Numbers 11:1
And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.
After Israel had traveled three days from Sinai, complaints arose among those at the edges of the camp that displeased God and brought His judgment. The complaining began with the mixed multitude and spread through the camp until it infected nearly the whole body of the people. They were dissatisfied with the route and the wilderness march and faulted Moses for leading them, even though they knew he was following the guiding cloud, that God was guiding the way, and that God was providing manna.
They lusted and craved meat and lamented and wept over food despite the manna and God's direction, with weeping at the doors of the tents and complaining throughout families. Their complaining and murmuring displeased the Lord, kindled His anger, and brought His wrath and judgment upon them. Their complaints were rebellion against God and not merely discontent, because they had seen great evidence of His power and mercy at Horeb and had covenanted to obey Him as king.
Earlier complaints had been met with pity, but greater light made this discontent more guilty and called for prompt punishment to preserve Israel from ruin. The fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed those in the uttermost and far edges of the camp. The fire came from the cloudy pillar as lightning from the cloud and from heaven, and it struck and consumed the most guilty complainers and the instigators who stirred up the trouble.
The people cried and pleaded to Moses, and when Moses prayed for them the fire stopped and was quenched. The place was named Taberah, meaning a burning, in memory of the judgment. The punishment did not humble the people; instead their murmuring increased. The complaining displeased Moses and laid on him the heavy burden of bearing a disobedient people like a nursing father.
The account warns against persistent murmuring and craving what God has withheld. Complaining for freedom in meat-eating after light has been given on the diet question displeases the Lord and repeats that complaining, lamentation, and weeping. Such lamenting because meat cannot be eaten freely joins continual taxing of the human stomach with wrong quality of food and too large a quantity that overloads and wears it out.