Numbers 11:31-35

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 11:31-35

God, having performed his promise to Moses by giving him assessors in the government, thereby proving the power he has over the spirits of men by his Spirit, he here performs his promise to the people by giving them flesh, proving thereby his power over the inferior creatures and his dominion in the kingdom of nature. Observe, 1. How the people were gratified with flesh in abundance: A wind (a south-east wind, as appears, Ps. 78:26) brought quails, Num. 11:31. It is uncertain what sort of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 11:31

And there went forth a wind from the Lord ,.... Both an east wind and a south wind, according to Psalm 78:26 ; either first one wind, and then another; one to bring the quails, or whatever are meant, to a certain point, and then the other to bring them to the camp of Israel; or a southeast wind, as the Jewish writers interpret it: however, it was not a common wind, but what was immediately raised by the Lord for the following purpose: and brought quails from the sea ; the Red sea, from... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 11:32

And the people stood up all that day ,.... The day on which they fell in the morning: and all that night ; the night following: and all the next day ; after that, even the space of thirty six hours: and they gathered the quails ; not took them flying, as the Jewish writers suggest, before observed, but from the earth where they fell, in order to lay them up as a provision for time to come; or otherwise, had they taken them only for present use, they would not have been so long... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 11:33

And while the flesh was yet between their teeth ,.... When they had just got it into their mouths, and were about to bite it: ere it was chewed ; or "cut off"; or cut into pieces by the "incisores", or fore teeth, and then ground by the "molares", or grinders, and so became fit to be swallowed. Both quails and locusts were eaten as food; the former is a fat and delicious fowl, and the latter, some sorts of them, at least, were allowed clean food for the Jews, and were fed on by many... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 11:34

And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah ,.... That is, Moses called it so, or it was called by the children of Israel, and by others in later times, by this name, which signifies "the graves of lust"; dug by lust, or which lust was the cause and occasion of, and where those that indulged it were buried, as follows: because there they buried the people that lusted ; not all that lusted, for the lusting was pretty general; but all that died through their gluttony and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 11:35

And the people journeyed from Kibrothhattaavah unto Hazeroth ,.... After having stayed there a month or more, as is gathered from Numbers 11:20 , and abode at Hazeroth ; at least seven days, as appears from Numbers 12:15 ; which, according to Bunting F7 Travels, p. 82. , was eight miles from Kibrothhattaavah, or Taberah, which were the same place. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 11:31

A wind from the Lord - An extraordinary one, not the effect of a natural cause. And brought quails, a bird which in great companies visits Egypt about the time of the year, March or April, at which the circumstance marked here took place. Mr. Hasselquist, the friend and pupil of the famous Linnaeus, saw many of them about this time of the year, when he was in Egypt. See his Travels, p. 209. Two cubits high upon the face of the earth - We may consider the quails as flying within two... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 11:32

The people stood up, etc. - While these immense flocks were flying at this short distance from the ground, fatigued with the strong wind and the distance they had come, they were easily taken by the people; and as various flocks continued to succeed each other for two days and a night, enough for a month's provision might be collected in that time. If the quails had fallen about the tents, there was no need to have stood up two days and a night in gathering them; but if they were on the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 11:33

The wrath of the Lord was kindled - In what way, and with what effects, we cannot precisely determine. Some heavy judgment fell upon those murmurers and complainers, but of what kind the sacred writer says nothing. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 11:34

Kibroth-hattaavah - The graves of lust; and thus their scandalous crime was perpetuated by the name of the place. 1. St. Jude speaks of persons who were murmurers and complainers, walking after their own lusts, Judges 1:16 , and seems to have this people particularly in view, whom the sacred text calls μεμψιμοιροι , complainers of their lot. They could never be satisfied; even God himself could not please them, because they were ever preferring their own wisdom to his. God will save us... read more

Group of Brands