MOSES’ TROUBLED PRAYER

Passage: Numbers 11:1-15

Key verse: 12

NIV

Fire From the Lord

11 Now the people complained(A) about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord,(B) and when he heard them his anger was aroused.(C) Then fire from the Lord burned among them(D) and consumed(E) some of the outskirts of the camp. 2 When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed(F) to the Lord(G) and the fire died down. 3 So that place was called Taberah,[a](H) because fire from the Lord had burned among them.(I)

Quail From the Lord

4 The rabble with them began to crave other food,(J) and again the Israelites started wailing(K) and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.(L) 6 But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!(M)”

7 The manna was like coriander seed(N) and looked like resin.(O) 8 The people went around gathering it,(P) and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. 9 When the dew(Q) settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.

10 Moses heard the people of every family wailing(R) at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. 11 He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble(S) on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?(T) 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant,(U) to the land you promised on oath(V) to their ancestors?(W) 13 Where can I get meat for all these people?(X) They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.(Y) 15 If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me(Z)—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”

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Footnotes
  1. Numbers 11:3 Taberah means burning.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The People Complain

11 And (A)the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, (B)his anger was kindled, and (C)the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. 2 Then (D)the people cried out to Moses, (E)and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. 3 So the name of that place was called (F)Taberah,[a] because the fire of the Lord burned among them.

4 Now the (G)rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also (H)wept again and said, (I)“Oh that we had meat to eat! 5 (J)We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 6 But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”

7 Now (K)the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. 8 (L)The people went about and gathered it and ground it in handmills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it. (M)And the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. 9 (N)When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.

10 Moses heard the people (O)weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. 11 (P)Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, (Q)‘Carry them in your bosom, as a (R)nurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land (S)that you swore to give their fathers? 13 (T)Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 (U)I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.”

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Numbers 11:3 Taberah means burning
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

God’s way to the Promised Land was through the hard wilderness. While marching to the Promised Land, the Israelites complained about their hardships. Then fire from God burned some of them. God’s way to heaven is through trials. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” (Ac 14:22). God’s purpose to lead us through hardships is to remove impurity from us and conform us to Jesus’ image.

Again, they became cranky about the ‘tiresome’ manna. They wailed, reminiscing about ‘free’ food in Egypt. They might have eaten for free, but they were enslaved in Egypt. They forgot who they had been in Egypt and how God had redeemed and guided them. This time, Moses complained to God about the difficult people who kept complaining. He complained about his mission to carry his people in his arms like a nursing mother to the Promised Land. God’s purpose to put this heavy burden on Moses was to grow him in the heart of God for his people. God’s love and mercy toward his childish and grumpy people was beyond human understanding. Spiritual leaders are to carry people, like a nursing mother, with God’s heart and with God’s strength.

Prayer: Lord, with my own strength I cannot carry even one person. Give me your heart and strength to serve your people.

One Word: As a nurse carries an infant