“Who shall give us flesh to eat?”
The full verse · Numbers 11:4 · KJV
And the mixt that was them fell a : and the of also , and , Who shall give us to ?
Asked by
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionThe complaint, framed as a question, expresses ungrateful craving and contempt for God’s provision of manna, voicing a discontent that despises the LORD who dwells among them.
The Response
What Scripture recordsThe LORD was angered; He promised meat for a whole month until it became loathsome, and sent quail along with a plague upon the greedy (Numbers 11:18-20, 31-34).
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyThe question is a complaint in disguise. ‘Who shall give us flesh to eat?’ is not a genuine search for provision but an expression of craving and contempt for the manna God supplied daily. The mixed multitude kindled the discontent, and it spread to Israel as weeping and longing for Egypt. The complaint reveals a heart that despises God’s gift, and the LORD’s severe answer underscores how seriously He regards such ingratitude.
Craving what we lack can blind us to the daily provision God has already given. Israel had bread from heaven every morning, yet wept for meat. The question ‘who will give us meat?’ is the voice of discontent that despises God’s gifts. Gratitude guards the heart against the kind of craving that grieves God and harms the one who indulges it.
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