The Meaning of Numbers 11:11 Explained

Numbers 11:11

KJV: And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

YLT: And Moses saith unto Jehovah, 'Why hast Thou done evil to Thy servant? and why have I not found grace in Thine eyes -- to put the burden of all this people upon me?

Darby: And Moses said to Jehovah, Why hast thou done evil to thy servant, and why have I not found favour in thine eyes, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

ASV: And Moses said unto Jehovah, Wherefore hast thou dealt ill with thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favor in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Moses  said  unto the LORD,  Wherefore hast thou afflicted  thy servant?  and wherefore have I not found  favour  in thy sight,  that thou layest  the burden  of all this people  upon me? 

What does Numbers 11:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 11:1-15 - The Murmuring Flesh-Lovers
We cannot wonder at the people's murmuring. They were unaccustomed to the fatigues of the desert, and had not realized the length of the journey. Let us beware of querulous complaints. See 1 Corinthians 10:10. Let us also guard against familiarity with those who have never known God's regenerating grace. "The mixed multitude" was largely composed of Egyptians, whose evil example spread to the chosen people, Exodus 12:38. When our religious life is low, we tire of angels' food, and our hearts turn back to the world we have left.
Moses' outcry is hardly to be wondered at. He was thoroughly overstrained by the immense demands of his life. But he ought not to have spoken as though the entire weight of the pilgrimage rested on him. His Almighty Friend was bearing and carrying them during "all the days of old." See Isaiah 63:9. We must never look at our responsibilities apart from Him who makes all grace abound, 2 Corinthians 9:8. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 11

1  The burning at Taberah quenched by Moses' prayer
4  The people crave meat, and loathe manna
10  Moses complains of his charge
16  God promises to divide his burden unto seventy elders,
18  and to give the people meat for a month
21  Moses' faith is staggered
31  Quails are given in wrath at Kibroth Hattaavah

What do the individual words in Numbers 11:11 mean?

So said Moses to Yahweh why have You afflicted Your servant and why not have I found favor in Your sight that You have laid - the burden of all people this on me
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶל־ יְהוָ֗ה לָמָ֤ה הֲרֵעֹ֙תָ֙ ؟ לְעַבְדֶּ֔ךָ וְלָ֛מָּה לֹא־ מָצָ֥תִי חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ לָשׂ֗וּם אֶת־ מַשָּׂ֛א כָּל־ הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה עָלָֽי

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  So  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מֹשֶׁ֜ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לָמָ֤ה  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
הֲרֵעֹ֙תָ֙  have  You  afflicted 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: מֵרֵעַ 
Sense: to be bad, be evil.
؟ לְעַבְדֶּ֔ךָ  Your  servant 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
וְלָ֛מָּה  and  why 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
מָצָ֥תִי  have  I  found 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
חֵ֖ן  favor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵן  
Sense: favour, grace, charm.
בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ  in  Your  sight 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc, second person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
לָשׂ֗וּם  that  You  have  laid 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מַשָּׂ֛א  the  burden 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַשָּׂא 
Sense: load, bearing, tribute, burden, lifting.
כָּל־  of  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָעָ֥ם  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הַזֶּ֖ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
עָלָֽי  on  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.