Numbers 11:5
in Numbers 11We remember the fish we ate freely in Egypt, along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic:
KJV
We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
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This verse in Numbers 11
Commentary
7 notes on this verseWe remember, etc. - The choice aliments which those murmurers complained of having lost by their leaving Egypt, were the following: fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. A European may smile at such delicacies; but delicacies they were in that country. Their fish is excellent; their cucumbers and water melons highly salubrious and refreshing; and their onions, garlic, etc., exquisitely flavoured, differing as much from vegetables of the same species in these northern climes as a bad turnip does from a good apple. In short, this enumeration takes in almost all the commonly attainable delicacies in those countries.
This site's exposition
the mixt multitude that was among them
on Numbers 11:4-6
The craving starts with the mixed multitude, the crowd that came up out of Egypt with Israel at Exodus 12:38, and the children of Israel weep after them. What they remember is the food of a slave country, the fish and the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlick, and they say they ate the fish freely, which is to say at no price, while they were owned. Matthew Henry marks what the list leaves out, the brick kilns and the taskmasters and the smart of the whip. Verse 6 states the grievance itself, that there is nothing before their eyes but the manna.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
'Successes' have terrible power to cast down or draw aside those who take not heed. Thus the Jews, who at first enjoyed the influence of God, sought the law of royalty from the Gentiles, and in the wilderness after the manna remembered the onions. In the same way here, refusing the Kingdom of Christ, they invited to themselves that of Caesar.
We would be censured along with those who dwelled in the desert and who desired the disgusting food of vice and filthiness after having eaten the heavenly manna, and we would seem to complain like them: "It was well with us in Egypt, when we sat over pots of flesh and ate onions and garlic and cucumbers and melons." Although this manner of speaking first referred to that people, nonetheless we see it now daily fulfilled in our life and profession.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely,....
They remember the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick (precious stuff indeed to be fond of!), but they do not remember the brick-kilns and the task-masters, the voice of the oppressor and the smart of the whip. No, these are forgotten by these ungrateful people.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
But after all their experience of the bounty and care of God, their vehement longing for the luxuries of Egypt was an impeachment of the divine arrangements; and if it was the sin that beset them in the desert, it became them more strenuously to repress a rebellious spirit, as dishonoring to God and unbecoming their relation to Him as a chosen people.
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| זָכַ֙רְנוּ֙ | zakharnu | we remember | H2142 → | 230 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַדָּגָ֔ה | hadagah | the fish | H1710 → | |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נֹאכַ֥ל | nokhal | we ate | H398 → | 810 times |
| בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם | bemitzrayim | in Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| חִנָּ֑ם | chinam | for nothing | H2600 → | |
| אֵ֣ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַקִּשֻּׁאִ֗ים | hakishuim | the cucumbers | H7180 → | |
| וְאֵת֙ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָֽאֲבַטִּחִ֔ים | haavatichim | the watermelons | H20 → | |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הֶחָצִ֥יר | hechatzir | the leek[s] | H2682 → | |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַבְּצָלִ֖ים | habetzalim | the onions | H1211 → | |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַשּׁוּמִֽים׃ | hashumim | the garlic<s> | H7762 → |
זָכַ֙רְנוּ֙we remember
zakharnuH2142 →230 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַדָּגָ֔הthe fish
hadagahH1710 →
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
נֹאכַ֥לwe ate
nokhalH398 →810 times
בְּמִצְרַ֖יִםin Egypt
bemitzrayimH4714 →641 times
חִנָּ֑םfor nothing
chinamH2600 →
אֵ֣ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
הַקִּשֻּׁאִ֗יםthe cucumbers
hakishuimH7180 →
וְאֵת֙and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
הָֽאֲבַטִּחִ֔יםthe watermelons
haavatichimH20 →
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
הֶחָצִ֥ירthe leek[s]
hechatzirH2682 →
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
הַבְּצָלִ֖יםthe onions
habetzalimH1211 →
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
הַשּׁוּמִֽים׃the garlic<s>
hashumimH7762 →
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
Philippians 3:19Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.
it leads to
- Romans 16:18
For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
- Romans 8:5–7
Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
- 2 Peter 2:3
In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep.
- Colossians 3:2
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
- 2 Corinthians 11:15
It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.
- Romans 16:18
Through
Exodus 16:3“If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt!” they said. “There we sat by pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, but you have brought us…
it leads to
- Numbers 11:4–5
Meanwhile, the rabble among them had a strong craving for other food, and again the Israelites wept and said, “Who will feed us meat?
- Numbers 11:4–5
Through
Psalms 17:14from such men, O LORD, by Your hand— from men of the world whose portion is in this life. May You fill the bellies of Your treasured ones and satisfy their sons, so they…
it leads to
- Job 22:18
But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
- John 17:14
I have given them Your word and the world has hated them; for they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
- Job 22:18
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About Numbers
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Cassian, CONFERENCE 3.7.5-6; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 85; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.