All the excitement of escaping from Egypt was over. The Israelites had seen the last of their slave-drivers. Now they had to get used to a different way to life. Slowly they began to make their way to Canaan, the land that God had promised them. But it was not long before they began to hate the hardship of the desert journey. They soon forgot the toil and the beatings they had suffered in Egypt and came grumbling to Moses. “Why did you bring us here?” they complained, “In Egypt we had all the food we wanted. Now we’re starving! It’s your entire fault!” Moses did not know how to answer them but God said to him, “I will give the people with God’s message.” “When you grumbled at me,” Moses said, “You were really grumbling at God. He is the one who brought you out of Egypt and he is the one who will give food. Tonight and tomorrow morning you will find out how he is going to do it.” That very night huge flocks of quails flew low over the black goatskin tents. Some, tired out by their long flight, rested on the ground, where they were quickly caught and turned into a tasty supper.
Food in the Desert
