Numbers 11 22

Numbers 11:22 kjv

Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?

Numbers 11:22 nkjv

Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?"

Numbers 11:22 niv

Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?"

Numbers 11:22 esv

Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them?"

Numbers 11:22 nlt

Even if we butchered all our flocks and herds, would that satisfy them? Even if we caught all the fish in the sea, would that be enough?"

Numbers 11 verses

Numbers 11 22 Meaning

Numbers 11:22 captures Moses' exasperated and disbelieving response to God's promise of providing meat for the massive Israelite congregation. From a human logistical perspective, Moses found it utterly impossible to procure enough flocks, herds, or fish to satisfy a nation numbering 600,000 men on foot, let alone their families, for a full month. This verse articulates a profound moment of doubt, where Moses’ limited human reasoning struggles to grasp God's limitless power and infinite provision in the face of an overwhelming human need. It highlights the vast chasm between human capabilities and divine omnipotence.

Numbers 11 22 Context

Numbers chapter 11 opens with the Israelites' general complaining (v. 1-3), leading to fire from the Lord. Soon after, they intensely lament their wilderness diet of manna, recalling the abundant fish, vegetables, and fruit they had in Egypt (v. 4-6). This deep craving for meat (from the word "gravy" to "crave") escalated into outright weeping at the entrance of their tents (v. 10), igniting the Lord's great anger.

Overwhelmed by the people's insatiable desires and the heavy burden of leadership, Moses himself feels distressed and complains to God, expressing that he cannot bear the responsibility alone (v. 11-15). He even questions God's purpose for him and wishes to die if this is to be his fate (v. 15).

In response, God assures Moses He will provide meat for the people for a full month until they become nauseated by it (v. 18-20). It is in direct reply to this divine promise that Moses utters the words of Numbers 11:21-22, assessing the sheer scale of the population (600,000 men, plus women and children) against any conceivable human supply. He asks in utter bewilderment how such an immense quantity of meat could ever be acquired in the desolate wilderness. This forms the immediate historical and narrative backdrop to Moses’ rhetorical question in verse 22.

Historically, this incident takes place during Israel's wanderings in the Sinai wilderness, where they were entirely dependent on God for provision. This craving for "the good old days" of Egyptian food despite their bondage reveals their deep spiritual dissatisfaction and a forgetting of God's liberating hand. The question posed by Moses underscores the stark contrast between human logic and God's miraculous capabilities.

Numbers 11 22 Word analysis

• Shall flocks (הַצֹּאן - hats-tson): From צֹאן (tson) meaning "flocks," referring to both sheep and goats. It implies a significant source of livelihood and food for a pastoral people. Moses is contemplating the unthinkable: slaughtering all the collective livestock of the nation, an act of total economic self-destruction, yet still questioning if it would be enough.
• and herds (וְהַבָּקָר - v'hav-baqar): From בָּקָר (baqar) meaning "herds," referring specifically to cattle. Like flocks, herds represent significant wealth and sustenance. The combination highlights the breadth of the sacrifice Moses is considering, encompassing all common sources of animal meat.
• be slaughtered (יִשָּׁחֵט - yish-shakhet): From the verb שָׁחַט (shachat), meaning "to slaughter" or "to kill" (often for ritual sacrifice or food). The use of the passive voice ("be slaughtered") emphasizes the vast, hypothetical action. It implies a mass, perhaps indiscriminate, killing necessary to even attempt to meet the demand, highlighting its sheer impossibility.
• for them, to suffice them? (לָהֶם וּמָצָא לָהֶם - lahem u-matza lahem): This phrase, repeated twice in the verse, underscores the central problem: sufficiency.
  • לָהֶם (lahem): "for them," referring to the Israelite multitude.
  • וּמָצָא (u-matza): And be found (sufficient/enough) from the root מָצָא (matza), meaning "to find," but in this context "to be sufficient" or "to prove adequate." Moses is asking if, even after such drastic measures, there would actually be enough for everyone. This illustrates the enormous, perceived gap between supply and demand.
• Or shall all the fish (אִם אֶת־כָּל־דְּגֵי - im et-kol-d'gei):
  • אִם (im): "or," presenting an alternative scenario.
  • כָּל (kol): "all," emphasizing the totality.
  • דְּגֵי (d'gei): The construct plural of דָּג (dag), meaning "fish." This shows Moses broadening his perspective beyond terrestrial animals to include marine life, further stretching the human imagination for provision. It highlights the desperation of his assessment, reaching for an even more improbable source in the middle of a desert.
• of the sea (הַיָּם - hay-yam): יָם (yam) means "sea." The Israelites were far from any sea in the wilderness. This reference, therefore, amplifies the hyperbolic nature of Moses' question, making it clear how utterly absurd and physically impossible the task was from a human standpoint.
• be gathered together (יֵאָסֵף - ye'asef): From the verb אָסַף (asaf), meaning "to gather," "to collect," or "to assemble." In the passive voice ("be gathered together"), it again implies a massive, comprehensive effort to collect every possible fish. It reinforces the scale of the challenge that Moses perceives.

Words-group analysis:

• "Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to suffice them?": This phrase conveys Moses' immediate, pragmatic assessment of available resources. He evaluates what would typically be considered a national stock of meat and concludes it would be vastly inadequate. It speaks to the human tendency to rely on tangible, limited resources rather than limitless divine power. This segment also implies the self-destructive nature of attempting to meet the craving by human means, leading to ruin rather than sustained provision.
• "Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?": This expands the rhetorical question to an even more impossible scenario. The shift from terrestrial animals (which they possessed) to oceanic life (which they did not) emphasizes the absurdity of the demand from a human standpoint. It is a hyperbole revealing the depth of Moses' consternation and highlighting his moment of forgetting that God's methods of provision are supernatural, not subject to earthly logistics. It underscores the contrast between Moses' logic and God's miracle.

Numbers 11 22 Bonus section

• This verse provides a raw, authentic glimpse into the struggles even great spiritual leaders face. Moses, though called "very humble" (Num 12:3), experiences intense stress, bordering on despair, demonstrating that faith is a journey, not a static state.
• The rhetorical nature of Moses' questions in this verse functions as a form of "lament" or exasperated protest. It's less about seeking information and more about expressing the profound sense of hopelessness that can afflict even the most faithful servant when confronted with human needs that seem to far outstrip available resources.
• The Israelite craving and Moses' subsequent doubt serve as a warning throughout Scripture (e.g., in 1 Corinthians 10:6-10) about the dangers of covetousness, unbelief, and grumbling, showing how such attitudes provoke God's judgment and impede progress in faith.
• This passage foreshadows the principle later seen in the New Testament with Christ's miraculous feedings (e.g., Mat 14:15-21; Jn 6:5-13), where human lack and logical impossibility meet divine abundance and supernatural provision. God's economy of salvation often operates by supplying vastly more than could ever be conceived by human effort or logic.

Numbers 11 22 Commentary

Numbers 11:22 is a poignant expression of Moses’ human doubt, revealing that even a spiritual giant like him could experience moments of wavering faith. After faithfully interceding for the grumbling Israelites numerous times, the weight of their relentless complaints and the divine command to feed such a massive population meat for a month breaks his human spirit. His questions "Shall flocks and herds...Or shall all the fish..." are not analytical but rather rhetorical cries of despair and perceived impossibility.

From Moses’ perspective, the logistics were insurmountable: how could anyone provide so much meat for millions in a desert? He thought in terms of earthly resources and human capabilities, overlooking the God who had already fed them daily with manna and provided water from a rock. This verse starkly contrasts human limitation with divine omnipotence, setting the stage for God's dramatic demonstration of power through the provision of quails. It teaches that God’s resources are not limited by our understanding, nor are His methods confined to what is humanly possible. God delights in providing what seems impossible from our vantage point, thereby revealing His glory and strengthening faith—though sometimes requiring a lesson in humility.