Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 11:10
Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.
Num 11:10-15
Wherefore hast Thou afflicted Thy servant?
The sufferings of the good in the path of duty
I. Look at the afflictions of godly men in the path of duty as a fact.
1. Good men suffer afflictions.
2. Good men suffer affliction in the path of duty.
II. Look at the afflictions of godly men in the path of duty as a problem.
1. A difficulty. Moses felt it.
2. Faith in the power of God to remove the difficulty.
III. Offer some hints towards the solution of the problem. The afflictions of the good in the path of duty, under the blessing of God, tend.
1. To test their faith. Character, says Dr. Huntington, depends on inward strength. But this strength has two conditions; it is increased only by being put forth, and it is tested only by some resistance. So, if the spiritual force or character in you is to be strong, it must be measured against some competition. It must enter into conflict with an antagonist. It must stand in comparison with something formidable enough to be a standard of its power Suffering, then, in some of its forms, must be introduced–the appointed minister, the great essayist–to put the genuineness of faith to the proof and purify it of its dross.
2. To promote their perfection. As the Perfect One reached His perfectness through suffering, says Dr. Ferguson, so it was with His servant. It was through the fire and the flame that the law of separation and refinement acted on the whole nature, and gave to it higher worth and glory. Trial ripened his manly spirit and made it patient to endure.
3. To enhance their joy hereafter (cf. Mat 5:10-12; Rom 8:17-18; 2Co 4:17-18; Rev 7:14-17).
4. To promote the good of the race. The Christian is called to know the fellowship of Christs sufferings–to suffer vicariously with Him that others may be saved and blessed. In the privilege of this high fellowship the sharpest sufferings become sacred and exalting services.
Conclusion:
1. Severe afflictions in the path of duty are in full accord with the character of God.
2. Such sufferings are quite compatible with the favour of God towards us (cf. Heb 12:5-11)
.
3. When severe suffering leads to sore perplexity let us seek help of God (cf. Psa 73:16-17)
. (W. Jones.)
The burdens of leadership
I. That the position of leader or governor of men is a very trying one.
1. Because of the responsible nature of the duties of leadership.
2. Because of the interest which the true leader takes in his charge.
3. Because of the intractableness of men.
II. The true leader of men must often be painfully conscious of his insufficiency.
III. The ablest and holiest leaders of men sometimes fail under the burdens of their position. Conclusion:
1. Great honours involve great obligations.
2. A man may fail even in the strongest point of his character. Moses was pre-eminently meek, yet here he is petulant, &c. Therefore, Watch thou in all things, &c.
3. It is the duty of men not to increase, but if possible to lessen the difficulties and trials of leadership. (W. Jones.)
Seeing afflictions from Gods standpoin:
Christian friend, did you ever take your stand beside your God, and see what there is to be seen? Do so; and it may be that, in your deprivations and disappointments, you will behold a wonderful and beautiful arrangement by which you can glorify God far better than by the gratification of your own selfish and earth-bound desires. Never were the Israelites better off than when they had just enough manna for the day, and not a morsel over; and it may be you are richer and happier in your present condition than you could have been in any other. See if it be not so! I thank God! said one, that I lost my all; for it has led me up into many blessed experiences with my God which I never knew while I was held down by the golden chain of worldly possessions. Then my affections were set on things on the earth, but now they rise to heaven. If you see things from Gods standpoint your black trouble will appear fringed with brightness, relieving the monotonous darkness upon which you have fixed your steady gaze far too long already. Look at your prolonged affliction from this point of view, and you will discern secret fingers carving the delicate lily work which shall adorn you in the upper sanctuary, when you become a pillar in the temple of your God. It may be by the very method so distasteful to you, the cherubim of adoring reverence are being woven into the texture of your being. Yes, do see what there is to be seen, for in every dispensation there is the hand of a Divine purpose, full of love, and wisdom, and grace. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Afflictions may be full of mercies
In one of the German picture galleries is a painting called Cloudland. It hangs at the end of a long gallery, and, at first sight, It looks like a huge, repulsive daub of confused colour, without form or comeliness. As you walk toward it the picture begins to take shape. It proves to be a mass of exquisite little cherub faces, like those at the head of the canvas in Raphaels Madonna San Sisto. If you come close to the picture you see only an innumerable company of little angels and cherubims. How often the soul that is frightened by trials sees nothing but a confused and repulsive mass of broken expectations and crushed hopes I But if that soul, instead of fleeing away into unbelief and despair, would only draw up near to God, it would soon discover that the cloud was full of angels Of mercy. In one cherub face it would see, Whom I love, I chasten. Another angel would say, All things work together for good to them that love God. (T. L. Cuyler.)
Affliction preferable to sin
Here are two guests come to my door; both of them ask to have a lodging with me. The one is called Affliction; he has a very grave voice, and a very heavy hand, and he looks at me with fierce eyes. The other is called Sin, and he is very soft-spoken, and very fair, and his words are softer than butter. Let me scan their faces, let me examine them as to their character, I must not be deceived by appearances. I will ask my two friends who would lodge with me, to open their hands. When my friend Affliction, with some little difficulty opens his hand, I find that, rough as it is, he carries a jewel inside it, and that he meant to leave that jewel at my house. But as for my soft-spoken friend Sin, when I force him to show me what that is which he hides in his sleeve, I find that it is a dagger with which he would have stabbed me. What shall I do, then, if I am wise? Why, I should be very glad if they would both be good enough to go and stop somewhere else, but if I must entertain one of the two, I would shut my door in the face of smooth-spoken Sin, and say to the rougher and uglier visitor, Affliction, Come and stop with me, for may be God sent you as a messenger of mercy to my soul. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
In the door of his tent; to note, that they were not ashamed of their sin.
Moses was displeased; partly, for their great unthankfulness; partly, foreseeing the dreadful judgments coming upon them, and partly, for his own burden expressed in the following verses.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10-15. Moses said unto the Lord,Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant, &c.It isimpossible not to sympathize with his feelings although the tone andlanguage of his remonstrances to God cannot be justified. He was in amost distressing situationhaving a mighty multitude under hiscare, with no means of satisfying their clamorous demands. Theirconduct shows how deeply they had been debased and demoralized bylong oppression: while his reveals a state of mind agonizedand almost overwhelmed by a sense of the undivided responsibilitiesof his office.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families,…. So general was their lusting after flesh, and their discontent for want of it; and so great their distress and uneasiness about it, that they wept and cried for it, and so loud and clamorous, that Moses heard the noise and outcry they made:
every man in the door of his tent: openly and publicly, were not ashamed of their evil and unbecoming behaviour, and in order to excite and encourage the like temper and disposition in others; though it may have respect, as some have observed, to the door of the tent of Moses, about which they gathered and mutinied; and which better accounts for his hearing the general cry they made; and so in an ancient writing of the Jews it is said l, they were waiting for Moses until he came out at the door of the school; and they were sitting and murmuring:
and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly; because of their ingratitude to him, their contempt of the manna he had provided for them, and their hankering after their poor fare in Egypt, and for which they had endured so much hardship and ill usage, and for the noise and clamour they now made:
Moses also was displeased; with the people on the same account, and with the Lord also for laying and continuing so great a burden upon him, as the care of this people, which appears by what follows.
l Siphri apud Yalkut in loc.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
When Moses heard the people weep, “ according to their families, every one before the door of his tent, ” i.e., heard complaining in all the families in front of every tent, so that the weeping had become universal throughout the whole nation (cf. Zec 12:12.), and the wrath of the Lord burned on account of it, and the thing displeased Moses also, he brought his complaint to the Lord. The words “ Moses also was displeased, ” are introduced as a circumstantial clause, to explain the matter more clearly, and show the reason for the complaint which Moses poured out before the Lord, and do not refer exclusively either to the murmuring of the people or to the wrath of Jehovah, but to both together. This follows evidently from the position in which the clause stands between the two antecedent clauses in Num 11:10 and the apodosis in Num 11:11, and still more evidently from the complaint of Moses which follows. For “the whole attitude of Moses shows that his displeasure was excited not merely by the unrestrained rebellion of the people against Jehovah, but also by the unrestrained wrath of Jehovah against the nation” ( Kurtz). But in what was the wrath of Jehovah manifested? It broke out against the people first of all when they had been satiated with flesh (Num 11:33). There is no mention of any earlier manifestation. Hence Moses can only have discovered a sign of the burning wrath of Jehovah in the fact that, although the discontent of the people burst forth in loud cries, God did not help, but withdrew with His help, and let the whole storm of the infuriated people burst upon him.
Num 11:11-14 In Moses’ complaint there is an unmistakeable discontent arising from the excessive burden of his office. “ Why hast Thou done evil to Thy servant? and why have I not found favour in Thy sight, to lay upon me the burden of all this people? ” The “burden of all this people” is the expression which he uses to denote “the care of governing the people, and providing everything for it” ( C. a. Lap.). This burden, which God imposed upon him in connection with his office, appeared to him a bad and ungracious treatment on the part of God. This is the language of the discontent of despair, which differs from the murmuring of unbelief, in the fact that it is addressed to God, for the purpose of entreating help and deliverance from Him; whereas unbelief complains of the ways of God, but while complaining of its troubles, does not pray to the Lord its God. “ Have I conceived all this people, ” Moses continues, “ or have I brought it forth, that Thou requirest me to carry it in my bosom, as a nursing father carries the suckling, into the promised land? ” He does not intend by these words to throw off entirely all care for the people, but simply to plead with God that the duty of carrying and providing for Israel rests with Him, the Creator and Father of Israel (Exo 4:22; Isa 63:16). Moses, a weak man, was wanting in the omnipotent power which alone could satisfy the crying of the people for flesh. , “ they weep unto me, ” i.e., they come weeping to ask me to relieve their distress. “ I am not able to carry this burden alone; it is too heavy for me.”
Num 11:15 “ If Thou deal thus with me, then kill me quite ( inf. abs., expressive of the uninterrupted process of killing; see Ewald, 280, b.), if I have found favour in Thine eyes (i.e., if Thou wilt show me favour), and let me not see my misfortune.” “My misfortune:” i.e., the calamity to which I must eventually succumb.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Verses 10-15:
The complaining was not confined to one particular segment of Israel, but it pervaded the entire camp. Its public display implies that it was pre-arranged. This indicates that the people were acting like spoiled children, attempting to get their way by their loud and incessant clamor and weeping.
Moses realized the anger of Jehovah with Israel, and he was filled with despair. He was ready to quit, for he considered the burden of leadership of such a fickle people was more than he could bear alone.
Moses’ attitude was also wrong in this matter. God had not given him the sole responsibility of providing Israel’s food. He did not expect Moses to be a father to all Israel. In his helplessness, Moses asked God to kill him rather than to permit him to be a total failure.
Moses’ attitude reflects that of spiritual leaders today, who look to their own limitations, and try to take on responsibility God does not intend they should assume. Peter’s instructions to spiritual leaders are relevant to this, 1Pe 5:1-8.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
10. Then Moses heard the people weep. Wonderful indeed, and almost prodigious was the madness of the people, thus all of them to mourn as if reduced to the extremity of despair. What would they have done in actual famine? what if they had to gnaw bitter roots, almost without any juice in them? What if they had had to live on tasteless and unwholesome bread? We see, therefore, how by the indulgence of their depraved lusts men make themselves wretched in the very midst of prosperity. Let us, then, learn to bridle our excessive passions, that we may not bring upon ourselves troubles and inconveniences, and all sorts of painful feelings; for if the cause be duly weighed, when men afflict themselves with sorrow and lamentation, we shall generally find that, whereas the evil might be lightened by endurance, its pain is increased by preposterous imaginations. But here a gross instance of luxury is set before us, when, in their satiety, they weep as if long abstinence threatened them with death. It was an effect of holy and praiseworthy zeal, that this great perverseness should displease Moses; but he was not without error in carrying it to excess; for he unjustly expostulates with God, complaining that He had laid too heavy a burden upon him, when tie knew all the time that he was sustained by His power. His charge was indeed difficult and laborious; but in that he had experienced God’s wondrous aid, whenever he had groaned beneath his burden, there was no room for complaint; besides, since he had been dignified by a peculiar honor, it was ungrateful to brand with disgrace the good gift of God. He reputes it his greatest evil that the charge of governing the people had been intrusted to him; whereas all his senses ought rather to have been ravished with astonishment, that God had condescended to choose him to be the redeemer of His people, and the minister of His wondrous power. This, too, was very inconsiderate, to ask whether he had begotten or brought forth the people; as if his calling by God did not lay him sufficiently under obligation, or as if there were no other ties than those of nature. God, indeed, has inspired parents with such love towards their offspring, that they willingly undergo incredible troubles on their account; but Moses was bound by another kind of piety, for by God’s command he was father of the people. Wherefore he ought not to have only regarded nature, but the obligation of his office also.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) Moses also was displeased.Or, And it was evil (or, displeasing) in the eyes of Moses. Moses was displeased with the people on account of their murmuring, and he was oppressed with the heavy burden of responsibility to which he felt himself unequal.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
THE COMPLAINT OF MOSES, Num 11:10-15.
The human infirmity of Moses, and his imperfection as a mediator, here strikingly appear. His faith, his repose of soul in the Almighty, is evidently shaken. He had not learned that God strengthens the back while he increases the burden, the lesson so well learned by St. Paul: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” The sensuality and insubordination of this company of serfs, just set free from the brickkilns of Egypt, greatly aggravated the burdens of Moses as the national executive, and justify his appeal to the Lord.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
10. Every man This indicates the universality of the disaffection.
In the door of his tent Not secretly but publicly giving vent to his tears and complaints. The anger of the Lord was justly kindled in view of the ingratitude of the people for their deliverance from bondage, their forgetfulness of past mercies, their contempt for present blessings, and their distrust of the divine guidance. Faith never complains.
Moses also was displeased His very sympathy with Jehovah required this displeasure. Anger in the interest of God and justice, and not asthe expression of personal resentment, is not only innocent but is demanded. Plato says, that he who cannot be angry at an outrage upon innocence is like a man with a withered muscle.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Moses is Given Assistants
v. 10. Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent, v. 11. And Moses said unto the Lord, v. 12. Have I conceived all this people, have I begotten them, that Thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, v. 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. v. 14. I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me; v. 15. And if Thou deal thus with me, v. 16. And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them, v. 17. And I will come down and talk with thee there; and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee and will put it upon them, v. 18. And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow, and ye shall eat flesh, v. 19. Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; v. 20. but even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you, v. 21. And Moses said, The people among whom I am are six hundred thousand footmen, v. 22. Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them to suffice them? v. 23. And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord’s hand waxed short, v. 24. And Moses went out, v. 25. And the Lord came down in a cloud and spake unto him, v. 26. But there remained two of the men in the camp, v. 27. And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp; v. 28. And Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. v. 29. And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? “Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them! v. 30. And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel;
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
DISCOURSE: 150
INORDINATE DESIRE PUNISHED
Num 11:10-13. Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: And the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly: Moses also was displeased. 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 burthen of all this people upon me? Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, (as a nursing father beareth the sucking child,) unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.
TRULY humiliating are the views which the Scripture gives us of human instability. Who would have thought that the zeal which all the princes of Israel manifested in furnishing the tabernacle [Note: Numbers 7 :.] should so soon vanish? The first journey which they have to perform, fills them all with discontent: it being continued three days without intermission, all complain of the length of the way. Some are signally punished by the Lord, being struck dead by fire: but the survivors, neither awed by the judgments inflicted on others, nor won by the mercy shewn to themselves, soon murmur again for want of variety in their food. At this, Moses is deeply grieved, and God is greatly offended. That the different circumstances may come easily under our review, we shall notice in succession,
I.
The sin of Israel
They were discontented with the food which God had given them
[They wanted flesh to eat, that they might gratify their palates; and were so vexed for want of it as to weep in all their tents. To excuse these inordinate desires, they complained, that they were emaciated by subsisting only on such insipid food as God had provided for them [Note: ver. 6.]. They invidiously compared their state in Egypt with their present state; omitting all which they had suffered there, and magnifying the comforts which they had there enjoyed Thus they misrepresented both their past and present condition, that they might the better conceal their ingratitude, and justify their complaints.]
This was nothing less than a contempt of God himself [Note: ver. 20. Ye have despised the Lord, &c.]
[What had not God done for them? What more could he have done? He had brought them out of Egypt with a high hand; and had overwhelmed their enemies in the Red Sea: he had been their Guide and Protector in all their way: he had given them bread from heaven, and water out of the rock: had revealed unto them his will, and taken them into a peculiar relation to himself above all the people upon the face of the earth; and yet, all that he had done was accounted as nothing, because they wanted flesh to eat. Is it possible to conceive a greater contempt of God than this? ]
Such a sin is discontent, in whomsoever it is found
[There are many things in this world which a discontented mind will pant after or regret. But the indulging of such a disposition is rebellion against the Sovereign Disposer of all events; yea, it is an utter contempt of him. What! is it not sufficient to have God for our Father, Christ for our Saviour, the Spirit for our Comforter, and heaven for our everlasting inheritance, but must we murmur and complain because all temporal circumstances are not to our mind? What signifies any temporal want or loss, when we have such unsearchable riches secured to us? In comparison of such blessings, the greatest of earthly comforts is no more than the dust upon the balance. But this, alas! we are too apt to forget: we are ready, like the Israelites, to overlook all the mercies we enjoy, through an excessive regret of something lost, or an inordinate desire of something unpossessed.]
When we reflect on the exceeding baseness of this conduct, we shall not wonder at,
II.
The grief of Moses
We cannot altogether approve of the manner in which Moses expressed his sorrow
[He not only complained to God, but in reality complained of God himself. God had appointed him to lead that people to the land of Canaan. This should have been considered by him as a singular honour: but he complained of it as a burthen. Not that he would ever have complained of it, if the people had walked worthy of their high calling: but when they were dissatisfied and rebellious, it seemed to him as if all his labour had been in vain. Had he been their natural father, he would have thought it reasonable enough that he should take the oversight of them: but when he had no other relation to them than that which was common to all, he deemed it a hardship to have so great a charge committed to him; and he begged that God would release him from it by taking away his fife Alas! what is human nature when it comes to be severely tried! ]
But from this we learn some very important lessons
We learn what the ministerial office is
[God says to a Minister, Take this people, and, as a nursing father carried his sucking child through the wilderness, where there were no other means for its conveyance, so do you carry them in your bosom, bearing with all their frowardness, attending to all their wants, administering to all their necessities, and seeking your happiness in their welfare. O! what a charge is this! and what grace do they need who have to sustain and execute it! O that all of us resembled Paul [Note: 1Th 2:7-8.]! ]
We learn also what a Ministers heaviest affliction is.
[If his people be obedient to their God, great as his difficulties are, he is willing to bear them: his people are his joy and crown of rejoicing: he lives, when they stand fast in the Lord: he has no greater joy than to see his children walk in truth. But when they decline from the ways of God, when they are dissatisfied with his ministrations, and begin to despise the bread of life, because it is plain and unmixed with any thing suited to a carnal appetite, then he is grieved, and wounded in his inmost soul; then life itself becomes a burthen to him, and he is ready to wish for death to put a period to his sorrows. We remember how Paul was grieved by the worldliness and sensuality of some, and by the heretical conduct of others: he could not speak of them without tears [Note: Php 3:18-19.]; and he was always like a woman in travail, by reason of his anxiety for their welfare [Note: Gal 4:19.]. The care of all the churches was a heavier burthen to him than all his own perils and dangers, whether by sea or land. None were weak, but he was weak also; nor were any offended and turned aside, but he burned with an ardent desire to restore them. O that every minister were thus wrapped up in the good of the people committed to his care! His afflictions might abound; but his consolations should abound also.]
That which so deeply afflicted Moses, excited, in a very high degree,
III.
The displeasure of God
It is instructive to observe in what manner God manifested his displeasure
[He granted their wishes, and sent them such abundance of quails, that for many miles round their camp they lay above a yard thick upon the ground. The people with great avidity began to gather them up. For two whole days and a night did they occupy themselves in this work: so he who gathered least among them, gathered ten homers, or eighty bushels. Now they began to revel upon the spoil; but whilst the flesh was in their mouths, even before it was chewed, God smote them with a very great plague, whereof many thousands of them died [Note: ver. 32, 33 with Psa 78:17-31.] How strongly did God mark their sin in their punishment!]
But we are peculiarly interested in the end for which he thus displayed his indignation
[He expressly tells us, that it was for our sakes, and to make them ensamples unto us [Note: 1Co 10:6; 1Co 10:10-11.]. He designed to teach us not to lust after evil things, as they lusted. O that we could learn that lesson, and take warning by them! We are ready to think it a light matter to be dissatisfied with what we have, and to be longing for what we have not: but God has shewn us that he does not account it light: he deems it a contempt of him and of the rich mercies he has vouchsafed unto us; and as such, he will sooner or later visit it with fiery indignation ]
Suffer ye then, Brethren, a word of exhortation
1.
Guard against the contagion of bad example
[It was the mixed multitude who first began to murmur [Note: ver. 4. They were Egyptians, who accompanied the Israelites.]; and from them the dissatisfaction spread through all the tents of Israel. Thus did Judas infect all the disciples [Note: Compare Mat 26:7-9 with Joh 12:4-6.]. Thus shall we ever find it in the Church: a little leaven is sufficient to leaven the whole lump. If there be any one of a carnal, worldly, querulous and contentious spirit, be sure to let him have no influence over your mind. Reject his counsels as poison; and follow none any further than they follow Christ ]
2.
Cultivate a contented spirit
[Be contented with such things as ye have. It is better to have little with a devout spirit, than abundance, and leanness of soul withal. God shewed that it was not from any want of power that he did not feed them every day with flesh; but because he knew that it would be productive of no good to their souls. Think not that it is from any want of love or power that he suffers you to be tried in a variety of ways. He could easily carry you on without any trials, and give you all that the most carnal heart could desire. But trials are the fruits of his love: he desires to instruct you in every part of your duty; that you may know both how to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. Learn then in every thing to be content, and to say from your hearts in all things, Not my will, but thine be done.]
3.
Expect from God all that is truly good for you
[Moses himself staggered at the promise, when God said, that all the people should feed on flesh for a whole month [Note: ver. 21, 22.]: but God said to him, Is the Lords hand waxed short? Thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not [Note: ver. 23.]. His promises to us also are exceeding great and precious, both in relation to our bodies and our souls Let us never presume to limit the Holy One of Israel, as though any thing which he has promised, were either too great, or too good, for him to give. The trials which he sends us, are often sent on purpose that we may see the exceeding riches of his grace in our deliverance. For temporal things, let us depend entirely on his good providence; and for spiritual things, on his all-sufficient grace. In Christ Jesus there is a fulness of all that we can want; and out of his fulness we may all receive from day to day ]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
Paul’s advice on this subject is very earnest, 1Co 10:1-11 . But what I would most earnestly beg the Reader to keep in view in this history is, the spiritual illustration of it by Paul. He calls it spiritual meat; and positively explains it, in the Chapter I have just referred to, in reference to the LORD JESUS. Hence the LORD’S anger was greatly kindled at the people’s contempt of it. And the reason is obvious. It was in effect despising his rich salvation, and preferring the Egyptian bondage to the freedom of the gospel. Reader! how stands the case with your soul? Do you prefer the bread of life in the wilderness state with JESUS for your portion, to all the luxuries of Egypt in the carnal enjoyment of sin for a season? May the LORD give you and me the faith spoken of. Heb 11:24-26 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Num 11:10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.
Ver. 10. Weep throughout their families. ] Generally and openly they rebelled and murmured, though so lately they had smarted at Taberah. And this they did, not once or twice, but ten times over; whereby it appears that God chose this unthankful people, not for their merits, sed ex mera et mira misericordia. He chose them for his love, and loved them for his choice.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
man. Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14.
door = entrance.
Moses also was displeased = it was evil in Moses’ eyes, as in Num 11:1.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
weep throughout: Num 14:1, Num 14:2, Num 16:27, Num 21:5, Psa 106:25
the anger: Num 11:1, Deu 32:22, Psa 78:21, Psa 78:59, Isa 5:25, Jer 17:4
Moses: Num 12:3, Num 20:10-13, Psa 106:32, Psa 106:33, Psa 139:21, Mar 3:5, Mar 10:14
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 11:10-14. Every man in the door of his tent To denote they were not ashamed of their sin. Have I not found favour Why didst thou not hear my prayer when I desired thou wouldst excuse me, and commit the care of this unruly people to some other person? Have I begotten them?
Are they my children, that I should be obliged to provide food and all things for their necessity and desire? To bear The burden of providing for and satisfying them. Alone Others were only assistant to him in smaller matters; but the harder and greater affairs, such as this unquestionably was, were brought to Moses and determined by him alone.