KIBROTH-HATTAAVAH

(Kibʹroth-hat·taʹa·vah) [Burial Places of the Craving].

The site of an Israelite wilderness encampment, where the mixed crowd expressed selfish longing for the food of Egypt. (Nu 11:4; 33:16, 17; De 9:22) It is generally identified with Rueis el-Eberij, about halfway between Jebel Musa, the traditional site of Mount Sinai, and Hazeroth. There Jehovah miraculously provided a month’s supply of quail for the entire camp. (Nu 11:19, 20, 31) But the people were so greedy that “the one collecting least gathered ten homers” (2,200 L; 62 bu). The record says that while “the meat was yet between their teeth, before it could be chewed, . . . Jehovah began striking at the people with a very great slaughter.” Instead of denoting literal chewing of a mouthful, this may mean before the entire provision of meat could be “exhausted” or “consumed” (AT, RS), because the Hebrew word translated “chewed” basically means “cut off.” (Compare Joe 1:5.) After this the dead were buried, and the place therefore came to be called Kibroth-hattaavah.​—Nu 11:32-35.