Silver trumpets had been provided by Mo'ses for the priests to use in calling together the Is'ra-el-ites for an assembly of any kind. When all was in readiness for them to start on their journey from Si'nai, the sound of the trumpets summoned the people to the line of march.
The pillar of cloud which always rested over the Tabernacle by day was lifted by the LORD. Mo'ses directed the Le'vites to take down the Tabernacle, and to pack the various pieces so that they could easily be carried. The two golden staves prepared for carrying the Ark of the Cov'e-nant were passed through the rings of gold on each side, and certain priests were appointed to carry it before the host of Is'ra-el. The pillar of cloud which served as the Divine guide for Is'ra-el during their journeys in the wilderness then hovered over the Ark, going forward with it as the Sacred Chest was carried along. Whenever the pillar of cloud by day or pillar of fire by night ceased to go forward, there the Is'ra-el-ites paused and pitched their tents for encampment.
After three days the pillar of cloud halted, and the Is'ra-el-ites encamped for a month at a place which was later called Kib-roth-Hat-ta'a-vah. Here some of the people fell into their old habit of murmuring. They complained about the hardships of travel in the wilderness, about the weather, and about the conditions under which they lived, just as many people do today. For this ungrateful spirit the LORD sent fire into the camps of Is'ra-el, and many of the people lost their lives.
Some days later a number of the less worthy Is'ra-el-ites gathered in groups to complain of their hardships, and began to talk of revolting from the leadership of Mo'ses. Although they were being fed with manna from Heaven, a delicious and nourishing food, they were not satisfied.
Fish was abundant and cheap in E'gypt, cucumbers flourished, and melons were one of the chief crops. Another favorite food in E'gypt was the sort of onion called leeks, besides a very highly flavored onion greatly prized by the E'gypt-tians, and the garlic which was the choicest appetizer of that land. So greatly did the Is'ra-el-ites crave these foods of E'gypt that they spoke with scorn of the manna which God provided.
The cries and complaints of the Is'ra-el-ites distressed Mo'ses, and he felt that the management of such a multitude of unruly people was more than he could endure. He sought help from God, and was told to select seventy elders from the tribes of Is'ra-el to help him. This left Mo'ses free to give most of his time to matters of greater importance.
In the land of A-ra'bi-a, where they were now encamped, there were many wild birds called quail. They migrated in great numbers from place to place, flying very close to the ground. The LORD caused a great wind to blow a huge flock of quail into the place where Is'ra-el was encamped, and there were so many of them that they covered the ground for miles around. Many of the Is'ra-el-ites were so greedy for the new food that they ate too much, and some of them died.
The sickness caused by the natural effects of their gluttony was regarded as a plague sent by the LORD, and as a punishment for the complaining spirit of the Is'ra-el-ites. The section of the encampment where the people were smitten with fire was called Tab'e-rah, meaning "The place of burning," and the entire encampment was called Kib-roth-Hat-ta'a-vah, which means "graves of greediness."
