Quail in the Camp

31 A wind sent by the Lord(A) came up and blew quail in from the sea; it dropped them at the camp all around, three feet[a] off[b] the ground, about a day’s journey in every direction.(B) 32 The people were up all that day and night and all the next day gathering the quail—the one who took the least gathered 50 bushels[c]—and they spread them out all around the camp.[d](C)

33 While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the Lord’s anger burned(D) against the people, and the Lord struck them with a very severe plague.(E) 34 So they named that place Kibroth-hattaavah,[e] because there they buried the people who had craved the meat.

35 From Kibroth-hattaavah the people moved on to Hazeroth[f](F) and remained there.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 11:31 Lit two cubits
  2. Numbers 11:31 Or on, or above
  3. Numbers 11:32 Lit 10 homers
  4. Numbers 11:32 To dry or cure the meat; 2Sm 17:19; Ezk 26:5,14
  5. Numbers 11:34 = Graves of Craving
  6. Numbers 11:35 = settlements; Nm 12:16; 33:16-17

Quails Come to the Camp

31 Just then, a wind burst forth from the Lord, who brought quails from the sea and spread them all around the camp, about a day’s journey in each direction, completely encircling the camp about two cubits[a] deep on top of the ground! 32 The people stayed up all that day, all that night, and all through the next day, gathering quails. The one who gathered least gathered enough to fill ten omers,[b] as they spread out all around the camp. 33 But even as they were chewing the meat and before they had swallowed it, the Lord became very angry with the people and struck them with a disastrous plague. 34 That’s why the place was named Kibroth-hattaavah,[c] because they buried the people there who had an insatiable appetite for meat.[d] 35 Later, the people left Kibroth-hattaavah for Hazeroth and camped there.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 11:31 I.e. about three feet; a cubit was about eighteen inches
  2. Numbers 11:32 I.e. in dry capacity about two and a half gallons by volume
  3. Numbers 11:34 The Heb. name means Graves of Desire
  4. Numbers 11:34 Lit. who had great cravings