Topical Bible: Death: Desired by Moses

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In the narrative of the Old Testament, Moses stands as one of the most significant figures, chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage and through the wilderness toward the Promised Land. Despite his close relationship with God and his pivotal role in the history of Israel, there is a poignant moment where Moses expresses a desire for death, reflecting the immense burden of leadership and the weight of the people's rebellion.

This moment is recorded in the Book of Numbers, specifically in Numbers 11:10-15. The Israelites, having been delivered from Egypt, find themselves in the wilderness, where they begin to complain about their hardships and the lack of variety in their diet. They long for the foods of Egypt, expressing dissatisfaction with the manna provided by God. Moses, overwhelmed by the people's complaints and the responsibility placed upon him, turns to the Lord in a moment of despair:

"Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance of their tents, and the anger of the LORD blazed hotly, and Moses was also displeased. So Moses asked the LORD, 'Why have You brought this trouble on Your servant? Why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth, that You should tell me to carry them in my bosom, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land that You swore to give their fathers? Where can I get meat for all these people? For they keep crying out to me, "Give us meat to eat!" I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how You are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in Your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.'" (Numbers 11:10-15)

Moses' plea to God reveals the depth of his distress and the limits of his endurance. His request for death is not born out of a lack of faith but rather from an acute awareness of his human limitations and the overwhelming nature of his task. Moses feels isolated in his leadership, burdened by the constant demands and complaints of the people he is called to lead.

This episode highlights several key themes in the biblical narrative. First, it underscores the humanity of Moses, a man chosen by God yet subject to the same emotions and struggles as any other person. It also illustrates the challenges of leadership, particularly spiritual leadership, where the weight of responsibility can become overwhelming. Furthermore, it reflects the broader theme of reliance on God, as Moses ultimately turns to the Lord in his moment of crisis, seeking divine intervention and support.

God's response to Moses' plea is one of provision and support. Rather than granting Moses' request for death, God instructs him to gather seventy elders of Israel to share the burden of leadership (Numbers 11:16-17). This divine provision not only alleviates Moses' immediate distress but also establishes a model of shared leadership and communal responsibility.

In the broader context of Scripture, Moses' desire for death can be seen as a moment of vulnerability that serves to highlight God's faithfulness and the importance of seeking divine strength in times of personal weakness. It is a reminder that even the most faithful servants of God can experience moments of despair, yet God's grace and provision are always sufficient to sustain them.

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Numbers 11:15
And if you deal thus with me, kill me, I pray you, out of hand, if I have found favor in your sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.
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Library

From Kadesh to the Death of Moses.
... 3) Moses asked permission ... 1) The death of Aaron ... He tried repeatedly to find some way
by which he could speak good for Moab and thereby earn the much desired fee ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter vii from kadesh to.htm

How, after the Death of Joshua their Commander, the Israelites ...
... 1. After the death of Joshua and Eleazar, Phineas prophesied ... who was the
father-in-law to Moses; for they ... city belonged to the Canaanites, but desired rather ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 2 how after the.htm

How Moses Conquered Sihon and Og Kings of the Amorites, and ...
... Accordingly he encouraged the soldiers; and he desired of them ... So Moses passed over
the river Jabbok, and overran the ... for the present, but by his death he was ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 5 how moses conquered.htm

Faustus Abhors Moses for the Awful Curse He Has Pronounced Upon ...
... He had a mortal body, so as to suffer real death. ... blessed, or else it would be a
thing to be desired. ... bore the curse for us; and that when Moses said, "Cursed ...
/.../faustus abhors moses for the.htm

Manes Said: is not that Word Also to the Same Effect which Jesus ...
... whatever the wicked prince of this world desired, and whatever ... after, he committed
to writing through Moses, and by ... the law is a ministration of death, and you ...
/.../the acts of the disputation with the heresiarch manes/29 manes said is not.htm

Here Next Followeth the History of Moses
... Whosoever touched the hill shall die by death, there shall no hand touch him, but
with stones he shall ... Wherefore Moses was so woe that he desired of our ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/here next followeth the history.htm

How those that Stirred up this Sedition were Destroyed, According ...
... The Rejection Of That Generation To The Death Of Moses ... of them would have been pleased
if Moses had been ... of evil practices, but the wiser sort desired that they ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 3 how those that.htm

Concerning Our Lord, and Concerning Death and Satan
... his past, with pleasant bread, but He desired it not. ... 6. Gluttonous Death, lamented
and said, I have learned ... Moses, who shone in his splendour, I tempted again ...
/.../hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn xxxv concerning our lord.htm

Death.
... Moses and Elias appeared to Peter and James and John, at the transfiguration of ... BUNYAN'S
DEATH. ... He desired some to pray with him, and he joined with them in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xxiv death.htm

The Death of the Righteous
... He desired to know nothing but Christ, and him ... Believers at death will have close
converse with glorified ... If in the transfiguration Peter knew Moses and Elias ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/1 the death of the.htm