COMPLAINTS ABOUT FOOD

4 The riffraffD among themt had a strong cravingu for other food. The Israelites wept again and said, “Who will feed us meat? 5 We remember the free fish we ate in Egypt,v along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. 6 But now our appetite is gone;E there’s nothing to look at but this manna!”

7 The mannaw resembled coriander seed, and its appearance was like that of bdellium.F 8 The people walked around and gathered it. They ground it on a pair of grinding stones or crushed it in a mortar, then boiled it in a cooking pot and shaped it into cakes. It tasted like a pastry cooked with the finest oil. 9 When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall with it.x

10 Moses heard the people, family after family, weeping at the entrance of their tents. The Lord was very angry;a Moses was also provoked.A 11 So Moses asked the Lord, “Why have you brought such trouble on your servant? Why are you angry with me,B and why do you burden me with all these people?b 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth so you should tell me, ‘Carry them at your breast, as a nursing mother carries a baby,’c to the land that you swore to give their ancestors?d 13 Where can I get meat to give all these people? For they are weeping to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I can’t carry all these people by myself. They are too much for me. 15 If you are going to treat me like this, please kill me right nowe if I have found favor with you, andf don’t let me see my miseryC anymore.”