brown being predominant, with shadings of buff, white and black. Its flesh is very edible and it is reported that by 1920 Egypt was exporting some three million quails annually to foreign markets, though this exportation has since decreased.

The birds described in the Bible are evidently the migratory quails (Coturnix coturnix), which move northward from within Africa in the spring, arrive in Egypt about March and thereafter pass through Arabia and Palestine, and return at the approach of winter. They travel in large flocks, making their migration in stages and often flying during the night. Their wings allow for speedy flight but not for very long distances. Due to the heaviness of their bodies in relation to their wing strength, they sometimes arrive at their destination in a state of exhaustion. Quails, therefore, fly with the wind and customarily fly at rather low altitudes. Colonel Richard Meinertzhagen relates that in Port Said (Egypt) men at times use butterfly nets to catch quails as they fly down the streets at dawn.

The first mention of quails in the Biblical account occurs in the spring (Ex. 16:1) when they would be moving north. The Israelites were in the wilderness of Sin on the Sinai Peninsula and complaining about their food supplies. In response, Jehovah assured Moses that “between the two evenings” they would eat meat and in the morning would be satisfied with bread. (Vs. 12) That evening “the quails began to come up and cover the camp,” while in the morning the manna appeared on the earth. (Vss. 13-15; Ps. 105:40) Again, evidently in the spring, about one year later, the grumblings of the Israelites over their limited diet of manna caused Jehovah to foretell that they would eat meat “up to a month of days” until it became revolting to them. (Num. 11:4, 18-23) God then caused a SE wind to drive quails from the sea and caused them to “fall above the camp,” stretching out “like the sand grains” over a wide area for several miles around the camp’s perimeter.—Num. 11:31; Ps. 78:25-28.

The expression “about two cubits [approximately three feet or .9 meter] above the surface of the earth,” has been explained in different ways. (Num. 11:31) Some consider that the quail actually fell to the ground and that in some places they were piled up to that height. Others, objecting that such action would undoubtedly result in a large portion of them dying and hence becoming unfit for eating by the Israelites, understand the text to mean that the quail flew at that low altitude over the ground, thereby making it quite easy for the Israelites to knock them to the ground and capture them. Expressing a similar idea, the Septuagint translation reads: “all around the camp, about two cubits from the earth”; and the Vulgate says: “all around the camp, and they were flying in the air at an altitude of two cubits above the earth.”

The Israelites spent a day and a half gathering the quail; “the one collecting least gathered ten homers [about sixty-two bushels or two hundred and twenty decaliters].” (Num. 11:32) In view of the “six hundred thousand men on foot,” mentioned by Moses (vs. 21), the number of quails collected must have been many millions; hence it was no simple catch resulting from ordinary migration, but, rather, a powerful demonstration of divine power. The quantity collected was too great for eating then; hence the Israelites “kept spreading them extensively all around the camp for themselves.” (Vs. 32) This may have been for the purpose of drying out the meat of the slaughtered quails so as to preserve them for future consumption. Such action would be similar to the ancient Egyptian practice, described by Herodotus, of salting fish and then putting it in the sun to dry out.

QUARANTINE

See DISEASES AND TREATMENT.

QUARREL

A dispute (Deut. 17:8), controversy (Jer. 25:31) or case at law. (Jer. 11:20) The Scriptures counsel against becoming involved in quarrels or disputes without cause, labeling this as an act engaged in by someone stupid. (Prov. 3:30; 18:6; 20:3) Says the proverb: “As one grabbing hold of the ears of a dog is anyone passing by that is becoming furious at the quarrel that is not his.” (Prov. 26:17) Since the ‘squeezing out of anger’ results in quarreling (Prov. 30:33), slowness to anger has the opposite effect.—Prov. 15:18.

Quarreling destroys a peaceful atmosphere (Prov. 17:1) and may cause even the meekest of persons to lose self-control. For example, Israel’s quarreling about there being no water at Kadesh prompted Moses and Aaron to act rashly, thereby losing the privilege of entering the Promised Land. Israel’s unjustified quarreling with Jehovah’s representatives actually constituted a quarrel with Jehovah. (Num. 20:2, 3, 10-13; 27:14; Ps. 106:32) Those who become similarly involved in quarreling or violent controversies with God’s servants are in a very serious position, one that can lead to death.—Compare Isaiah 41:8, 11, 12; 54:17.

Due to the detrimental effect of quarreling, the proverb counsels: “Before the quarrel has burst forth, take your leave.” (Prov. 17:14) Abram (Abraham) set a good example in this regard. Concerned that there be no disputes between his herdsmen and those of his nephew Lot, Abram suggested that they separate. Unselfishly he gave Lot the opportunity to choose the area where he would pasture his animals. (Gen. 13:7-11) On the other hand, unfaithful Israelites in the time of Isaiah did not act like their forefather Abraham. Of them, it is said: “For quarreling and struggle you would fast.” They fasted, only to engage in more quarreling afterward.—Isa. 58:4.

The Mosaic law covered cases of quarreling resulting in bodily injury. It prescribed paying compensation to the injured party for time lost from work.—Ex. 21:18, 19.

QUARRY

An open-pit excavation from which various types of stone are cut. Limestone and marble, lying near the surface, are thus quarried. A large area near the present Damascus gate of Jerusalem is believed to be an ancient quarry. The first reference to such a place is at Joshua 7:4, 5, where it is reported that about 3,000 Israelites fled from Ai as far as Shebarim, meaning “The Quarries.” When Solomon prepared to build the temple, he commanded that great foundation stones be quarried from the mountains of Lebanon, and tens of thousands of men were conscripted for the work. (1 Ki. 5:13-18; 6:7) When it was necessary to repair the temple in the days of Jehoash, hewers of stone were hired for the work. (2 Ki. 12:11, 12) The tomb where Jesus was buried was one quarried out of rock.—Matt. 27:59, 60; Mark 15:46.

Using an eloquent metaphor, Jehovah, by the mouth of Isaiah, calls to mind the quarry and its operation. (Isa. 51:1) As indicated in the succeeding verse, the apparent relationship of the “rock” and the “hollow of the pit” is to Abraham, as the human source of the nation, and to Sarah, whose pitlike womb bore Israel’s ancestor Isaac. (Isa. 51:2) However, since the birth of Isaac was by divine power and a miraculous act, the metaphorical quarrying may also have a higher spiritual application. Thus, Deuteronomy 32:18 refers to Jehovah as “The Rock who fathered” Israel, the “One bringing you forth [the same verb used of Sarah at Isaiah 51:2] with childbirth pains.”

Sometimes the product of the quarry was called by the same name. Hence the Hebrew word p^esi·limʹ, rendered “quarries” at Judges 3:19, 26, is elsewhere translated “graven images.” (Deut. 7:5; Ps. 78:58; Isa. 10:10) For this reason some have suggested that it may have been at a grove of such pagan gods, the product of the quarry, that Ehud turned back to pay Eglon a personal visit. Most translators, however, prefer the rendering “quarries.”

Old quarries where partially finished work was abandoned have shed some light on the ancient methods of quarrying. Narrow channels were cut deep