The rabble among them had a strong craving; and the Israelites also wept again, and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.” (Numbers 11:4-6 NRSV)
It is tempting to judge the Israelites for complaining about their food! They had been freed from slavery, watched Moses command the Red Sea to part so they could walk across it on dry land, and now were being provided food from heaven every day.
I am not sure I had ever caught the term “rabble” in this passage, so I was surprised in re-reading this to realize that Moses must have been pretty disgusted with some of the members of the tribes in his care.
However, what caught my attention (and caused me to do a little self-searching of my own!) was that although they had food, they were bored with their food. They wanted something else!
Miracles, freedom, free food, a new chance of a better life, and they complained!
To be fair, they had been slaves: told what to do and when to do it, and were whipped with lashes if they even whimpered. This freedom business may have been a little scary. And maybe they thought “Enough is enough! Haven’t we earned a break?”
This story also reminds me that there are people around us every day who need a break: a kind word, a listening ear, a chance, an opportunity, a hand up (not a hand-out), some encouragement, a friend.
And it is our calling to help whenever we can: a hand-up, not a hand-out.