Numbers 11:20

18 And say to the people: Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you will eat meat, because you have cried out in the hearing of the LORD, saying: ‘Who will feed us meat? For we were better off in Egypt!’ Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you will eat.

19 You will eat it not for one or two days, nor for five or ten or twenty days,

but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and makes you nauseous—because you have rejected the LORD, who is among you, and have cried out before Him, saying, ‘Why did we ever leave Egypt?’”

21 But Moses replied, “Here I am among 600,000 men on foot, yet You say, ‘I will give them meat, and they will eat for a month.’

22 If all our flocks and herds were slaughtered for them, would they have enough? Or if all the fish in the sea were caught for them, would they have enough?”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and makes you nauseous—because you have rejected the LORD, who is among you, and have cried out before Him, saying, ‘Why did we ever leave Egypt?’”
KJV
But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?
WEB
but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils, and it is loathsome to you; because you have rejected the LORD who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we come out of Egypt?”’”
ASV
but a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you; because that ye have rejected Jehovah who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?
DARBY
[but] for a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it become loathsome unto you; because that ye have despised Jehovah who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?
BLB
but [for] a month of days, until that it comes out of your⁺ nostrils and becomes loathsome to you⁺, because that you⁺ have despised YHWH who is among you⁺, and you wept before His face, saying, ‘Why [is] this [that] we have come out of Egypt?’”
ÅB
men en hel måned, til dere ikke lenger tåler lukten av det, og det byr dere imot, fordi dere foraktet Herren, som er midt iblant dere, og gråt for hans åsyn og sa: Hvorfor dro vi da ut av Egypt?
OTB
men i en hel måned, til det kommer ut av neseborene deres og blir avskyelig for dere, fordi dere har forkastet Herren som er blant dere, og har klaget foran ham og sagt: “Hvorfor forlot vi noen gang Egypt?”’”
B1930
men en hel måned, til I ikke lenger tåler lukten av det, og det byr eder imot, fordi I foraktet Herren, som er midt iblandt eder, og gråt for hans åsyn og sa: Hvorfor drog vi da ut av Egypten?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Psalms 106:15

    So He granted their request, but sent a wasting disease upon them.

    Read in context
  • Numbers 21:5

    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!”

    Read in context
  • Psalms 78:27–30

    He rained meat on them like dust, and winged birds like the sand of the sea.

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 10:19

    But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions, and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and clans.”

    Read in context
  • Acts 13:41

    ‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’”

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 12:10

    Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’

    Read in context
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:8

    Anyone, then, who rejects this command does not reject man but God, the very One who gives you His Holy Spirit.

    Read in context
  • Exodus 16:13

    That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.

    Read in context