Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;
God told weeping Israel, who had despised Him and longed for Egypt's flesh, that they would eat the demanded meat not briefly but in abundance for far longer, for a whole month. He had withheld flesh in great measure because it was not best for them, and had freely given them healthful bread from heaven with pure water to preserve their health. Because they loathed His provision, murmured against Him, and were determined to have flesh, He in anger let them have their way to humble them and teach them their true needs. Their receiving flesh was therefore the consequence of refusing His wise care, not a sign of His approval nor proof that meat was harmless or necessary. The prolonged eating became loathsome until it came out at their nostrils, and while the meat was yet in their mouths His wrath came in burning fever and death, showing that letting appetite rule brings harm and calling for temperance in eating and drinking.
Setting and Promise
The promise was spoken to Israel after they wept for flesh, said it had been well with them in Egypt, despised the Lord who was among them, and asked why they had come out of Egypt, and they were told to sanctify themselves and prepare for what would follow. It was God's answer through Moses to their weeping and complaint, declaring that He would give them flesh to eat because they had despised Him and wept before Him.
Moses questioned how flesh for a whole month could be supplied to six hundred thousand footmen, asking whether flocks and herds should be slain or all the fish of the sea gathered together to suffice them. God answered that His hand was not waxed short and that Moses would see whether His word would come to pass, showing His power was not limited. At the same time God directed Moses to gather seventy elders of dignity, sound judgment, and experience to stand with him at the tabernacle of the congregation, and to take of the Spirit that was upon Moses and put it upon them so they would bear the burden of the people with him.
The list of one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days means the eating would not be limited to a brief meal or a few days. God would give the demanded flesh in abundance for far longer, for a whole month of long continued eating. The prolonged supply would continue even a whole month until it came out at their nostrils and became loathsome to them, giving them more meat than they wanted.
On an earlier occasion before they reached Sinai, God had given them flesh for one day and then withheld it because it was not the best food for them.
Why God Gave Flesh
God had not forbidden meat outright, yet He withheld a flesh diet in great measure for Israel's own good because it was not the best food for them, and mere appetite does not reveal what the body truly needs. On an earlier occasion before they reached Sinai He had given them flesh for one day and then taken it away for that same reason. What He freely gave instead was the healthful food He had designed for them, bread rained from heaven, manna, angels' food, with the purest water from the rock, which would have preserved their health and proved a blessing to them. With it stood His covenant promise to put no disease upon them if they would obey Him in all things.
They did not trust the Lord to supply the food that would best preserve health, but despised and loathed His provision, even the manna that would have blessed them. They murmured against Moses and against God, challenged His wisdom concerning what they needed in the wilderness, and showed by their complaints that they had despised Him. They wished themselves back by the flesh pots in Egypt where they could sit and eat, at times preferring slavery and even death rather than be deprived of meat. Their longing and mourning and murmuring for flesh meats was transgression and rejection of His care.
Because they were determined to have flesh and would not submit, and after other instruction had failed, God in anger let them have their way in order to humble them and bring them to submission. He gave them what they lusted for to gratify their lustful appetite and to teach them that He knew their real needs. Their receiving flesh was therefore a consequence of refusing His wise prohibitions and wise care, not a sign of His approval. Nor was their demand evidence that meat is essential for health, and the warning that they would receive more meat than they wanted was no promise that their craving was harmless.
Judgment and Lesson
The craving, lusting, and murmuring for flesh was rebellion against God, and the promise of meat beyond a few days for a whole month until it became loathsome was given as a warning that granting that rebellious desire would bring punishment for despising His provision and complaining of leaving Egypt. They ate and were filled yet were not estranged from their lust, and while the meat was yet in their mouths and between their teeth the wrath of God came upon them in sickness and death. God did not work a miracle to preserve life when the vast multitude received quails in abundance, but plague came while the flesh was still between their teeth.
Burning fevers killed many, including some of the most guilty as soon as they tasted the meat, and the plague destroyed thousands. It slew the fattest of them and struck down the chosen men of Israel, and great numbers died in the act of eating the meat for which they had lusted, the curse coming upon them while it was yet between their teeth. For continued sin and unbelief in His wondrous works their days were consumed in vanity and their years in trouble. Their choice brought dissension, sickness, and death rather than health and happiness, showing that indulgence of appetite brings harm rather than meeting the body's true needs and helped overthrow them in the wilderness. Had they accepted the food God provided and been thankful, they would not have lost His favor and been punished.
The episode teaches that God is displeased when appetite is permitted to control. Its lesson is temperance in eating and drinking and health reform, which gives clearer minds to discern what does and does not affect the salvation of the soul.
God told weeping Israel, who had despised Him and longed for Egypt's flesh, that they would eat the demanded meat not briefly but in abundance for far longer, for a whole month. He had withheld flesh in great measure because it was not best for them, and had freely given them healthful bread from heaven with pure water to preserve their health. Because they loathed His provision, murmured against Him, and were determined to have flesh, He in anger let them have their way to humble them and teach them their true needs. Their receiving flesh was therefore the consequence of refusing His wise care, not a sign of His approval nor proof that meat was harmless or necessary. The prolonged eating became loathsome until it came out at their nostrils, and while the meat was yet in their mouths His wrath came in burning fever and death, showing that letting appetite rule brings harm and calling for temperance in eating and drinking.
Setting and Promise
The promise was spoken to Israel after they wept for flesh, said it had been well with them in Egypt, despised the Lord who was among them, and asked why they had come out of Egypt, and they were told to sanctify themselves and prepare for what would follow. It was God's answer through Moses to their weeping and complaint, declaring that He would give them flesh to eat because they had despised Him and wept before Him.
Moses questioned how flesh for a whole month could be supplied to six hundred thousand footmen, asking whether flocks and herds should be slain or all the fish of the sea gathered together to suffice them. God answered that His hand was not waxed short and that Moses would see whether His word would come to pass, showing His power was not limited. At the same time God directed Moses to gather seventy elders of dignity, sound judgment, and experience to stand with him at the tabernacle of the congregation, and to take of the Spirit that was upon Moses and put it upon them so they would bear the burden of the people with him.
The list of one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days means the eating would not be limited to a brief meal or a few days. God would give the demanded flesh in abundance for far longer, for a whole month of long continued eating. The prolonged supply would continue even a whole month until it came out at their nostrils and became loathsome to them, giving them more meat than they wanted.
On an earlier occasion before they reached Sinai, God had given them flesh for one day and then withheld it because it was not the best food for them.
Why God Gave Flesh
God had not forbidden meat outright, yet He withheld a flesh diet in great measure for Israel's own good because it was not the best food for them, and mere appetite does not reveal what the body truly needs. On an earlier occasion before they reached Sinai He had given them flesh for one day and then taken it away for that same reason. What He freely gave instead was the healthful food He had designed for them, bread rained from heaven, manna, angels' food, with the purest water from the rock, which would have preserved their health and proved a blessing to them. With it stood His covenant promise to put no disease upon them if they would obey Him in all things.
They did not trust the Lord to supply the food that would best preserve health, but despised and loathed His provision, even the manna that would have blessed them. They murmured against Moses and against God, challenged His wisdom concerning what they needed in the wilderness, and showed by their complaints that they had despised Him. They wished themselves back by the flesh pots in Egypt where they could sit and eat, at times preferring slavery and even death rather than be deprived of meat. Their longing and mourning and murmuring for flesh meats was transgression and rejection of His care.
Because they were determined to have flesh and would not submit, and after other instruction had failed, God in anger let them have their way in order to humble them and bring them to submission. He gave them what they lusted for to gratify their lustful appetite and to teach them that He knew their real needs. Their receiving flesh was therefore a consequence of refusing His wise prohibitions and wise care, not a sign of His approval. Nor was their demand evidence that meat is essential for health, and the warning that they would receive more meat than they wanted was no promise that their craving was harmless.
Judgment and Lesson
The craving, lusting, and murmuring for flesh was rebellion against God, and the promise of meat beyond a few days for a whole month until it became loathsome was given as a warning that granting that rebellious desire would bring punishment for despising His provision and complaining of leaving Egypt. They ate and were filled yet were not estranged from their lust, and while the meat was yet in their mouths and between their teeth the wrath of God came upon them in sickness and death. God did not work a miracle to preserve life when the vast multitude received quails in abundance, but plague came while the flesh was still between their teeth.
Burning fevers killed many, including some of the most guilty as soon as they tasted the meat, and the plague destroyed thousands. It slew the fattest of them and struck down the chosen men of Israel, and great numbers died in the act of eating the meat for which they had lusted, the curse coming upon them while it was yet between their teeth. For continued sin and unbelief in His wondrous works their days were consumed in vanity and their years in trouble. Their choice brought dissension, sickness, and death rather than health and happiness, showing that indulgence of appetite brings harm rather than meeting the body's true needs and helped overthrow them in the wilderness. Had they accepted the food God provided and been thankful, they would not have lost His favor and been punished.
The episode teaches that God is displeased when appetite is permitted to control. Its lesson is temperance in eating and drinking and health reform, which gives clearer minds to discern what does and does not affect the salvation of the soul.