyes, considering the immense logistical challenge, rather than immediately recalling God's limitless power. It serves as a reminder that even the strongest leaders and most faithful servants can experience moments of human frailty and doubt.

**What was God's response to Moses' question?**

Answer: God's response to Moses' question was swift and powerful, serving as both a gentle rebuke and a profound affirmation of His unlimited power. In [Numbers 11:23](/numbers/11-23 "Numbers 11:23 - God's Response to Moses"), the Lord rhetorically asks Moses, "Is the Lord's hand waxed short? Now you shall see whether My word will come to pass for you or not." This question directly challenges Moses' implicit doubt, reminding him that God's power is never diminished or insufficient. Immediately following this, God supernaturally sent an immense quantity of quail, so vast that it covered the land for two days' journey around the camp, providing more than enough meat for the Israelites, just as He had promised ([Numbers 11:31-32](/numbers/11-31 "Numbers 11:31-32 - God Sends Quail")). This divine act unequivocally demonstrated God's ability to provide beyond all human comprehension or limitation.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Moses' incredulous question in Numbers 11:22, grappling with the physical impossibility of feeding millions in the desert, finds its ultimate answer and fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The wilderness provision of manna and quail, though miraculous, was temporary and pointed to a greater, eternal sustenance. Jesus, the true [Bread of Life](/john/6-35 "John 6:35 - Jesus, the Bread of Life"), declares that He is the one who gives eternal life, a provision far surpassing any physical food. Just as Moses questioned the sufficiency of earthly resources, humanity often questions how spiritual hunger can be truly satisfied, or how sin can be fully atoned for. Christ's coming demonstrates that God's "hand is not waxed short" ([Numbers 11:23](/numbers/11-23 "Numbers 11:23 - God's Response to Moses")) when it comes to our deepest needs. He miraculously fed thousands with a few loaves and fish ([John 6:11-13](/john/6-11 "John 6:11-13 - Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand")), a powerful echo of God's wilderness provision, showcasing His divine abundance over human scarcity. Ultimately, Christ's sacrifice on the cross provides the ultimate "suffice" for our sin and spiritual need, offering eternal life and reconciliation with God, a provision that no amount of human effort or earthly resource could ever gather or procure ([John 3:16](/john/3-16 "John 3:16 - God's Love for the World")). In Him, all the fullness of God dwells, and from His fullness, we have all received grace upon grace ([Colossians 2:9-10](/colossians/2-9 "Colossians 2:9-10 - Fullness in Christ"); [John 1:16](/john/1-16 "John 1:16 - Fullness of Grace")).

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

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?

2 Kings 7:2

Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, [if] the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see [it] with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

Luke 1:18

And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

John 6:6

And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

John 6:7

Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

Mark 6:37

He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?

Luke 1:34

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?