1._And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord. _(11) The ambiguous signification of the participle (12) causes the translators to twist this passage into a variety of meanings. Since the Hebrew root און,_aven, _is sometimes trouble and labor, sometimes fatigue, sometimes iniquity, someti... [ Continue Reading ]
4._And the mixed multitude that was among them. A _new murmuring of the people is here recorded: for we gather from many circumstances that this relation is different from that which precedes: although, as evil begets evil, it is probable that after they had begun to be affected by the disease of im... [ Continue Reading ]
5._We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt. _By this comparison with the former mode of living, they depreciate the present grace of God: and yet they enumerate no delicacies, when they speak of leeks, and onions, and garlic. Some, therefore, thus explain it, When such great abundance and var... [ Continue Reading ]
6._But now our soul is dried away. _They complain that they are almost wasted away with famine and hunger, whilst they are abundantly supplied with manna; in the same way as they had just been loudly declaring that they had lived in Egypt for a very little money; as if they were affected by a great... [ Continue Reading ]
7._And the manna was as coriander seed. _Moses had already adverted to this in Exodus 16:0; (18) but he now repeats it, in order more fully to condemn their perverse desire; for what could be more unseemly and intolerable than thus to eschew a food delightful both in appearance and taste v. For the... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
13._Whence should I have flesh to give to all this people? _Justly, indeed, does he accuse the people, and deny that he is possessed of flesh wherewith to satisfy so great a multitude; but he is wrong in expostulating with God, as if he were burdened beyond his strength; for, since God knew that he... [ Continue Reading ]
16._And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men. _God complies with the request of Moses, by associating with him seventy companions, by whose care and assistance he may be relieved from some part of his labor; yet not without some signs of indignation, for, by taking from him some port... [ Continue Reading ]
18._And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves. _This is another part of the answer, which is given respecting the matter in consideration, viz., that the people should prepare themselves to satiate their greediness. Although the word קדש (26) _kadesh, _signifies to _prepare, _yet its literal... [ Continue Reading ]
21._And Moses said, The people among whom I am, are six hundred thousand. _Although Moses’ object was right, yet he fell into unbelief, and thus stumbled at the very threshold. His pious solicitude indeed impelled him to doubt; because he feared that God’s holy name would be exposed to derision and... [ Continue Reading ]
24._And Moses went out and told the people the words. _We here see how greatly Moses profited by his brief rebuke, for he now actively sets about what he was commanded. Doubt had given him a check, so that he stopped in the middle of his course; whereas he now testifies by the promptitude of his obe... [ Continue Reading ]
26._But there remained two of the men in the camp. _It is not certain why they had not appeared amongst the others. I do not at all doubt but that they were called for by Moses; nor would they have been endued with the same grace of the Spirit as the others, if through idleness or contempt they had... [ Continue Reading ]
28._And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses. _It is obvious that this foolish and preposterous jealousy arose from a good source. Joshua saw that Moses was so preeminent above all others, as to be justly deemed, after God, the head of the people; he feared, therefore, lest, if any portion of... [ Continue Reading ]
29._And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? _This may be understood in two different ways. Some take it, as if Moses had said, It is no business of yours, if I have suffered any loss: and if anything is taken from me, it would be mine and not yours to grieve and grudge; but I think Moses... [ Continue Reading ]
30._And Moses gat him into the camp. _Although, after the appointment of the Seventy, all betook themselves to their own stations and dwelling-places, yet there is no doubt but that they were all forewarned of the approaching miracle, so as to be universally attentive to the event, which is presentl... [ Continue Reading ]
33._And while the flesh was yet between their teeth. _Moses does not specify any particular day; but only that God did not wait till satiety had produced disgust, but inflicted the punishment in the midst of their greediness. We may, however, conjecture from what precedes, that time was given them t... [ Continue Reading ]
34._And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah. _It was requisite that some memorial of so great a sin should exist, that the sons might not imitate their fathers. Heretofore God had sustained them with a food both agreeable and wholesome: by longing for unlawful nourishment they were th... [ Continue Reading ]