Numbers 11:1

American Standard Version (1901)

And the people were as murmurers, [speaking] evil in the ears of Jehovah: and when Jehovah heard it, his anger was kindled; and the fire of Jehovah burnt among them, and devoured in the uttermost part of the camp.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיְהִ֤י הָעָם֙ כְּמִתְאֹ֣נְנִ֔ים רַ֖ע בְּאָזְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע יְהוָה֙ וַיִּ֣חַר אַפּ֔וֹ וַתִּבְעַר־בָּם֙ אֵ֣שׁ יְהוָ֔ה וַתֹּ֖אכַל בִּקְצֵ֥ה הַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃

Transliteration

And wayəhî the hā'ām as kəmit'ōnnîm ra' in 'āznê YHWH; and wayyišma' YHWH and wayyiḥar his 'appô, and wattiḇ'ar-bām 'ēš of YHWH, and wattō'ḵal in qəṣê the maḥăneh.

Grammar Details

• *wayəhî*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - and it happened/became
• *hā'ām*: definite article + masculine singular noun - the people
• *kəmit'ōnnîm*: preposition k- (as/like) + hitpael participle masculine plural - as those complaining/murmuring
• *ra'*: masculine singular adjective - evil/bad
• *'āznê*: construct plural of 'ōzen - ears of
• *YHWH*: proper name - Yahweh/LORD
• *wayyišma'*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - and he heard
• *wayyiḥar*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - and kindled/burned
• *'appô*: masculine singular noun + 3rd masculine singular suffix - his nose/anger
• *wattiḇ'ar-bām*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect 3rd feminine singular + preposition + 3rd masculine plural suffix - and burned among them
• *'ēš*: feminine singular noun - fire
• *wattō'ḵal*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect 3rd feminine singular - and consumed/devoured
• *qəṣê*: construct masculine singular - edge/outskirts of
• *maḥăneh*: definite article + masculine singular noun - the camp

Word Meanings

• *kəmit'ōnnîm*: as complainers/as those murmuring/as grumblers
• *ra'*: evil/wickedness/misfortune/disaster
• *'āznê*: ears/hearing/perception
• *wayyiḥar 'appô*: his anger was kindled/his nose burned/he became furious

Referenced Verses

• Lev 10:2 : 2 And there came forth fire from before Jehovah, and devoured them, and they died before Jehovah.
• 2 Kgs 1:12 : 12 And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
• Num 16:35 : 35 And fire came forth from Jehovah, and devoured the two hundred and fifty men that offered the incense.
• Num 20:2-5 : 2 And there was no water for the congregation: and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people strove with Moses, and spake, saying, Would that we had died when our brethren died before Jehovah! 4 And why have ye brought the assembly of Jehovah into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our beasts? 5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.
• Num 21:5 : 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, and there is no water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
• Deut 9:22 : 22 And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibroth-hattaavah, ye provoked Jehovah to wrath.
• Ps 78:21 : 21 Therefore Jehovah heard, and was wroth; And a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also went up against Israel;
• Ps 106:18 : 18 And a fire was kindled in their company; The flame burned up the wicked.
• Isa 30:33 : 33 For a Topheth is prepared of old; yea, for the king it is made ready; he hath made it deep and large; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of Jehovah, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.
• Isa 33:14 : 14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling hath seized the godless ones: Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire? who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?
• Lam 3:39 : 39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
• Nah 1:5 : 5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt; and the earth is upheaved at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.
• Mark 9:43-49 : 43 And if thy hand cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed, rather than having thy two hands to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire. 44 (Ommitted) 45 And if thy foot cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life halt, rather than having thy two feet to be cast into hell. 46 (Ommitted) 47 And if thine eye cause thee to stumble, cast it out: it is good for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell; 48 where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 49 For every one shall be salted with fire .
• 1 Cor 10:10 : 10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer.
• Heb 12:29 : 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
• Deut 25:18 : 18 how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.
• Deut 32:22 : 22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger, And burneth unto the lowest Sheol, And devoureth the earth with its increase, And setteth on fire the foundations of the mountains.
• 2 Sam 11:27 : 27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased Jehovah.
• Gen 38:10 : 10 And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of Jehovah: and he slew him also.
• Exod 15:23-24 : 23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
• Exod 16:2-3 : 2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness: 3 and the children of Israel said unto them, Would that we had died by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
• Exod 16:7 : 7 and in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of Jehovah; for that he heareth your murmurings against Jehovah: and what are we, that ye murmur against us?
• Exod 16:9 : 9 And Moses said unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before Jehovah; for he hath heard your murmurings.
• Exod 17:2-3 : 2 Wherefore the people strove with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why strive ye with me? Wherefore do ye tempt Jehovah? 3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore hast thou brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
• Job 1:16 : 16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
• Num 10:33 : 33 And they set forward from the mount of Jehovah three days' journey; and the ark of the covenant of Jehovah went before them three days' journey, to seek out a resting-place for them.
• Jude 1:16 : 16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaketh great swelling [words] ), showing respect of persons for the sake of advantage.
• Jas 5:4 : 4 Behold, the hire of the laborers who mowed your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth out: and the cries of them that reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.