And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; literally, "when the people were voicing their complaints over evil in the ears of Jehovah"; for the discomforts and inconveniences of even these three days of desert journey caused them to groan and to murmur. And the Lord heard it, although at this time it was still done more in secret, Psalms 78:18; and His anger was kindled, like a fire that flares up suddenly; and the fire of the Lord, sent in a supernatural way as a punishment upon them, burned among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp, probably in the same manner as in the case of Nadab and Abihu, Leviticus 10:2. The mysterious, consuming fire started at the edges of the encampment and was threatening to devour all the people.
Related Commentaries of Numbers 11:1
Numbers 11:1
1 And when the people complained,a it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.