and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!”
Parallel translations
- WEB The people spoke against God, and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loathes this light bread.”
- KJV And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
- BSB and spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you led us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!”
- NKJV And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.”
- NASB So the people spoke against God and Moses: “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we are disgusted with this miserable food.”
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
The people spoke against God and Moses, complaining of no bread or water and loathing the manna as worthless 'light bread.' They despised God's daily provision.
Overview
In a striking act of ingratitude, the people scorn the manna, God's miraculous gift, as detestable. Their complaint is aimed directly at God Himself as well as His servant. To loathe the bread from heaven is to reject the Giver, a sin that invites the judgment described next and warns against contempt for God's gracious provision.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Ps 78:19Yes, they spoke against God. They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
- Exod 17:2–3Therefore the people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test Yahweh?”
- Num 16:41But on the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed Yahweh’s people!”
- Num 16:13–14Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, but you must also make yourself a prince over us?
- Num 11:1–9The people were complaining in the ears of Yahweh. When Yahweh heard it, his anger burned; and Yahweh’s fire burned among them, and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.
- Exod 16:2–3The whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness;
- Num 17:12The children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, we perish! We are undone! We are all undone!
- Num 14:1–4All the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
- Exod 14:11They said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us out of Egypt?
- Ps 68:6God sets the lonely in families. He brings out the prisoners with singing, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.
- Exod 16:15When the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they didn’t know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread which Yahweh has given you to eat.”
- Exod 15:24The people murmured against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”
- Exod 16:7–8and in the morning, then you shall see Yahweh’s glory; because he hears your murmurings against Yahweh. Who are we, that you murmur against us?”
- Ps 78:24–25He rained down manna on them to eat, and gave them food from the sky.
- Prov 27:7A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.
- Exod 16:31The house of Israel called its name Manna, and it was like coriander seed, white; and its taste was like wafers with honey.
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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 21:5 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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