The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

Numbers 11

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Torah

Numbers chapter 11 — part of the Torah in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “And the people were as murmurers, speaking evil in the ears of HaShem; and when HaShem heard it, His anger was kindled; and the fire of…” — the complete text of all 35 verses is below, free to read online.

1And the people were as murmurers, speaking evil in the ears of HaShem; and when HaShem heard it, His anger was kindled; and the fire of HaShem burnt among them, and devoured in the uttermost part of the camp.

2And the people cried unto Moses; and Moses prayed unto HaShem, and the fire abated.

3And the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of HaShem burnt among them.

4And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting; and the children of Israel also wept on their part, and said: 'Would that we were given flesh to eat!

5We remember the fish, which we were wont to eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic;

6but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all; we have nought save this manna to look to.'--

7Now the manna was like coriander seed, and the appearance thereof as the appearance of bdellium.

8The people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in mortars, and seethed it in pots, and made cakes of it; and the taste of it was as the taste of a cake baked with oil.

9And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.--

10And Moses heard the people weeping, family by family, every man at the door of his tent; and the anger of HaShem was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased.

11And Moses said unto HaShem: 'Wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with Thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in Thy sight, that Thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

12Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that Thou shouldest say unto me: Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father carrieth the sucking child, unto the land which Thou didst swear unto their fathers?

13Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they trouble me with their weeping, saying: Give us flesh, that we may eat.

14I am not able to bear all this people myself alone, because it is too heavy for me.

15And if Thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray Thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in Thy sight; and let me not look upon my wretchedness.'

16And HaShem said unto Moses: 'Gather unto Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with thee.

17And I will come down and speak with thee there; and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.

18And say thou unto the people: Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow, and ye shall eat flesh; for ye have wept in the ears of HaShem, saying: Would that we were given flesh to eat! for it was well with us in Egypt; therefore HaShem will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.

19Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;

20but a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you; because that ye have rejected HaShem who is among you, and have troubled Him with weeping, saying: Why, now, came we forth out of Egypt?'

21And Moses said: 'The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand men on foot; and yet Thou hast said: I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month!

22If flocks and herds be slain for them, will they suffice them? or if all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, will they suffice them?'

23And HaShem said unto Moses: 'Is HaShem'S hand waxed short? now shalt thou see whether My word shall come to pass unto thee or not.'

24And Moses went out, and told the people the words of HaShem; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the Tent.

25And HaShem came down in the cloud, and spoke unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and put it upon the seventy elders; and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, but they did so no more.

26But there remained two men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad; and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were recorded, but had not gone out unto the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp.

27And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said: 'Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.'

28And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses from his youth up, answered and said: 'My lord Moses, shut them in.'

29And Moses said unto him: 'Art thou jealous for my sake? would that all HaShem'S people were prophets, that HaShem would put His spirit upon them!'

30And Moses withdrew into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.

31And there went forth a wind from HaShem, and brought across quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, about a day's journey on this side, and a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and about two cubits above the face of the earth.

32And the people rose up all that day, and all the night, and all the next day, and gathered the quails; he that gathered least gathered ten heaps; and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.

33While the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the anger of HaShem was kindled against the people, and HaShem smote the people with a very great plague.

34And the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people that lusted.

35From Kibroth-hattaavah the people journeyed unto Hazeroth; and they abode at Hazeroth.

35 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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