Israelites Gathering Quail in the WildernessBible World
11:34Numbers 11:34
And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.
Kibroth-hattaavah means the graves of craving, named because those who lusted were buried there, those who lusted for flesh meat. Israel was not satisfied with the bread from heaven and water from the rock that God gave to educate them for health, but mourned for the fleshpots of Egypt, so in anger God gave them quails in abundance and the grant became a curse when great numbers died in plague with the meat still between their teeth. Yielded-to and uncontrolled appetite thus brings disease and death and leanness of soul, because craving rejected God's good restrictions and provoked His wrath and forfeited His intended blessings. Satan used gratification of appetite to overthrow reason and control them, the same point on which Adam was overcome and the flood generation destroyed and Christ was tempted. Their burial place stands as a warning to deny appetite in obedience to God and practice temperance in eating and drinking, that the mind may be clear to discern what affects the salvation of the soul.
Name and Wilderness History
The place received the name Kibroth-hattaavah, meaning the graves of craving, because those who lusted were buried there, specifically those who lusted for flesh meat. Their craving brought death upon them, and the burial ground memorializes that judgment.
The setting was God leading His people in victory out of Egypt into the wilderness to prove and try them, to educate and train them in His way toward a healthy life. He did not forbid flesh meat but withheld it from them in great measure, providing instead the most healthful food, bread rained from heaven, even angels' food, and the purest water from the rock. He covenanted to take them as His peculiar treasure and to keep disease from them if they would obey His voice and keep His commandments in all things.
Israel was not satisfied with what God provided but despised and loathed the food given from heaven. With mourning and murmuring they lusted to sit by the fleshpots of Egypt and demanded meat, longing for the flesh they had eaten in Egypt. They preferred slavery and even death to being deprived of flesh, valuing earthly food above spiritual things and thereby failing to attain God's purpose for them.
In anger God granted their insistence and gave them what they demanded, giving that vast multitude quails in abundance. The grant of animal food was only a brief concession, given even though flesh was not essential for health. The flesh so granted became a curse, for God's curse accompanied it.
Their gluttony produced a plague, and when the people reaped the result of their transgression God did not work a miracle to preserve life. Great numbers died while eating the meat for which they had lusted, with the meat they had desired still between their teeth. The most guilty in their murmuring were struck down as they tasted it, and thousands fell at once. Nearly all who left Egypt died in the wilderness and did not enter Canaan.
Spiritual Lesson and Warning
Yielded-to and uncontrolled appetite brings disease and death, and at Kibroth-hattaavah those who lusted were buried in graves of craving. The craving was for flesh meat, yielded to in the wilderness when flesh was withheld in great measure and bread from heaven, even angels' food, and purest water from the rock were given instead. Israel was not satisfied with what was provided but despised and loathed it, and with mourning and murmuring lusted to sit by the fleshpots of Egypt, preferring slavery and even death to being deprived of flesh. Their insistence was granted with quails in abundance for that vast multitude, yet the grant was only a brief concession though flesh was not essential, and gluttony produced a plague in which God did not work a miracle to preserve life. Great numbers died while eating, with the meat still between their teeth, and thousands fell at once, bringing leanness of soul to many.
Their craving rejected what was for their good and rejected God's restrictions, valuing earthly food above spiritual things. By indulgence appetite was let to control reason and overthrow them, leading through rebellion into grievous sins and iniquity that provoked God and awakened His wrath. The most guilty in murmuring were struck down as they tasted the meat, and those who lusted died in the wilderness. By this they were kept from attaining God's purpose for them and forfeited intended blessings, for the flesh so granted became a curse with His curse accompanying it.
Satan used gratification of appetite and appeal to lustful appetite and corrupt passions as his direct means to overthrow them in the wilderness. This is the same point on which Adam was overcome and the flood generation was destroyed and on which Christ was tempted. Though the Son of God Himself was with Moses and Joshua to lead His chosen people to Canaan, nearly all who left Egypt died in the wilderness and did not enter it. Satan boasted their failure as proof his power could resist and defeat the Son of God.
Their burial place stands as a warning against disregarding God's light, refusing to restrain and deny appetite in obedience to God, murmuring against His requirements, and choosing one's own way in unbelief and rebellion. It teaches temperance in eating and drinking and obedience to health reform, which gives clearer minds to discern what affects the salvation of the soul, when God was leading toward a healthy way of life. Thousands died while the meat they had desired was still between their teeth, showing the consequence of hankering after flesh food and refusing to deny appetite.
Kibroth-hattaavah means the graves of craving, named because those who lusted were buried there, those who lusted for flesh meat. Israel was not satisfied with the bread from heaven and water from the rock that God gave to educate them for health, but mourned for the fleshpots of Egypt, so in anger God gave them quails in abundance and the grant became a curse when great numbers died in plague with the meat still between their teeth. Yielded-to and uncontrolled appetite thus brings disease and death and leanness of soul, because craving rejected God's good restrictions and provoked His wrath and forfeited His intended blessings. Satan used gratification of appetite to overthrow reason and control them, the same point on which Adam was overcome and the flood generation destroyed and Christ was tempted. Their burial place stands as a warning to deny appetite in obedience to God and practice temperance in eating and drinking, that the mind may be clear to discern what affects the salvation of the soul.
Name and Wilderness History
The place received the name Kibroth-hattaavah, meaning the graves of craving, because those who lusted were buried there, specifically those who lusted for flesh meat. Their craving brought death upon them, and the burial ground memorializes that judgment.
The setting was God leading His people in victory out of Egypt into the wilderness to prove and try them, to educate and train them in His way toward a healthy life. He did not forbid flesh meat but withheld it from them in great measure, providing instead the most healthful food, bread rained from heaven, even angels' food, and the purest water from the rock. He covenanted to take them as His peculiar treasure and to keep disease from them if they would obey His voice and keep His commandments in all things.
Israel was not satisfied with what God provided but despised and loathed the food given from heaven. With mourning and murmuring they lusted to sit by the fleshpots of Egypt and demanded meat, longing for the flesh they had eaten in Egypt. They preferred slavery and even death to being deprived of flesh, valuing earthly food above spiritual things and thereby failing to attain God's purpose for them.
In anger God granted their insistence and gave them what they demanded, giving that vast multitude quails in abundance. The grant of animal food was only a brief concession, given even though flesh was not essential for health. The flesh so granted became a curse, for God's curse accompanied it.
Their gluttony produced a plague, and when the people reaped the result of their transgression God did not work a miracle to preserve life. Great numbers died while eating the meat for which they had lusted, with the meat they had desired still between their teeth. The most guilty in their murmuring were struck down as they tasted it, and thousands fell at once. Nearly all who left Egypt died in the wilderness and did not enter Canaan.
Spiritual Lesson and Warning
Yielded-to and uncontrolled appetite brings disease and death, and at Kibroth-hattaavah those who lusted were buried in graves of craving. The craving was for flesh meat, yielded to in the wilderness when flesh was withheld in great measure and bread from heaven, even angels' food, and purest water from the rock were given instead. Israel was not satisfied with what was provided but despised and loathed it, and with mourning and murmuring lusted to sit by the fleshpots of Egypt, preferring slavery and even death to being deprived of flesh. Their insistence was granted with quails in abundance for that vast multitude, yet the grant was only a brief concession though flesh was not essential, and gluttony produced a plague in which God did not work a miracle to preserve life. Great numbers died while eating, with the meat still between their teeth, and thousands fell at once, bringing leanness of soul to many.
Their craving rejected what was for their good and rejected God's restrictions, valuing earthly food above spiritual things. By indulgence appetite was let to control reason and overthrow them, leading through rebellion into grievous sins and iniquity that provoked God and awakened His wrath. The most guilty in murmuring were struck down as they tasted the meat, and those who lusted died in the wilderness. By this they were kept from attaining God's purpose for them and forfeited intended blessings, for the flesh so granted became a curse with His curse accompanying it.
Satan used gratification of appetite and appeal to lustful appetite and corrupt passions as his direct means to overthrow them in the wilderness. This is the same point on which Adam was overcome and the flood generation was destroyed and on which Christ was tempted. Though the Son of God Himself was with Moses and Joshua to lead His chosen people to Canaan, nearly all who left Egypt died in the wilderness and did not enter it. Satan boasted their failure as proof his power could resist and defeat the Son of God.
Their burial place stands as a warning against disregarding God's light, refusing to restrain and deny appetite in obedience to God, murmuring against His requirements, and choosing one's own way in unbelief and rebellion. It teaches temperance in eating and drinking and obedience to health reform, which gives clearer minds to discern what affects the salvation of the soul, when God was leading toward a healthy way of life. Thousands died while the meat they had desired was still between their teeth, showing the consequence of hankering after flesh food and refusing to deny appetite.