Moses' Burden Lightened -The Elders Receive the Spirit – God’s Promise of Meat in Abundance (Num. 11:16-23)

Then the Lord said to Moses: Assemble for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be elders and authorities among the people, and bring them to the tent of meeting. When they are in place beside you, 17 I will come down and speak with you there. I will also take some of the spirit that is on you and will confer it on them, that they may share the burden of the people with you. You will then not have to bear it by yourself. 18 To the people, however, you shall say: “Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, when you shall have meat to eat. For in the hearing of the Lord you have cried, ‘If only we had meat for food! Oh, how well off we were in Egypt!’ Therefore the Lord will give you meat to eat, 19 and you will eat it, not for one day, or two days, or five, or ten, or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month—until it comes out of your very nostrils and becomes loathsome to you. For you have rejected the Lord who is in your midst, and in his presence you have cried, ‘Why did we ever leave Egypt?’” 21 But Moses said, “The people around me include six hundred thousand soldiers; yet you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month.’ 22 Can enough sheep and cattle be slaughtered for them? If all the fish of the sea were caught for them, would they have enough?” 23 The Lord answered Moses: Is this beyond the Lord’s reach? You shall see now whether or not what I have said to you takes place.

In Numbers 11:1-16, the Israelites complained about their hardships, which angered God, resulting in a fire that consumed part of the camp.  Moses interceded through prayer, and the fire was quenched.  However, the “riffraff,” a group not originally part of the covenant people, complained about not having meat to eat.  This complaint stirred discontent among the Israelites, who lamented the manna God provided and longed for the food they had in Egypt.  Their ingratitude demonstrated a willingness to trade the freedom God granted them for the material comforts of their former slavery.  God's anger grew in response to their rejection of His providence.  Moses, overwhelmed by the people's continual grumbling, expressed frustration to the Lord, questioning his ability to lead the nation on his own.

In response, God instructs Moses to gather seventy respected elders to share the burden of leadership.  They are brought to the tent of meeting, where God promises to bestow upon them the same Spirit that was on Moses, enabling them to help govern the people.  This does not diminish Moses’ leadership but rather distributes the divine wisdom and authority that Moses has been granted.  Before God provides the meat the people craved, He commands them to purify themselves, underscoring the seriousness of their rebellion.  God declares that the people will have meat in abundance—so much that it will become loathsome to them.

Moses, however, doubts how such a large group, numbering 600,000 soldiers in addition to women and children, could possibly be fed for an entire month. He questions whether enough sheep, cattle, or even fish could be gathered to satisfy them. In response, God rebukes Moses' doubt, reminding him of His omnipotence. God assures Moses that nothing is beyond His power, even when it seems impossible from a human perspective.

Heavenly Father, You are the source of all wisdom and strength.  Just as You shared Your Spirit with the elders to ease Moses' burden, share Your Spirit with us today, so that we may trust in Your power and guidance.  Help us to be grateful for Your provision and never doubt Your ability to meet our needs, even when we cannot see the way.  Strengthen our faith, and remind us that nothing is beyond Your reach.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen!

                                                       

References

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• Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
• Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
• Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
• Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
• Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
• Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
• McKenzie, John. Dictionary of the Bible. Collier Books, 1965.