In Moses' complaint there is an unmistakeable discontent arising from the excessive burden of his office. "Why hast Thou done evil to Thy servant? and why have I not found favour in Thy sight, to lay upon me the burden of all this people?" The "burden of all this people" is the expression which he uses to denote "the care of governing the people, and providing everything for it" (C. a. Lap.). This burden, which God imposed upon him in connection with his office, appeared to him a bad and ungracious treatment on the part of God. This is the language of the discontent of despair, which differs from the murmuring of unbelief, in the fact that it is addressed to God, for the purpose of entreating help and deliverance from Him; whereas unbelief complains of the ways of God, but while complaining of its troubles, does not pray to the Lord its God. "Have I conceived all this people," Moses continues, "or have I brought it forth, that Thou requirest me to carry it in my bosom, as a nursing father carries the suckling, into the promised land?" He does not intend by these words to throw off entirely all care for the people, but simply to plead with God that the duty of carrying and providing for Israel rests with Him, the Creator and Father of Israel (Exodus 4:22; Isaiah 63:16). Moses, a weak man, was wanting in the omnipotent power which alone could satisfy the crying of the people for flesh. עלי יבכּוּ, "they weep unto me," i.e., they come weeping to ask me to relieve their distress. "I am not able to carry this burden alone; it is too heavy for me."

Numbers 11:18 Parallel Commentaries

sanctify

Genesis 35:2 Then Jacob said to his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean...

Exodus 19:10,15 And the LORD said to Moses, Go to the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes...

Joshua 7:13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus said the LORD God of Israel...

ye have wept

Numbers 11:1,4-6 And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled...

Exodus 16:3-7 And the children of Israel said to them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt...

Judges 21:2 And the people came to the house of God, and stayed there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;

it was well

Numbers 11:4,5 And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said...

Numbers 14:2,3 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said to them...

Acts 7:39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,