Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 11:20
[But] even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which [is] among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?
Till it come out at your nostrils; which meat loathed and violently vomited up frequently doth;
and it be loathsome unto you, being glutted with the abundance of it. Thus God destroys them by granting their desires, and turns even their blessings into curses; whilst he deals much more favourably with Moses, though he also fell into the same sin with the people, i.e. impatience and murmuring. But God will make a great difference between persons and persons, and between Mosess sins of infirmity and the peoples presumptuous and oft-repeated provocations.
Ye have despised the Lord, i.e. you have lightly esteemed his bounty and manifold blessings in manna and other things, and have preferred the leeks, onions, &c. of Egypt before them all; you have slighted and distrusted his promises and providence after so long and large experience of it.
Which is among you; who is present and resident with you to observe all your carriages, and to punish your offences. This is added as a great aggravation of the crime, to sin in the presence of the Judge.
Why came we forth out of Egypt? Why did God do us such an injury? Why did we so foolishly follow and obey him in coming forth?
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
[But] even a whole month,…. So long the Israelites continued at Taberah or Kibrothhattaavah, as the Jews o conclude from this clause:
until it come out at your nostrils; being vomited up, through a nausea of it, the stomach being overfilled and glutted with it; in which case, it will make its way through the nostrils, as well as out of the mouth:
and it be loathsome unto you; being surfeited with it; or it shall be for “dispersion” p, scattered about from the mouth and nostrils:
because that ye have despised the Lord which [is] among you; who dwelt in the tabernacle that was in the midst of them, whom they despised by treating the manna with contempt he so plentifully spread about their camp, and by distrusting his power to give them flesh, and by murmuring and complaining against him on the account of their having none: the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan are,
“because ye have loathed the Word of the Lord, whose Shechinah (or the glory of whose Shechinah, as Jonathan) dwelleth among you;”
the essential Word, and who was figured by the manna they tasted and despised:
and have wept before him; complaining of him, and murmuring against him:
saying, why came we forth out of Egypt? suggesting it would have been better for them if they had stayed there; thus reflecting on the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, displayed in the deliverance of them, and for which they had the utmost reason to be thankful.
o Seder Olam Rabba, c. 8. p. 24. p “in dispersionem”, Munster, Fagius, Montanus: so R. Joseph Kimchi, apud Kimchi Sepher Shorash rad. “et Aben dana”.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
20. Until it come out at your nostrils We cannot agree with Bishop Patrick that this is a prediction of copious vomiting, but rather that so great a quantity would be eaten day after day that the digestive power would fail, and the stench of the foul stomach would pour forth through the nose.
Says the Targum of Palestine, “Until the smell of it come forth from your nostrils.”
Loathsome Offensive even to themselves. Because ye
despised the Lord
Which is among you The Chaldee elucidates the heinousness of the sin: “whose divine majesty dwells among you,” in the shekinah. Under Tiberius the offence of majestas (treason) was extended to all acts and words which might appear to be disrespectful to the emperor.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Num 11:20
Ver. 20. But even a whole month. ] Deus saepe dat iratus quod negat propitius. Patientia Dei quo diuturnior, eo minacior –
“ Poena venit gravior quo magis sera venit. ”
God’s forbearance is no quittance: fatted beasts are but fitted for the slaughter: wicked men are killed with kindnesses: “Ease slayeth the fool.” Pro 1:32
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
whole month = a month of days.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
whole month: Heb. month of days, Exo 16:8, Exo 16:13
and it: Num 21:5, Psa 78:27-30, Psa 106:15, Pro 27:7
despised: 1Sa 2:30, 2Sa 12:10, Mal 1:6, Act 13:41, 1Th 4:8
Reciprocal: Exo 7:18 – shall loathe Deu 12:20 – I will Psa 10:13 – contemn Psa 78:29 – for he gave Jer 23:17 – that despise
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 11:20. Until it come out at your nostrils That is, till your impatient appetites be glutted; and by another instance of divine power, you be convinced to your shame how irreligiously, distrustfully, and ungratefully you have acted toward God amidst all his merciful providences toward you. The expression presents a very strong, though disagreeable idea of satiety and surfeit, when the overloaded stomach disburdens itself at the mouth and nostrils. Ye have despised the Lord You have lightly esteemed his bounty and manifold blessings; you have slighted and distrusted his promises and providence after so long and large experience of it. The Lord who is among you Who is present and resident with you, to observe all your carriage, and to punish your offences. This is added as a great aggravation of the crime, to sin in the presence of the judge. Why came we forth out of Egypt? Why did God do us such an injury? Why did we so foolishly obey him in coming forth?
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
11:20 [But] even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have {m} despised the LORD which [is] {n} among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?
(m) Or, cast him off, because you refused manna, which he appointed as most suitable for you.
(n) Who leads and governs you.