⁴ Now the ^(A)rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also ^(B)wept again and said, ^(C)“Oh that we had meat to eat!

¹⁸ And say to the people, ^(A)‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? ^(B)For it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. ¹⁹ You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, ²⁰ but a whole month, ^(C)until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before him, saying, ^(D)“Why did we come out of Egypt?”’”

Quail and a Plague

³¹ Then a ^(A)wind from the Lord sprang up, and it brought quail from the sea and let them fall beside the camp, about a day's journey on this side and a day's journey on the other side, around the camp, and about two cubits^[a] above the ground. ³² And the people rose all that day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail. Those who gathered least gathered ten ^(B)homers.^[b] And they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. ^33 (C)While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and ^(D)the Lord struck down the people with a very great plague. ³⁴ Therefore the name of that place was called ^(E)Kibroth-hattaavah,^[c] because there they buried the people who had the craving.