³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat and ate all the bread we wanted. Instead, you brought us into this wilderness to make this whole assembly die of hunger!”^(A)

Complaints about Food

⁴ Contemptible people^[a] among them^(A) had a strong craving^(B) for other food. The Israelites cried again and said, “Who will feed us meat?

⁵ The people spoke against God and Moses: “Why have you led us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!”