Numbers 11:5

We remember the fish we ate freely in Egypt, along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The Israelites address Moses and the camp during their wilderness journey, speaking immediately after weeping over a craving for meat while living on manna (Numbers 11:4, Numbers 11:6).

The words — The verb זָכַרְנוּ (za.Khar.nu) means "we remember," and the adverb חִנָּם (chi.Nam) translates literally as "for nothing" or "freely," marking their claim of past abundance.

The thread — This recollection mirrors the earlier complaint in Exodus 16:3, and the New Testament later classifies this flesh-obsessed nostalgia as a worldly pattern in Philippians 3:19.

Why it lands — The text lists specific foods and asserts they were consumed without cost in Egypt, requiring the reader to confront how present discontent can selectively rewrite history rather than assess current circumstances accurately.

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

זָכַ֙רְנוּ֙za.Khar.nuwe remember אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַדָּגָ֔הha./da.Gahthe/ fish אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which נֹאכַ֥לno.Khalwe ate בְּמִצְרַ֖יִםbe./mitz.Ra.yimin/ Egypt חִנָּ֑םchi.Namfor nothing אֵ֣ת'et<obj.>הַקִּשֻּׁאִ֗יםha./ki.shu.'Imthe/ cucumbers וְאֵת֙ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הָֽאֲבַטִּחִ֔יםha./'a.va.ti.Chimthe/ watermelons וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הֶחָצִ֥ירhe./cha.Tzirthe/ leek[s]וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הַבְּצָלִ֖יםha./be.tza.Limthe/ onions וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הַשּׁוּמִֽים׃ha./shu.Mimthe/ garlic<s>

King James Version

We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:

Cross-references

Exodus 16:3 “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt!” they said. “There we sat by pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, but you have brought us into this desert to starve this whole assembly to death!”
Psalms 17:14 from such men, O LORD, by Your hand—from men of the world whose portion is in this life. May You fill the bellies of Your treasured ones and satisfy their sons, so they leave their abundance to their children.
Philippians 3:19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.