Numbers 21:5 (YLT)

Passage

and the people speak against God, and against Moses, `Why hast thou brought us up out of Egypt to die in a wilderness? for there is no bread, and there is no water, and our soul hath been weary of this light bread.'

Nearby Context

Numbers 21:3 and Jehovah hearkeneth to the voice of Israel, and giveth up the Canaanite, and he devoteth them and their cities, and calleth the name of the place Hormah.

Numbers 21:4 And they journey from mount Hor, the way of the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom, and the soul of the people is short in the way,

Numbers 21:5 and the people speak against God, and against Moses, `Why hast thou brought us up out of Egypt to die in a wilderness? for there is no bread, and there is no water, and our soul hath been weary of this light bread.'

Numbers 21:6 And Jehovah sendeth among the people the burning serpents, and they bite the people, and much people of Israel die;

Numbers 21:7 and the people come in unto Moses and say, `We have sinned, for we have spoken against Jehovah, and against thee; pray unto Jehovah, and He doth turn aside from us the serpent;' and Moses prayeth in behalf of the people.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "light", "people", "speak", "against", "moses", "hast", "thou", and "brought". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "light" and "people", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 4's "And they journey from mount Hor the..." into verse 6's "And Jehovah sendeth among the people the...", so "light" and "people" belong inside that flow. In Numbers context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "light" and "people" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.