In the year 1445 BC Israel was miraculously delivered from Egyptian bondage by the mighty hand of God (Exodus 12:29-51). The nation of Israel had remained in captivity for over 400 years, but now God had released them in order to go and inhabit Canaan, the land God promised to give to Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 12:1-3). Although Abraham would not live to see the nation of Israel inhabit the land, God was preparing them as a people whose God was the Lord. God gave Moses the Law (Exodus 19:1-24:18; Leviticus) in order to establish them as a nation governed by His laws and He also created the tabernacle, which would become the center of worship for Israel (Exodus 25:1-40:38). God’s presence in the tabernacle was signified by a cloud that would also guide their journey into Canaan (Exodus 40:34-38; Numbers 9:15-23). Israel had been encamped at Mount Sinai for one year and it was during this time that they received the Law and instructions for the tabernacle, but in the year 1444 BC the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle and Israel left Sinai and journeyed to the Wilderness of Paran (compare Exodus 19:1 with Numbers 10:11-13). They marched according to the instructions given in Numbers 2:1-34 in order to move the approximately two million Israelites in an organized fashion (10:14-28). Before Moses set out on the journey to Paran, he requested that his father-in-law (Reuel, also known as Jethro; see Exodus 2:18; Exodus 3:18; Exodus 18) accompany him probably because he was familiar with the land (10:29-32). At first Reuel resisted Moses’ invitation, but Judges 1:16 seems to indicate that he eventually decided to accompany Moses on the journey.
The cloud of the Lord led Israel on a three days’ journey from Mount Sinai (10:33-36), but the people began complaining which displeased the Lord (11:1a). It is unfathomable that the people complained since God had taken care of their every need in the first year of their release from Egypt. The people’s complaints reached the ears of the Lord and His anger caused Him to consume some on the outskirts of the camp (11:1b). Israel reacted to God’s judgment by crying out to Moses, who prayed to the Lord and the fire of judgment was quenched (11:2-3). Some of the non-Israelites (mixed multitudes) who left Egypt alongside Israel began to intensely crave meat (11:4). Although God daily provided bread (manna) to eat during their encampment at Mount Sinai (Exodus 16), this group of people desired the fine meats they ate when they were in Egypt (11:5-9). When Moses heard the dramatic weeping and complaining of the people, he begged God to put him to death because he could not handle the weight of their complaints (11:10-15). Instead of granting Moses’ request to be put to death, God commanded him to seek out 70 men in Israel who could help bear the burden of the people (11:16). God said to Moses, “I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone” (11:17, NKJV). In addition to giving Moses men to assist him, God also granted the people their request to eat meat by giving them excessive amounts for the next 30 days (11:18-20). Moses did not think that it was possible for God to provide abundant amounts of meat for two million people for the next 30 days (11:21-22), but God reminded him that He could do what seemed impossible (11:23). Considering that Moses had seen God part the Red Sea (Exodus 14), one would think that he would believe that God was capable of performing the miraculous. As God had promised, seventy men were given to Moses to help relieve his burden in caring for the people (11:24-30); furthermore, God brought innumerable quail from the sea (11:31). The people gathered quail for two days (11:32), “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. So he called the name of that place Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had yielded to craving” (11:34). God’s anger was kindled against the people because they had failed to be satisfied in that which He was already providing. After witnessing the Lord’s wrath, the people moved from Kibroth Hattaavah to Hazeroth, which is a little south of the Desert of Paran (11:35). The happenings at Kibroth Hattaavah should be a stern warning to anyone who would reject the provision of God in exchange for their own selfish desires.
Dear God, I want to thank You for the many ways You have provided for me. May I always be satisfied in the ways You have provided.
