(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
Numbers 11:31–35, “And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth. And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague. And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted. And the people journeyed from Kibrothhattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth.”
Moses had to deal with two issues on that occasion. The first concerned the fact that he was facing burnout from the enormity of the task he was doing. The Lord solved that problem by appointing seventy men to act as leaders among the people and take part of the load away from Moses. The second issue was more immediate but less urgent. When the Lord had given Moses the help he needed, the Lord intervened to deal with the problem of Israel grumbling. They wanted meat and the Lord delivered fresh meat to them. A large flock of quails came in from the sea and rested around the camp. This was a miracle delivered by the Lord but it was specific and targeted. There were so many quails that they would never be able to eat them all. However, they were all fresh and had to be killed to be eaten. The Lord didn’t to deliver meat in refrigerated vans as someone might do today. He did a much better job and the people were able to kill them according to the Law and not lose their ceremonial purity. However, the Lord punished them for their rebellion and ingratitude as well.
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