Numbers 11:20 Meaning and Explanation
“But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The meat will be so abundant it becomes nauseating—a judgment on their despising the Lord.
The Context of Numbers 11:20
God reveals that the judgment lies not in denial but in the perversion of the gift into a curse.
What Does Numbers 11:20 Mean?
God will provide meat for a whole month, but the abundance will become obscene. The meat will come out of their nostrils and become loathsome—meaning they will be so sick of eating flesh that the very smell will disgust them. Abundance transforms into revulsion.
God identifies the sin beneath the complaint: they have despised him and forgotten why they left Egypt. Their complaint is not truly about hunger but about rejection of God's care and longing for the slavery they left behind. The judgment matches the sin—their desire becomes their torment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Numbers 11:20
What does Numbers 11:20 mean?
The meat will be so abundant it becomes nauseating—a judgment on their despising the Lord.
What is the context of Numbers 11:20?
God reveals that the judgment lies not in denial but in the perversion of the gift into a curse.