Numbers 11:13

Where can I get meat for all these people? For they keep crying out to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Moses addresses God in the wilderness, voicing a logistical question immediately after denying he can single-handedly carry the Israelites.

The words — The Hebrew מֵ/אַ֤יִן (me./'A.yin) literally asks "from where?" and is paired with בָּשָׂ֔ר (ba.Sar), meaning "meat" or "flesh," to frame the supply crisis.

The thread — The text records Moses' question about provision in a desolate location, a pattern repeated when the disciples ask where bread can be found to feed crowds (Matthew 15:33; Mark 8:4).

Why it lands — The passage states human inability to meet collective demands, placing the reader before the necessity of relying on external provision rather than personal capacity.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

מֵאַ֤יִןme./'A.yinfrom/ where?לִי֙l/i[belong] to <the>/ meבָּשָׂ֔רba.Sar[will] meat לָתֵ֖תla./Tetto/ give [it]לְכָל־le./kholto/ all הָעָ֣םha./'Amthe/ people הַזֶּ֑הha./Zeh<the>/ this כִּֽי־ki-for יִבְכּ֤וּyiv.Kuthey are weeping עָלַי֙'a.La/ito/ me לֵאמֹ֔רle./Mor<to>/ saying תְּנָה־te.na/h-give/ !לָּ֥נוּLa./nuto <the>/ usבָשָׂ֖רva.Sarmeat וְנֹאכֵֽלָה׃ve./no.Khe.lahso/ let us eat

King James Version

Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.

Cross-references

Matthew 15:33 The disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?”
Mark 8:4 His disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could anyone find enough bread to feed all these people?”
Mark 9:23 “If You can?” echoed Jesus. “All things are possible to him who believes!”
John 6:5 When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?”