Numbers 11:4 kjv
And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
Numbers 11:4 nkjv
Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: "Who will give us meat to eat?
Numbers 11:4 niv
The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, "If only we had meat to eat!
Numbers 11:4 esv
Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, "Oh that we had meat to eat!
Numbers 11:4 nlt
Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. "Oh, for some meat!" they exclaimed.
Numbers 11 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 16:3 | The whole congregation of the Children of Israel grumbled... | Earlier Israelite grumbling for food. |
| Exod 16:35 | The Children of Israel ate manna forty years... | God's sustained miraculous provision. |
| Deut 8:3 | ...that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only... | Spiritual life over mere physical sustenance. |
| Deut 8:7-9 | For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land... | Promise of future abundance in the land. |
| Num 14:2 | And all the Children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron... | Wider rebellion and desire to return to Egypt. |
| Num 21:5 | And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up...? | Complaint against manna, calling it "light bread." |
| Ps 78:18 | And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust. | Lustful craving as testing God. |
| Ps 78:29-31 | So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire... | Consequences of giving into intense lust. |
| Ps 106:14-15 | But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God... | Explicit mention of lust and its result. |
| 1 Cor 10:6 | Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things... | Israel's history as a warning against lust. |
| 1 Cor 10:11 | Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples... | Warnings for the New Testament church. |
| Phil 3:19 | Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame... | People driven by fleshly appetites. |
| Jas 1:14 | But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. | Lust leading to sin. |
| Rom 1:21-25 | Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God... | Ingratitude leading to corrupted desires. |
| Rom 8:5 | For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh... | Conflict between fleshly and spiritual desires. |
| 1 Jn 2:16 | For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes... | Categorization of worldly lusts. |
| Matt 4:4 | But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone... | Christ's emphasis on God's word over physical bread. |
| John 6:31-35 | Our fathers did eat manna in the desert... I am the bread of life. | Jesus as the true spiritual "manna." |
| Heb 3:7-11 | Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts... | Warning against hardening hearts like Israel. |
| Heb 4:1-11 | Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest... | Israel's failure to enter rest due to disobedience. |
| Num 32:15 | For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them... | Consequences of turning away from God. |
| Psa 78:32 | For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works. | Persistent unbelief despite miracles. |
Numbers 11 verses
Numbers 11 4 Meaning
Numbers 11:4 describes how the "mixed multitude" among the Israelites initiated a strong craving for a different diet, desiring the food they had in Egypt, which then influenced the "Children of Israel" to join in their deep longing and lament, thus falling into a pattern of intense grumbling against divine provision. This act signifies an unholy desire and a spiritual regression from dependence on God's miraculous provision.
Numbers 11 4 Context
Numbers chapter 11 opens with the Israelites complaining, leading to divine fire consuming some at Taberah (v. 1-3). Immediately following this, and very early in their journey from Sinai, where they had just received the Law and witnessed God's presence at the tabernacle, this verse (Num 11:4) details a new, more intense wave of grumbling. This time, it specifically concerns food. For about a year they had been at Sinai; this incident occurs soon after they had broken camp (Num 10:11). Despite being miraculously fed with manna for years (Exod 16), their longing shifts from sustenance to luxury and variety, leading them to despise the provision of God. This narrative unfolds a continuous struggle within the congregation concerning their trust and obedience to God’s plan and provisions.
Numbers 11 4 Word analysis
- And: Connects this new act of discontent to the previous incident of complaining (v. 1-3), indicating a continuous spiritual pattern.
- the mixed multitude: Ha-asafsuf (הָאסַפְסֻף). This Hebrew term refers to a diverse crowd, a "rabble" or "riff-raff." These were non-Israelites who joined the Exodus, possibly Egyptians or other foreigners (Exod 12:38). Their presence and influence here highlight how external, less-committed elements can corrupt the pure community and lead the dedicated astray. Their motivation for leaving Egypt was likely opportunistic, not covenantal faith.
- that was among them: Emphasizes that this element of discontent originated from within the larger camp but not necessarily from the core Israelite community, yet their close proximity made their influence strong and infectious.
- fell a lusting: Hit'awwu ta'awah (הִתְאַוּוּ תַאֲוָה). This is an emphatic construction in Hebrew, meaning "to crave a craving" or "to intensely desire a desire." It indicates a deep, uncontrolled, and sinful longing, beyond a simple hunger for variety. It signifies a profound spiritual discontent and an unholy covetousness. It implies a selfish and ungrateful desire, often for things God has not provided or has deliberately withheld for their spiritual good.
- and the children of Israel: Demonstrates the contagious nature of sin and complaint. Despite direct divine provision (manna) and a unique covenant relationship, the chosen people succumbed to the negative influence and joined in the murmuring, indicating a lack of spiritual discernment and strength.
- also wept again: Highlights a repetitive cycle of lament and grumbling. The "again" refers to earlier complaints in Exodus and signals a recurrent pattern of spiritual backsliding and discontent. Their tears were not of repentance or distress over their sin, but of self-pity and worldly craving.
- and said: Introduces the substance of their lament.
- Who shall give us flesh to eat?: A rhetorical question expressing extreme dissatisfaction and longing for specific, desirable foods. It's a question rooted in a spirit of demand rather than petition or gratitude. They did not trust God to provide it or the promised land for it.
Numbers 11 4 Bonus section
The longing for "flesh to eat" (and subsequent enumeration of Egyptian vegetables) in Num 11:4 represents more than a desire for specific food; it symbolizes a deeper spiritual return to the mindset of slavery. In Egypt, they had diverse food, but no freedom; in the wilderness, they had freedom (and divine provision), but a restricted diet. Their "lusting" suggests a preference for the temporary comfort and variety of their past bondage over the challenging, yet liberating and holy, path towards the Promised Land. This craving was essentially a rejection of God's design for their journey and a clear sign of preferring carnal satisfaction over spiritual progression.
Numbers 11 4 Commentary
Numbers 11:4 reveals the core problem of spiritual discontent and ungratefulness within the early stages of Israel's journey from Sinai. The instigation came from the "mixed multitude," highlighting the dangers of allowing external, uncommitted elements to sway the spiritual health of God's people. Their "lusting" was not merely hunger but a profound, intense craving for the fleshly comforts and varieties of Egypt, in stark contrast to the divine, daily provision of manna. This intense longing led them to "weep again," showcasing a persistent pattern of murmuring despite repeated divine miracles. This act demonstrated a complete forgetfulness of their bondage in Egypt and God's powerful deliverance, reflecting a spiritual preference for fleeting worldly satisfaction over the sustained, faithful provision of God and the ultimate spiritual promise. It underscored their ongoing failure to live by faith and set a dangerous precedent for future rebellion, rooted in fleshly desires and a lack of contentment in God's will.