Literary Devices – Bemidbar 11

Bemidbar 10 ends with a five-fold repetition of the root "טוב" (good). At the beginning of Bemidbar 11, there is a shift to the word “רע” (bad), which appears four times in the chapter.  Additionally, the sound “רע” appears several times in etymologically unrelated words, such as in verse 3: “וַיִּקְרָא... תַּבְעֵרָה... בָעֲרָה". This switch indicates the shift from the nation’s harmonious journey in the beginning of Bemidbar to the discontent and rebellion that ultimately derails their mission.

The root אסף (to gather) appears six times in the chapter as a verb, and one more time in the noun "אסַפְסֻף" (mixed multitudes).  It is used both in reference to gathering the quail and with regards to gathering the 70 elders who were to aid Moshe. The word, thus, serves to connect the two themes of the chapter: the nation's complaint about quail and Moshe's frustration with the nation.¹ 

See the Tanakh Lab,  that together these words appear 14 times in the unit, with בשר, flesh, appearing 8 times, and "רוח", appearing 6 times. The opposing words highlight how the people's request for meat needed to be countered by an infusion of "spirit" into the camp.

The Tanakh Lab demonstrates that this is one of the most prevalent words in the chapter, appearing 20 times.  For discussion of its various usages, see Character Titles below.

• Watch Bemidbar: The Story of Two Generations, by Dr. Yael Ziegler, for discussion of the key words "good" and "bad" and what they represent about the psychology of the generation that left Egypt.
• Listen to Of Lusts and Laments (beginning at 15:24), by R. Chanoch Waxman, for contrast of Moshe’s perspective on the journey with that of the nation, as represented by the shift from “טוב” to “רע” .
• See Moshe vs. "the Lustful": Leadership in Crisis, by R. Elhanan Samet for discussion of all the key words mentioned above and how Hashem taught Moshe that in the face of the nation's lusting and rejecting of His values, he must make the "spirit" prevail over the "flesh;" and counteract the "asafsuf" with a "gatheirng" of elders. For a similar analysis, see Alex Israel's Flesh or Spirit.²
• See Leitwort (VI), by Prof. Yonatan Grossman, for analysis of the phenomenon of contrasting pairs of guiding words (like "good" and "bad") in Biblical narratives and see his Repetition of Sounds for discussion of the ways in which Tanakh makes use of the aural qualities of words (similar to the sound of “ra” in Bemidbar 11) to express themes and tones.

The people of Israel are referred to over twenty times in the chapter, almost always with variations of the title "עם" (appearing twenty times), rather than the epithet "בני ישראל" (the Children of Israel).

• "העם" – This is the chapter's default title for the people, used 15 times alone, without a modifier.⁴
• העם הזה – This epithet appears just four times, all clustered in Moshe's complaint to Hashem in verses 11-15.⁵  The pejorative appellation "this nation" may reflect Moshe's feelings of disconnection and alienation from the people.⁶ 
• עם י"י – This term appears only once, in verse 29, when Moshe tells Yehoshua that Eldad and Medad are not deserving of punishment, expressing the desire that all of Israel should merit prophecy. Moshe's use of the term might reflect a change in his attitude towards the people.  After  Hashem supports Moshe and calms his frustrations, the dismissive "this nation" has now morphed into "Hashem's nation".
  
• בני ישראל – The nation is called "בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" only once in the chapter, in verse 4, to differentiate them from the "אסַפְסֻף" who initiated the complaint for food. [The term "ישראל", though, appears twice more as the elders are referred to as "זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" in verses 16 and 30.]⁷