Numbers 11:33-34
While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD struck down the people with a very great plague. Therefore the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had the craving.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss here is the immediacy of God's response. It wasn't after they'd finished eating, or even after a day of feasting. The plague struck while the food was still in their mouths, highlighting how quickly God's displeasure can manifest when His people reject His provision in favor of their own lusts.
The Israelites had been complaining bitterly about the manna, longing for the fleshpots of Egypt, so God sent a massive swarm of quails. However, their grumbling turned into greedy hoarding and ravenous eating, leading to a swift and severe divine judgment even as they were still consuming the ill-gotten food.
Imagine enjoying your favorite meal, only to have it become the instrument of your demise. That's the stark reality for the Israelites in this passage.
This verse highlights the immediate and severe nature of God's anger when His people persistently rebel. The phrase 'while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed' emphasizes that God's judgment didn't wait. Their sin was fresh, their indulgence in craving flesh was ongoing, and the punishment was swift.
This wasn't just a natural consequence of overeating; it was a divine plague. The text calls it 'a very great plague,' indicating a supernatural intervention. This underscores that God takes their grumbling and lustful desires seriously. When they turn their backs on His provision (manna) and crave what they had in Egypt, God's patience, though immense, has limits, and His justice can fall swiftly.
The Israelites got what they wanted – flesh to eat. But in God's justice, their desire became their destruction.
This event is a powerful illustration of how sin can become its own punishment. The Israelites craved flesh so intensely that they ignored God's provision of manna. God, in His judgment, allowed their lust to consume them – literally.
The 'very great plague' wasn't necessarily a foreign disease, but possibly a severe form of indigestion or sickness resulting from their gluttonous consumption of the quails, amplified by divine judgment. Their desire for forbidden or ill-gotten satisfaction led to a devastating outcome. This shows that pursuing our own desires apart from God's will often leads to ruin, not fulfillment.
Understand the original words
aph · Hebrew Noun
Divine displeasure resulting from human rebellion or sin. It is not an emotional outburst but a holy, righteous response of God against anything that opposes His holiness.
maggaphah · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting a severe calamity, catastrophe, or divine punishment. It is often used to describe God’s judicial act of smiting people due to their persistent disobedience.
Qibroth Hatta'avah · Hebrew Proper Noun
Literally 'Graves of Craving.' A place name given to commemorate a specific event where divine judgment fell upon those whose hearts were dominated by lust and dissatisfaction with God's provision.
ta'avah · Hebrew Noun
This event highlights a critical pattern in the Israelites' wilderness journey: their intense dissatisfaction with God's provision, leading to His judgment. The swift and devastating plague, striking even as they feasted, underscores the immediate and severe consequences of their rebellion and lust.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites depart from Egypt after centuries of slavery, led by Moses. This event marks the beginning of their journey through the wilderness.
c. 1446-1445 BC
Wilderness Wanderings Begin
Following the Exodus, the Israelites begin their journey toward the Promised Land. They experience various challenges, including lack of food and water, leading to frequent complaints.
c. 1445 BC
Murmurings for Flesh
The Israelites, weary of manna, begin to complain bitterly about their diet, longing for the food they had in Egypt. This leads to God's initial anger and a plague.
c. 1445 BC— this verse
Divine Provision of Quails
In response to the people's persistent cravings, God sends a great number of quails, allowing them to gather a massive supply of meat.
This psalm recounts the Israelites' persistent grumbling and lust, even while God provided for them, directly paralleling the situation in Numbers 11 and showing how God judged their excess.
1 Corinthians 10:6Paul explicitly references this event, warning believers not to crave evil things as the Israelites did, highlighting the spiritual danger in their desires and God's judgment.
Exodus 16:3This earlier instance shows the people complaining about a lack of meat even when God provided manna, demonstrating a recurring pattern of discontent and distrust that ultimately led to the plague.
Numbers 11:4-6These verses directly describe the 'mixed multitude' and the Israelites beginning to lust for meat, setting the stage for the judgment described in verse 33 and showing the root of their discontent.
Leviticus 26:14-16This passage outlines the consequences of disobedience and rejecting God's commands, including plagues and sickness, which aligns with the severe punishment the Israelites received for their lust and grumbling.
ellicottNumbers 11:33: "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."
(33) With a very great plague. —The noun, maccah. plague, is cognate to the verb which is rendered smote. It is frequently used of a stroke inflicted by God, as, e.g., pestilence or any epidemic sickness. A surfeit, such as that in which the Israelites had indulged, especially under the circumstances in…
pulpitNumbers 11:33: "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."
Verse 33. - And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed. If this were taken in the most literal sense, it would mean that no one of the people had time to swallow a single morsel of the coveted food ere he was stricken down by the Divine visitation. We can scarcely imagine, howeve…
What's easy to miss here is the immediacy of God's response. It wasn't after they'd finished eating, or even after a day of feasting. The plague struck while the food was still in their mouths, highlighting how quickly God's displeasure can manifest when His people reject His provision in favor of their own lusts.
The Israelites had been complaining bitterly about the manna, longing for the fleshpots of Egypt, so God sent a massive swarm of quails. However, their grumbling turned into greedy hoarding and ravenous eating, leading to a swift and severe divine judgment even as they were still consuming the ill-gotten food.
The Israelites had been complaining bitterly about the manna, longing for the fleshpots of Egypt, so God sent a massive swarm of quails. However, their grumbling turned into greedy hoarding and ravenous eating, leading to a swift and severe divine judgment even as they were still consuming the ill-gotten food.
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An intense, often sinful, desire or longing for something forbidden or outside of God's will. It signifies a discontented heart that rebels against God's appointed circumstances.
c. 1445 BC
Plague Strikes the Israelites
While the people are still eating the quail meat they greedily gathered, God's anger flares, and a severe plague strikes them down, indicating the dangerous consequences of their discontent.
c. 1445 BC
Burial of the Greedy
The place where the Israelites buried those who died from the plague is named Kibroth-hattaavah, meaning 'graves of craving,' serving as a stark reminder of their sin.
"While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD struck down the people with a very great plague. Therefore the name of that place was called Kibroth-hat…" — What's easy to miss here is the immediacy of God's response. It wasn't after they'd finished eating, or even after a day of feasting. The plague struck while the food was still in their mouths, hig…
