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Numbers 11:30-32
New English Translation
Numbers 11:30-32
New English Translation
30 Then Moses returned to the camp along with the elders of Israel.
Provision of Quail
31 Now a wind[a] went out[b] from the Lord and brought quail[c] from the sea, and let them fall[d] near the camp, about a day’s journey on this side, and about a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about three feet[e] high on the surface of the ground. 32 And the people stayed up[f] all that day, all that night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail. The one who gathered the least gathered ten homers,[g] and they spread them out[h] for themselves all around the camp.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 11:31 sn The irony in this chapter is expressed in part by the use of the word רוּחַ (ruakh). In the last episode it clearly meant the Spirit of the Lord that empowered the men for their spiritual service. But here the word is “wind.” Both the spiritual service and the judgment come from God.
- Numbers 11:31 tn The verb means “burst forth” or “sprang up.” See the ways it is used in Gen 33:12, Judg 16:3, 14; Isa 33:20.
- Numbers 11:31 sn The “quail” ordinarily cross the Sinai at various times of the year, but what is described here is not the natural phenomenon. Biblical scholars looking for natural explanations usually note that these birds fly at a low height and can be swatted down easily. But the description here is more of a supernatural supply and provision. See J. Gray, “The Desert Sojourn of the Hebrews and the Sinai Horeb Tradition,” VT 4 (1954): 148-54.
- Numbers 11:31 tn Or “left them fluttering.”
- Numbers 11:31 tn Heb “two cubits.” The standard cubit in the OT is assumed by most authorities to be about 18 inches (45 cm) in length.
- Numbers 11:32 tn Heb “rose up, stood up.”
- Numbers 11:32 sn This is about two thousand liters.
- Numbers 11:32 tn The verb (a preterite) is followed by the infinitive absolute of the same root, to emphasize the action of spreading out the quail. Although it is hard to translate the expression, it indicates that they spread these quail out all over the area. The vision of them spread all over was evidence of God’s abundant provision for their needs.
Numbers 11:30-32
New International Version
Numbers 11:30-32
New International Version
30 Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.
31 Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail(A) in from the sea. It scattered them up to two cubits[a] deep all around the camp, as far as a day’s walk in any direction. 32 All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers.[b] Then they spread them out all around the camp.
Footnotes
- Numbers 11:31 That is, about 3 feet or about 90 centimeters
- Numbers 11:32 That is, possibly about 1 3/4 tons or about 1.6 metric tons
Numbers 11:30-32
New King James Version
Numbers 11:30-32
New King James Version
30 And Moses returned to the camp, he and the elders of Israel.
The Lord Sends Quail
31 Now a (A)wind went out from the Lord, and it brought quail from the sea and left them fluttering near the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and about a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about two cubits above the surface of the ground. 32 And the people stayed up all that day, all night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten (B)homers); and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp.
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Numbers 11:30-32
King James Version
Numbers 11:30-32
King James Version
30 And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.
31 And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.
32 And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.
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Numbers 11:30-32
1599 Geneva Bible
Numbers 11:30-32
1599 Geneva Bible
30 And Moses returned into the host, he and the Elders of Israel.
31 Then there went forth a wind from the Lord, and (A)brought quails from the sea, and let them fall upon the camp, a day’s journey on this side, and a day’s journey on the other side, round about the host, and they were about two cubits above the earth.
32 Then the people arose, all that day, and all the night, and all the next day, and gathered the quails: he that gathered the least, gathered ten [a]Homers full, and they spread them abroad for their use round about the host.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 11:32 Of Homer, read Lev. 27:16, also it signifieth an heap, as Exod. 8:14; Judg. 15:16.
New English Translation (NET)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.