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 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,

Stood up, or rather rose up, which word is oft used for attempting or beginning to do any business. All night; some at one time, and some at the other, and some, through their greediness or diffidence, at both times. Ten homers, i.e. ten ass loads; which if it seem incredible, you must consider, 1. That the gatherers here were not all the people, which could not be without great confusion and other inconveniences; but some on the behalf of all, possibly one for each family, or the like, while the rest were exercised about other necessary things. So the meaning is not that every Israelite had so much for his share, but that every collector gathered so much for the family or others by whom he was intrusted. 2. That the people did not gather for their present use only, but for a good while to come, as we shall see; and being greedy and distrustful of God’ s goodness, it is not strange if they gathered much more than they needed. 3. That the word rendered homers may signify heaps, as it doth , and ten is oft put for many; and so the sense is, that every one gathered several heaps. If yet the number seems incredible, it must be further known, 4. That heathen and other authors affirm, that in those eastern and southern countries quails are innumerable, so that in one part of Italy, within the compass of five miles, there were taken about a hundred thousand of them every day for a month together; and that sometimes they fly so thick over the sea, that being weary they fall into ships, sometimes in such numbers that they sink them with their weight, as Varro and Solinus affirm. And Athenaeus relates, that in Egypt, a country prodigiously populous, as all agree, they were in such plenty, that all those vast numbers of people could not consume them, but were forced to salt and keep them for their future use. So that there is no need at all that God should create innumerable quails for this purpose; which yet if it were affirmed he did, atheists and antiscripturists have no occasion of triumph, since they must either own the creation of the world, which is a far greater miracle, or ascribe the production of the world to a casual jumble of atoms, which is more senseless and ridiculous than all the fables of the poets. Spread them all abroad, that so they may dry them, and salt them, and preserve them for their future use, according to what they had seen and learned in Egypt.

Numbers 11:32 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.Ver. 32. And they spread them.] They fed without fear, though foretold they should pay dear for these murdering morsels; that which they ate being sauced, and that which they drank being spiced, with the bitter wrath of God. They gathered the quails.] Which they might the more easily do, if that be true which some write, that the Arabian Gulf breedeth great store of quails, which fly low usually, so as they may easily be taken up with one’ s hand. Drusius.

(32) Ten homers.—The homer, which was equal to ten ephahs, or a hundred omers, appears to have contained between five and six bushels, according to the Rabbinists, but according to Josephus about double that quantity.

Verse 32. The people stood up, c.] 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 wing, as the text seems to suppose, it was necessary for them to use despatch, and avail themselves of the passing of these birds whilst it continued. See Harmer, and See Clarke on Exodus 16:13. And they spread them all abroad] Maillet observes that birds of all kinds come to Egypt for refuge from the cold of a northern winter; and that the people catch them, pluck, and bury them in the burning sand for a few minutes, and thus prepare them for use. This is probably what is meant by spreading them all abroad round the camp. Some authors think that the word שלוים salvim, rendered quails in our translation, should be rendered locusts. There is no need of this conjecture; all difficulties are easily resolved without it. The reader is particularly referred to the note on See Clarke on Exodus 16:13.

32. ten homers] Rather more than 100 bushels. The ḥ ?omer which was = 10 ephahs or baths must be distinguished from omer (Exodus 16:16 &c. only) which was = 1/10 ephah. spread them all abroad] They spread out the quails to cure them by drying them in the sun. Vulg. siccaverunt. This is mentioned by Herodotus (ii. 77) as a habit of the ancient Egyptians.

31, 32. A wind from the Lord — All winds are produced by the power of Jehovah, (Psalms 135:7,) since neither the laws of nature nor the qualities of matter produce motion.