Exodus 16:13 - Exposition

The quails came up . The word here translated, "quails" has been supposed to designate the flying-fish ( Trigla Israelitarum of Ehrenberg), or a species of locust (Ludolf). But Psalms 78:28 , makes it clear that "feathered fowls" are intended; and moderns generally, are agreed that the rendering "quails" is right. It has the authority of the Septuagint, of Josephus, and of the Vulgate. Diodorus says that "the inhabitants of Arabia Petraea prepared long nets, spread them near the coast for many stadia, and thus caught a great number of quails which are in the habit of coming in from the sea" (2:60). The quail regularly migrates from Syria and Arabia in the autumn, and winters in the interior of Africa, whence it returns northwards in immense masses in the spring. Kalisch thinks that the particular species of quail intended is the kata of the Arabs ( Tetrao Alchata of Linnaeus); but the common quail ( Tetrao coturnix ) is preferred by most commentators. When these birds approach the coast after a long flight over the Red Sea, they are often so exhausted that they rather fall to the ground than settle, and are then easily taken by the hand or killed with sticks. Their flesh is regarded by the natives as a delicacy. Covered the camp — i.e; covered all the ground between the tents in which the Israelites lived in the wilderness. The dew lay . Literally, "there was a layer of dew"—something, i.e; lay on the ground outside the camp which looked like dew, and was in part dew, but not wholly so.