Numbers 11:33
in Numbers 11But 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
While the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the people, and Jehovah smote the people with a very great plague.
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.
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This verse in Numbers 11
Commentary
12 notes on this verseThe wrath of the Lord was kindled - In what way, and with what effects, we cannot precisely determine. Some heavy judgment fell upon those murmurers and complainers, but of what kind the sacred writer says nothing.
This site's exposition
And while the flesh was yet between their teeth
on Numbers 11:33-34
The stroke falls with the meat still in their mouths, in the order verse 20 had announced, given what they asked for and struck for the asking. Psalm 78:30-31 tells it the same way, and 1 Corinthians 10:6 points back to this ground when it says we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Clarke says the writer never states what the plague was, only that it fell on the murmurers. The place keeps the name Kibroth-hattaavah, the graves of them that lusted, and Matthew Henry marks the sequel at Psalm 78:32, that for all this they sinned still.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
To some, indeed, who lack patience, the Lord God in his wrath grants them what they ask, just as in his mercy, on the other hand, he refused it to his apostle. We read what and how the Israelites asked and received, but when their lust had been satisfied, their lack of patience was severely punished.
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 10 -- On Gluttony · Written before 523.
proposed
The people of Israel, because of their meat, forgot God, and instead of God, worshipped the similitude of a dumb animal; and again, because of their meat, the wrath of God went up against them; and again, because of their meat, they were led into …
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 -- Second Discourse on the Fear of God · Written before 523.
proposed
And that He might increase in them this fear, immediately, by the mouth of offence, the rod of His chastisement was revealed, and after the offence the Chastiser gave them no respite, because their servitude was not worthy of His longsuffering. Above their head the …
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence · Written before 523.
proposed
The Jews ate flesh in the wilderness, and it is written concerning them that, "While the flesh was yet between their teeth the anger of God had dominion over them," not because they had eaten flesh, but because with lust they had asked to eat …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Chewed - Hebrew. cut off, namely from their mouths. A very great plague - Probably the pestilence. But the sense is, before they had done eating their quails, which lasted for a month.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The Murmurings of the Israelites. 1 And when the people complained, it displeased the L ORD : and the L ORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the L ORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. 2 And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the L ORD , the fire was quenched.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:85%@v1-3
And while the flesh was yet between their teeth,.... When they had just got it into their mouths, and were about to bite it: ere it was chewed; or "cut off"; or cut into pieces by the "incisores", or fore teeth, and then ground by the "molares", or grinders, and so became fit to be swallowed.
God satiated them first, and then plagued them, (1.) To save the reputation of his own power, that it might not be said, "He would not have cut them off had he been able to supply them." And, (2.) To show us the meaning of the prosperity of sinners; it is their preparation for ruin, they are fed as an ox for the slaughter.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
On a former occasion their murmurings for flesh were raised (Ex 16:1-8) because they were in want of food. Here they proceeded, not from necessity, but wanton, lustful desire; and their sin, in the righteous judgment of God, was made to carry its own punishment.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
It is evident, however, that the language describes the countless number of these quails. as it were two cubits high--Some have supposed that they fell on the ground above each other to that height--a supposition which would leave a vast quantity useless as food to the Israelites, who were forbidden to eat any animal that died of itself or from which the blood was not poured out.
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הַבָּשָׂ֗ר | habasar | the meat | H1320 → | 270 times |
| עוֹדֶ֙נּוּ֙ | odenu | still it | H5750 → | 490 times |
| בֵּ֣ין | bein | [was] between | H996 → | 407 times |
| שִׁנֵּיהֶ֔ם | shineihem | teeth their | H8127 → | |
| טֶ֖רֶם | terem | not yet | H2962 → | |
| יִכָּרֵ֑ת | yikaret | it was chewed | H3772 → | 288 times |
| וְאַ֤ף | veaf | and [the] anger of | H639 → | 276 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| חָרָ֣ה | charah | it burned | H2734 → | 91 times |
| בָעָ֔ם | vaam | on the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| וַיַּ֤ךְ | vaiyakh | and he struck | H5221 → | 499 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בָּעָ֔ם | baam | <on> the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| מַכָּ֖ה | makah | a plague | H4347 → | |
| רַבָּ֥ה | rabah | great | H7227 → | 454 times |
| מְאֹֽד׃ | meod | very | H3966 → | 300 times |
הַבָּשָׂ֗רthe meat
habasarH1320 →270 times
עוֹדֶ֙נּוּ֙still it
odenuH5750 →490 times
בֵּ֣ין[was] between
beinH996 →407 times
שִׁנֵּיהֶ֔םteeth their
shineihemH8127 →
טֶ֖רֶםnot yet
teremH2962 →
יִכָּרֵ֑תit was chewed
yikaretH3772 →288 times
וְאַ֤ףand [the] anger of
veafH639 →276 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
חָרָ֣הit burned
charahH2734 →91 times
בָעָ֔םon the people
vaamH5971 →1873 times
וַיַּ֤ךְand he struck
vaiyakhH5221 →499 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בָּעָ֔ם<on> the people
baamH5971 →1873 times
מַכָּ֖הa plague
makahH4347 →
רַבָּ֥הgreat
rabahH7227 →454 times
מְאֹֽד׃very
meodH3966 →300 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Numbers 25:9but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 10:8
We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.
- Deuteronomy 4:3–4
Your eyes have seen what the LORD did at Baal-peor, for the LORD your God destroyed from among you all who followed Baal of Peor.
- Numbers 25:4–5
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that His fierce anger may turn away from Israel.”
- 1 Corinthians 10:8
Through
Deuteronomy 28:27The LORD will afflict you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors and scabs and itch from which you cannot be cured.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 5:6
Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors.
- Leviticus 21:20
or who is a hunchback or dwarf, or who has an eye defect, a festering rash, scabs, or a crushed testicle.
- Exodus 9:9
It will become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and festering boils will break out on man and beast throughout the land.”
- Exodus 15:26
saying, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His eyes, and pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, then…
- Deuteronomy 28:35
The LORD will afflict you with painful, incurable boils on your knees and thighs, from the soles of your feet to the top of your head.
- 1 Samuel 5:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Numbers
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, LETTER 130; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 10 -- On Gluttony; Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 -- Second Discourse on the Fear of God and Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence.