Numbers 21:5
“And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.”
Numbers 21:5 in 7 translations
- KJVKing James Version
- And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
- DRADouay–Rheims
- And speaking against God end Moses, they said: Why didst thou bring us out of Egypt, to die in the wilderness? There is no bread, nor have we any waters: our soul now loatheth this very light food.
- ASVAmerican Standard Version
- And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
- DARBYDarby
- and the people spoke against God, and against Moses, Why have ye brought us up out of Egypt that we should die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, and no water, and our soul loathes this light bread.
- WEBThe World English Bible
- The people spoke against God, and against Moses, Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loathes this light bread.
- YLTYoung's Literal Translation
- and the people speak against God, and against Moses, 'Why hast thou brought us up out of Egypt to die in a wilderness? for there is no bread, and there is no water, and our soul hath been weary of this light bread.'
- BPVBiblePics Version
- The people spoke against God and against Moses, saying, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread, and there is no water; we detest this worthless food."
Context: Numbers 21
3And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the name of the place Hormah.
4And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
5And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
6And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
7Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
About Numbers 21: The Bronze Serpent
The Israelites defeat King Sihon and King Og, but they also complain and are punished with fiery serpents.
Commentary
In Numbers 21, the Israelites are on their journey to the Promised Land, and they are growing increasingly impatient and discontented with the Lord. They complain about the lack of food and water, and they even go so far as to speak against God and Moses. In response, God sends fiery serpents to bite the people, and many of them die. When the people repent and cry out to Moses for help, God instructs Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it on a pole. Anyone who looks at the bronze serpent will be healed.