Numbers 11:33 kjv
And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.
Numbers 11:33 nkjv
But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was aroused against the people, and the LORD struck the people with a very great plague.
Numbers 11:33 niv
But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague.
Numbers 11:33 esv
While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD struck down the people with a very great plague.
Numbers 11:33 nlt
But while they were gorging themselves on the meat ? while it was still in their mouths ? the anger of the LORD blazed against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague.
Numbers 11 33 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 11:4-6 | "The rabble among them had a strong craving; and the sons of Israel also... who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish..." | Israelites' sinful craving and rejection of manna |
| Num 11:18-20 | "...you shall eat meat... because you have wept in the ears of the Lord, saying, 'Who will give us meat to eat?'" | God gives what they ask, but with judgment |
| Pss 78:29-31 | "So they ate and were well filled... While they were still eating their food, God struck down the most robust of them..." | Direct parallel, God's anger for their craving |
| Pss 106:14-15 | "But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness... So He gave them their request, But sent a wasting disease among them." | Direct parallel, craving led to sickness |
| Ex 16:3 | "...if only we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and ate bread to the full..." | Earlier grumbling for meat |
| Ex 17:2-3 | "...Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” The people thirsted there..." | Testing God through complaining |
| Num 14:11 | "How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me...?" | God's patience wears thin due to unbelief |
| Num 16:32 | "...the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up..." | Immediate judgment for rebellion |
| Num 21:5-6 | "...Why have you brought us up out of Egypt...?” The Lord sent fiery serpents..." | Consequence for despising God's provision |
| Deut 8:3 | "...He humbled you and let you go hungry... that He might make you understand that man does not live on bread alone..." | Lesson of manna; man's dependence on God |
| Deut 28:21-22 | "The Lord will afflict you with the plague... until He has consumed you from the land..." | Covenant curses for disobedience |
| Josh 7:1 | "But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully... so the anger of the Lord burned..." | God's anger for corporate sin |
| 1 Sam 4:8 | "Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians..." | God's powerful judgment recognized |
| 2 Sam 24:15 | "...So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from the morning until the appointed time..." | God's use of plague as judgment |
| Ps 78:40-41 | "How often they rebelled against Him in the wilderness and grieved Him..." | Persistent rebellion and its effect on God |
| Ps 106:35-40 | "...their own deeds defiled them... So the anger of the Lord was kindled against His people..." | Idolatry and its consequences |
| 1 Cor 10:6 | "Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved." | Wilderness events as a warning against craving |
| 1 Cor 10:9 | "Nor are we to put the Lord to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents." | Testing God has consequences |
| 1 Cor 10:10 | "Nor grumble, as some of them grumbled, and were destroyed by the destroyer." | Warning against grumbling, destroyed by plague |
| Rom 1:18 | "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness..." | God's righteous wrath against sin |
| Heb 3:17 | "And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?" | Link between sin, divine wrath, and perishing |
Numbers 11 verses
Numbers 11 33 Meaning
Numbers 11:33 describes the swift and severe divine judgment inflicted upon the Israelites immediately after God granted their lustful demand for meat. While they were still consuming the quails they had coveted, God's anger blazed against them, and He struck them with a devastating plague, resulting in many deaths. This illustrates the dangerous consequences of discontent and rebellious craving that despises God's gracious provision.
Numbers 11 33 Context
Numbers chapter 11 narrates a critical point in Israel's wilderness journey. The people, having become weary of the manna God miraculously provided daily, expressed an intense and sinful craving for meat, remembering the food they ate in Egypt (v. 4-6). This deep discontent was coupled with lamentation and a rejection of God's abundant, albeit miraculous, provision. God's patience wore thin, and His anger was kindled (v. 10). In response to their complaint, God promised to give them meat—not just a little, but enough to satisfy their craving, to the point of nausea (v. 18-20). The fulfillment came as a vast flock of quails. Numbers 11:33 then describes the immediate and severe judgment that followed their unrestrained, gluttonous consumption, highlighting that their desires, once granted by God in judgment, proved to be their downfall. This narrative emphasizes God's holiness, His judgment against rebellious grumbling and covetousness, and the principle that even blessings can turn to curses when received with the wrong heart.
Numbers 11 33 Word analysis
While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed,
- This phrase paints a vivid picture of the immediacy and swiftness of God's judgment. The people did not even have time to fully digest or enjoy the object of their craving before the divine hand moved against them. It signifies that the judgment was not for eating the meat itself (as God provided it), but for the sinful heart, rebellion, and ingratitude that drove their ravenous demand. The act of "eating" here became a symbol of their gluttonous, unholy satisfaction.
the anger of the Lord blazed against them,
- "anger": Hebrew ḥărōwn 'ap (חֲרוֹן אַף), often translated as "burning anger" or "fierce wrath." This is a strong expression of divine displeasure.
- "Lord": Hebrew YHWH (יהוה), the covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal involvement and righteous judgment against His own covenant people.
- "blazed": Conveys the intensity and suddenness of the divine wrath. It suggests a righteous, uncontainable indignation against their ingratitude and defiance, after long-suffering.
and the Lord struck the people with a very severe plague.
- "struck": Hebrew nāḡap (נָגַף), meaning "to smite," "strike," "plague." This verb is frequently used to describe divine acts of judgment, often causing a physical affliction or death, as seen in other plagues in the Old Testament. It implies a direct, sovereign action from God.
- "very severe plague": Hebrew makkāh rabbāh mᵉ'ōd (מַכָּה רַבָּה מְאֹד).
- "plague": makkāh refers to a "blow," "stroke," or "plague," indicating a widespread, devastating affliction from God.
- "very severe": rabbāh mᵉ'ōd meaning "great" and "very." This emphasizes the extreme destructive nature and extensive casualties of the judgment. It was not a minor ailment but a significant, fatal event.
Words-group Analysis:
- "While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed": This phrase underlines divine intolerance for a gluttonous, rebellious spirit. It communicates a principle of immediate accountability; the consequences for testing God can manifest swiftly, sometimes even at the very moment of gratifying sinful desires. It shows God's profound abhorrence for their spiritual state more than the mere act of eating.
- "the anger of the Lord blazed against them, and the Lord struck the people": This is a powerful demonstration of divine justice. It links the emotion (anger) directly to the action (striking/plaguing), affirming God's active involvement in human affairs and His ultimate authority to bring judgment. The repetition of "the Lord" underscores the sovereignty and deliberate nature of the judgment.
Numbers 11 33 Bonus section
The immediate location where this plague occurred was named Kibroth-hattaavah (Num 11:34), which means "graves of craving" or "graves of gluttony." This name serves as a permanent memorial and stark reminder of the tragic outcome of their lustful desire and rebellion. It underscores that human desires, when unchecked and pursued in defiance of God, can lead to spiritual and physical death, transforming even what seems like a blessing (meat) into a means of judgment. This event sets a precedent for understanding God's righteous indignation towards an ungrateful and discontent heart, emphasizing that true provision comes from trusting God, not from grumbling or manipulative demands.
Numbers 11 33 Commentary
Numbers 11:33 stands as a solemn warning against the perils of ungodly craving and the immediate consequences of rejecting God's perfect will and provision. The judgment was so swift that it interrupted the very act of satisfying their sinful desire, illustrating that God's patience has limits and that rebellion against Him is met with decisive action. It reveals that God does not always withhold desired things, but when granted out of rebellious insistence rather than His loving will, they can become a source of judgment rather than blessing. The people received what they clamored for – flesh to satiety – but it came with a consuming plague. This highlights that "blessings" acquired through sinful means are curses. The devastating "plague" underscored the gravity of their sin, which went beyond mere hunger and touched the very core of their unfaithfulness and ingratitude.