Numbers 11:1-22

¹But the people were discontented (or, were fomenting evil) before the Lord; and it was heard before the Lord, and His anger was strongly moved, and a fire was kindled against them from before the Lord, and it consumed the outskirts of the camp.

²And the people cried unto Mosheh, and Mosheh prayed before the Lord, and the fire was subdued.

³And Mosheh called the name of that place Enkindlement; because the fire had been kindled against them from before the Lord.

⁴And the mixed multitude who were among them demanded with demand; and the children of Israel also turned, and wept, and said: Who will feed us with flesh?

⁵We remember the fish which we ate in Mizraim freely, the cucumbers and melons, the cresses and onions and garlick.

⁶But now our soul longeth, yet there is nothing before our eyes but manna.

⁷Now the manna was like the seed of coriander, and its appearance as the appearance of bedilcha.

⁸And the people went about and gathered; and he who would ground it in mills, or he who would beat it in the mortar, and they dressed it in the pan, and made cakes of it, and its taste was like the taste of a confection of oil.

⁹And when the dew came down upon the camp at night, the manna descended upon it.

¹⁰And Mosheh heard the people lamenting with their families, a man at the door of his tent. And the displeasure of the Lord grew very strong, as in the eyes of Mosheh it was evil.

¹¹And Mosheh said before the Lord, Wherefore hast Thou done painfully to Thy servant, and why have I not found mercy before Thee, that Thou hast put the burden of all this people upon me?

¹²Am I father to all this people, or are they my children, that Thou hast said to me, Carry them in thy strength, as the nurse carrieth the suckling, unto the land which Thou hast covenanted to their fathers?

¹³Whence shall I have flesh to give to all this people? For they lament to me, saying: Give us flesh to eat.

¹⁴I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.

¹⁵And if Thou do thus with me, kill me, I pray, if I have found mercy before Thee, that I may not see my wretchedness.

¹⁶And the Lord said to Mosheh, Gather unto Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be elders of the people, and the overseers thereof, and bring them to the tabernacle of ordinance, and let them stand there with thee;

¹⁷And I will reveal Myself, and will speak with thee there; and I will make enlargement of the Spirit that is upon thee, and put it upon them, that they may bear with thee the burden of the people, and thou mayest not sustain it by thyself alone.

¹⁸And say thou to the people, Prepare yourselves for the morrow, and you shall eat flesh; for that you have lamented before the Lord, saying: Who will give us flesh, that we may eat? For it was better with us in Mizraim; and I will give you flesh, and you shall eat.

¹⁹Not one day shall you eat (it), nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days;

²⁰But for a month of days, until you loathe it, and it be an offence to you; because you have felt, dislike to the Word of the Lord, whose Shekinah dwelleth among you; and before whom you have wept, saying: Why came we out of Mizraim?

²¹But Mosheh said, The people among whom I am are six hundred thousand footmen; and Thou hast said, I will give them flesh to eat for a month of days.

²²Shall the oxen and sheep be slaughtered for them, to satisfy them, or all the fish of the sea be gathered that they may be satisfied?