Grumbling and God
Numbers 11 starts the long list of moments Israel has with God wherein they question His ways, complain about His provision, and outright misrepresent the facts. First, there is the very brief account of grumbling in the camp: Numbers 11:1–3 (ESV) And the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about their misfortunes, and when the LORD heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. 2 Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the LORD, and the fire died down. 3 So the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the LORD burned among them. From this moment, another grumbling erupts soon after: Numbers 11:4–6 (ESV) Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic....