Numbers 11:31-35

The Quail

31 Then a wind set out from Yahweh, and it drove quails from the west, and he spread [them] out on the camp about a day's journey on one side and about a day's journey on the other, all around the camp, about two cubits on the surface of the land.
32 And so the people {worked} all day and all night and all the next day, and they gathered the quail (the least of the ones collecting gathered ten homers).
33 While the meat [was] still between their teeth, before it was consumed, Yahweh was angry with the people, and Yahweh struck a very great plague among the people.
34 And he called the name of that place Kibroth Hattaavah because they buried the people that {were greedy}.
35 From Kibroth Hattaavah the people set out [to] Hazeroth; and they stayed in Hazeroth.

Numbers 11:31-35 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 11

This chapter informs us of the complaints of the people of Israel, which brought the fire of the Lord upon them, and consumed many of them; and which, at the intercession of Moses, was quenched, and the place from thence called Taberah, Nu 11:1-3; and of the lusting of the mixed multitude after flesh, to increase which, they called to mind their food in Egypt; and to show their folly and ingratitude in so doing, the manna is described, Nu 11:4-9; and of the uneasiness of Moses, and his complaints of the heavy burden of the people upon him, Nu 11:10-15; and to make him easy, it is promised, that seventy of the elders of Israel should partake of his spirit, and assist in bearing the burden, Nu 11:16,17; and that the people should have flesh to serve them a whole month, Nu 11:18-20; at which last Moses expressed some degree of unbelief, Nu 11:21-23; however God fulfilled his promise with respect to both. Some of the spirit of Moses was taken and given to seventy elders, who prophesied, and two men are particularly taken notice of, who did so, Nu 11:24-30; quails in great numbers were brought by a wind to the people; but while they were eating them wrath came upon them, and they were smitten with a plague, whence the place was called Kibrothhattaavah, Nu 11:31-34; and from thence they removed to Hazeroth, Nu 11:35.

Footnotes 6

  • [a]. Literally "arose"
  • [b]. HALOT 330, "a dry measure"
  • [c]. Hebrew "the graves of greediness"
  • [d]. Literally "craved"
  • [e]. Hebrew "the graves of greediness"
  • [f]. Hebrew "they were"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.