13. Where could I get enough meat for all these people? They keep whining and asking for meat.
14. I can't be responsible for all these people by myself; it's too much for me!
15. If you are going to treat me like this, take pity on me and kill me, so that I won't have to endure your cruelty any longer.”
16. The Lord said to Moses, “Assemble seventy respected men who are recognized as leaders of the people, bring them to me at the Tent of my presence, and tell them to stand there beside you.
17. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the spirit I have given you and give it to them. Then they can help you to bear the responsibility for these people, and you will not have to bear it alone.
18. Now tell the people, ‘Purify yourselves for tomorrow; you will have meat to eat. The Lord has heard you whining and saying that you wished you had some meat and that you were better off in Egypt. Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will have to eat it.
19. You will have to eat it not just for one or two days, or five, or ten, or even twenty days,
20. but for a whole month, until it comes out of your ears, until you are sick of it. This will happen because you have rejected the Lord who is here among you and have complained to him that you should never have left Egypt.’ ”