Daily Bread

Fire From the Lord

11 Now the people complained^(A) about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord,^(B) and when he heard them his anger was aroused.^(C) Then fire from the Lord burned among them^(D) and consumed^(E) some of the outskirts of the camp. ² When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed^(F) to the Lord^(G) and the fire died down. ³ So that place was called Taberah,^[a](H) because fire from the Lord had burned among them.^(I)

Quail From the Lord

⁴ The rabble with them began to crave other food,^(J) and again the Israelites started wailing^(K) and said, “If only we had meat to eat! ⁵ We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.^{(L) 6} But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!^(M)”

⁷ The manna was like coriander seed^(N) and looked like resin.^{(O) 8} The people went around gathering it,^(P) and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. ⁹ When the dew^(Q) settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.

¹⁰ Moses heard the people of every family wailing^(R) at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. ¹¹ He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble^(S) on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?^{(T) 12} Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant,^(U) to the land you promised on oath^(V) to their ancestors?^{(W) 13} Where can I get meat for all these people?^(X) They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ ¹⁴ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.^{(Y) 15} If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me^(Z)—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”