Bible Commentaries
Numbers 11

Introduction

This and the following three chapters recount the successive rebellions of the Israelites after their departure from Sinai; culminating in that by which they brought upon themselves the sentence of personal exclusion from the land of promise.

Verse 1

See the marginal rendering. They murmured against the privations of the march.

The fire of the Lord - Probably lightning; compare Psalms 78:21.

In the uttermost parts - Rather, in the end. The fire did not reach far into the camp. It was quickly quenched at the intercession of Moses.

Verse 3

Taberah - i. e. “burning:” not the name of a station, and accordingly not found in the list given in Numbers 33:0, but the name of the spot where the fire broke out. This incident might seem (compare Numbers 11:34) to have occurred at the station called, from another still more terrible event which shortly followed, Kibroth-hattaavah.

Verses 4-35

(Kibroth-hattaavah has been identified by Palmer with the extensive remains, graves, etc., at Erweis El Ebeirig, and Hazeroth “enclosures” with Ain Hadherah.)