While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, Yahweh’s anger burned against the people, and Yahweh struck the people with a very great plague.
Parallel translations
- 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.
- BSB But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and the LORD struck them with a severe plague.
- 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.
- NASB While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very severe plague.
- 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
While the meat is still in their mouths, the LORD strikes them with a plague. Granted craving turns to judgment upon a rebellious people.
Overview
Even as they eat, God's anger falls and a severe plague strikes the people. The judgment shows that gratifying sinful desire brings death, not satisfaction. Paul cites such wilderness judgments as warnings to the church against craving evil things (1 Cor. 10:6).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Ps 78:30–31They didn’t turn from their cravings. Their food was yet in their mouths,
- Ps 106:14–15but gave in to craving in the desert, and tested God in the wasteland.
- Num 25:9Those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.
- Num 16:49Now those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides those who died about the matter of Korah.
- Deut 28:27Yahweh will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with the tumors, with the scurvy, and with the itch, of which you can not be healed.
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 11:33 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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