Antiquities of the Jews
by Flavius Josephus
Book III, Chapter 13
Moses Removed From Mount Sinai, And Conducted The People To The Borders Of The Canaanites
A Little while afterwards he rose up, and went from Mount Sinai;
and, having passed through several mansions, of which we will
speak he came to a place called Hazeroth, where the
multitude began again to be mutinous, and to Moses for the
misfortunes they had suffered their travels; and that when he
had persuaded to leave a good land, they at once had lost land,
and instead of that happy state he had them, they were still
wandering in their miserable condition, being already in want
water; and if the manna should happen to fail, must then utterly
perish. Yet while they spake many and sore things against the
there was one of them who exhorted them to be unmindful of
Moses, and of what great pains he had been at about their common
safety; not to despair of assistance from God. The multitude
thereupon became still more unruly, and mutinous against Moses
than before. Hereupon Moses, although he was so basely abused by
them encouraged them in their despairing conditioned and
promised that he would procure them a quantity of flesh-meat,
and that not for a few days only, but for many days. This they
were not to believe; and when one of them asked, whence he could
obtain such vast plenty of what he promised, he replied,
"Neither God nor I, we hear such opprobrious language from will
leave off our labors for you; and this soon appear also." As
soon as ever he had this, the whole camp was filled with quails,
they stood round about them, and gathered great
numbers. However, it was not long ere God punished the Hebrews
for their insolence, those reproaches they had used towards him,
no small number of them died; and still to this day the place
retains the memory of this destruction and is named
Kibrothhattaavah, which is, Graves of Lust.
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Matt Curtin
Last modified: Fri Apr 17 12:41:38 EDT 1998