9. When the dew came down on the camp at night, the manna also came down.
10. Moses heard people from every family crying. They were sobbing at the entrances to their tents. The Lord burned with hot anger. So Moses became troubled.
11. He asked the Lord, "Why have you brought this trouble on me? Why aren't you pleased with me? Why have you loaded me down with the troubles of all of these people?
12. "Am I like a mother to them? Are they my children? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms? Do I have to carry them the way a nurse carries a baby? Do I have to carry them to the land you promised? You took an oath and promised the land to their people of long ago.
13. "Where can I get meat for all of these people? They keep crying out to me. They say, 'Give us meat to eat!'
14. I can't carry all of these people by myself. The load is too heavy for me.
15. "Is this how you are going to treat me? If you are pleased with me, just put me to death right now. Don't let me live if I have to see myself destroyed anyway."
16. The Lord said to Moses, "Bring me 70 of Israel's elders. Bring men that you know are leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting. I want them to stand there with you.
17. I will come down. I will speak with you there. I will take some of my Spirit that is on you. And I will put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the people's load. Then you will not have to carry it alone.
18. "Tell the people, 'Set yourselves apart for tomorrow. At that time you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you cried out. You said, "We wish we had meat to eat. We were better off in Egypt." " 'Now the Lord will give you meat. And you will eat it.
19. You will not eat it for just one or two days. You will not eat it for just five, ten or 20 days.
20. Instead, you will eat it for a whole month. You will eat it until it comes out of your nose. You will eat it until you hate it. " 'The Lord is among you. But you have turned your back on him. You have cried out while he was listening. You have said, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?" ' "
21. But Moses said, "Here I am among 600,000 men on the march. And you say, 'I will give them meat to eat for a whole month'!
22. Would they have enough if flocks and herds were killed for them? Would they have enough even if all of the fish in the ocean were caught for them?"
23. The Lord answered Moses, "Am I not strong enough? Now you will see whether what I say will come true for you."
24. So Moses went out. He told the people what the Lord had said. He gathered 70 of their elders together. He had them stand around the Tent of Meeting.
25. Then the Lord came down in the cloud. He spoke with Moses. He took some of his Spirit that was on Moses. And he put the Spirit on the 70 elders. When the Spirit came on them, they prophesied. But they didn't do it again.