² In the desert the whole community grumbled^(A) against Moses and Aaron. ³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!^(B) There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food^(C) we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”^(D)

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven^(E) for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test^(F) them and see whether they will follow my instructions. ⁵ On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice^(G) as much as they gather on the other days.”

⁶ So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt,^{(H) 7} and in the morning you will see the glory^(I) of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling^(J) against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?”^{(K) 8} Moses also said, “You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling^(L) against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.”^(M)

⁹ Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’”

¹⁰ While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory^(N) of the Lord appearing in the cloud.^(O)

¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, ¹² “I have heard the grumbling^(P) of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”^(Q)

¹³ That evening quail^(R) came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew^(S) around the camp. ¹⁴ When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost^(T) on the ground appeared on the desert floor. ¹⁵ When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know^(U) what it was.

Moses said to them, “It is the bread^(V) the Lord has given you to eat.

Quail From the Lord

⁴ The rabble with them began to crave other food,^(A) and again the Israelites started wailing^(B) and said, “If only we had meat to eat! ⁵ We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.^{(C) 6} But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!^(D)”

⁷ The manna was like coriander seed^(E) and looked like resin.^{(F) 8} The people went around gathering it,^(G) and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. ⁹ When the dew^(H) settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.

¹⁰ Moses heard the people of every family wailing^(I) at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. ¹¹ He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble^(J) on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?^{(K) 12} Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant,^(L) to the land you promised on oath^(M) to their ancestors?^{(N) 13} Where can I get meat for all these people?^(O) They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ ¹⁴ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.^{(P) 15} If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me^(Q)—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”

¹⁶ The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders^(R) who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people.^(S) Have them come to the tent of meeting,^(T) that they may stand there with you. ¹⁷ I will come down and speak with you^(U) there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them.^(V) They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.^(W)

¹⁸ “Tell the people: ‘Consecrate yourselves^(X) in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed,^(Y) “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!”^(Z) Now the Lord will give you meat,^(AA) and you will eat it. ¹⁹ You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, ²⁰ but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it^(AB)—because you have rejected the Lord,^(AC) who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”^(AD)

²¹ But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men^(AE) on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ ²² Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?”^(AF)

²³ The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short?^(AG) Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.^(AH)”

³¹ Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail^(A) in from the sea. It scattered them up to two cubits^[a] deep all around the camp, as far as a day’s walk in any direction. ³² All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers.^[b] Then they spread them out all around the camp. ³³ But while the meat was still between their teeth^(B) and before it could be consumed, the anger^(C) of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague.^{(D) 34} Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah,^[c](E) because there they buried the people who had craved other food.

³⁵ From Kibroth Hattaavah the people traveled to Hazeroth^(F) and stayed there.