Numbers 11:32, commentary and pictures

A wind from the Lord brought quails from the sea to fall thick around the camp, and the people spent all that day and all that night and all the next day gathering them, with even the least gathering ten homers, which they spread out around the camp and preserved by drying so the supply would last the promised month. Their clamor for meat was rebellion after great mercies and a covenant to obey, coming in the same account where fire consumed the complainers at the edge of the camp until prayer stopped it at the place called a burning. God in anger let them have flesh to gratify lustful appetite, a temporary concession to persistent murmuring that was not for their best good nor His chosen regular food. While the flesh was still between their teeth His wrath struck them with burning fevers and a very great plague, cutting down thousands including the most guilty murmurers. The lesson is that letting appetite rule turns blessings into curses, bringing sickness, weakness of mind and judgment, and spiritual leanness, and calls God's people not to lust after evil things but to live humbly and obediently on simple food.

Gathering Around the Camp

A wind from the Lord brought quails from the sea and let them fall round about the camp about a day's journey on each side and about two cubits high on the ground, lying about two cubits above the face of the earth. The people stood up all that day and all that night and all the next day laboring to gather the quails God had miraculously provided. Even he that gathered least gathered ten homers, or ten omers, showing extraordinary abundance and immense quantities meeting their demand for meat. Their depraved appetites controlled them as they worked through that day, the night, and the next day to gather the flesh they lusted after.

They spread the quails all abroad for themselves round about the camp. What was not needed for present use was spread abroad and preserved by drying, and the surplus was dried and kept so the supply would last a whole month as promised and be sufficient for a month. While the flesh was still between their teeth the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and He struck them with a very great plague. Many died of burning fevers, and those most guilty in murmuring were struck down as soon as they tasted the meat.

The demand for meat in this chapter was rebellion against God after the people had witnessed His power and mercy and had covenanted to obey Him. In the same chapter fire from the Lord consumed complainers at the edges of the camp, with the most guilty struck by lightning, until Moses' prayer brought the fire to an end. The place was named Taberah, meaning a burning.

Concession, Judgment and Warning

Israel did not trust the Lord to give food that would best preserve health, but despised manna as angels' food, bread rained from heaven to eat freely, and pure water from the rock. With depraved appetite they murmured against Moses and against God, craving the flesh-pots of Egypt and lusting for flesh-meats. They were not satisfied with the healthful food designed for them and given with covenant promise to put no disease upon them if they obeyed in all things. They would at times prefer slavery and even death in Egypt rather than be deprived of meat.

God in anger gave them flesh to gratify lustful appetite, giving them their own desire because they insisted on having it and would not submit to receive only what would prove for their good. It was a temporary concession to persistent discontent and murmuring for the food eaten in Egypt, not His chosen or intended regular food. That meat was not for their best good, not for their highest good, and not essential to health and strength, for it would have been given from the first if it had been. His permission of flesh eating after the curse was to shorten human life, and His restrictions were meant to reform appetite and protect health. He let them suffer the results of gratifying lustful appetite and left them to feasting without restraint.

While the flesh was still between their teeth the wrath of the Lord was kindled and He smote them with a very great plague of burning fevers that cut down very large numbers. Thousands died in the act of eating the meat they lusted, many struck down as they tasted it. The fattest of them were slain and the chosen men smitten down, and those most guilty in murmuring were slain as soon as they tasted the meat. For all this they sinned still and believed not for His wondrous works, losing His favor for rebellious murmuring. The episode brought spiritual leanness, dissension, sickness and death, with appetite leading to spiritual and physical ruin.

Satan overthrew Israel through gratification of appetite and indulgence of lustful appetite and corrupt passions. He worked in the same way as with Adam and Eve and the inhabitants of the old world. By that indulgence nearly all who left Egypt died in the wilderness.

The gathering stands as example and warning not to let appetite control and not to choose one's own course against light, following the sight of one's own eyes and departing farther from God. Indulgence against light brings needless sickness and gluttony, turns blessings into curses and mercies into judgments, and through hardness of heart and sinful unbelief keeps God from doing great things for His people. Eating flesh to excess shortens life, and refusal to submit forfeits the physical and mental strength and sound judgment that obedience would give. God's people in the last days are therefore warned not to lust after evil things and not to provoke Him by determined demand for the flesh of dead animals in spite of a plain Thus saith the Lord. They are to learn humility and obedience, to live upon simple fruits, vegetables and grains, and to remain separate from the world and not mingle with it.