But this judgment had scarcely been removed when the same spirit of discontent broke out afresh. The _mixed multitude_, which had accompanied them from Egypt, and soon afterwards the Israelites themselves, began to complain of the Manna, _this light food_, as they called it, and lamented the loss of the fish, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, and other vegetables, they had enjoyed in the fertile valley of the Nile. So loud and general were their complainings, that Moses despaired of accomplishing the purport of his mission, and poured out his soul in prayer to God, begging for some relief from the burden of daily anxiety which weighed him down. In mercy towards His despairing servant, the Lord bade him select seventy elders, and bring them to the door of the Tabernacle, and promised to take of the spirit that was upon him and bestow a portion on them, that they might share with him the weight of responsibility. He also promised that on the morrow flesh, such as the people had pined after, should be given them, and that not for one day only but for a whole month, until it became even more loathsome to them than the celestial food they had so lately despised. In obedience to this command, the seventy elders were brought before the Tabernacle, and the Lord bestowed upon them a portion of the spirit that was upon the Israelitish leader, and _they prophesied, and did not cease_. Two of their number, ELDAD and MEDAD, though selected for this high office, either from accident or some other cause, did not accompany the rest to the appointed place, and though they remained in the camp, and at a distance from the Cloudy Pillar, became inspired with the same spirit. This striking incident was announced to Moses by Joshua, who, jealous for his master’s honour, thought that such prophesying ought to be prohibited. But Moses thought otherwise. _Enviest thou for my sake?_ he replied; _would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them_ (Num. xi. 24–30. Comp. Mk. ix. 38; Lk. ix. 49). Shortly afterwards the second promise of the Lord was also fulfilled. A strong wind brought up a prodigious number of quails from the sea in the proximity of the Gulf of Akaba, which covered the ground to the extent of a day’s journey on either side of the camp. For two days and a night the people were busily occupied in collecting, and spreading the birds abroad, probably for the purpose of drying them. So they _did eat and were filled_; for _God gave them of their own desire, they were not estranged from their lust_ (Ps. lxxviii. 29, 30). But while the meat was still _between their teeth_, His _wrath fell upon them_, and He smote them with a severe plague, _and slew the mightiest of them, even the chosen ones of Israel_ (Ps. lxxviii. 31), and the spot where they were buried was named KIBROTH HATTAAVAH, the _graves of lust_.