Numbers Chapter 11:31-34

31 “Now a wind went out from the LORD and drove quail in from the sea. It brought them down all around the camp to about three feet above the ground, as far as a day's walk in any direction.
32 All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers. Then they spread them out all around the camp.
33 But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague.
34 Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had craved other food.”

"By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night" Exodus 13:21

In their pursuit of reaching the Promised Land, Canaan, Israelites were wandering for forty years in the desert. While wandering in the desert for so long a period as forty years, they were guided by God, through His servants, Moses and Aaron. In the desert they had their share of blessings and wrath from God, light to guide them, shade to protect them. In addition, they also had food from heaven for forty years. Every day the food, called “Manna”, rained from heaven. They were given instructions that this “Manna” is could be used only for a day with the exception on the weekend days, when it could be used for two days.

“Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any."

Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. Exodus 16:26, 27

Manna did not rain on Sabbath day, because it was Lord’s Day and so, they were asked to take rest. The food, Manna, was tastier and healthier. “The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey” Exodus 16:31 “The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan” Exodus 16:35

John 6:58 “This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever."

When the Israelites saw, “Manna”, for the first time coming down from heaven, they wondered, “What is it?” Yes! That was the meaning of “Manna”. It was God-given food; rather it was prepared by God Himself and He gave it so lovingly to His children every day. It was a food, which nourished them to the fullest extent. It was a food, which was available in abundance, so that they may never complain. It was a food that was rained by God Himself from His throne to the earth. Nevertheless, when Israelites had it every day, they took it lightly and complained it that it was not flesh; not a non-vegetarian food. Now, they wanted another kind of food; flesh, a non-vegetarian food. So, they went to Moses and complained against having Manna daily. They asked for a different kind of food, flesh.

Moses was worried about their request. He approached God and prayed to Him and said to God that Israelites did not like the “Manna” any more; they wanted another kind of food, a non-vegetarian food. Disappointed at their murmuring, God in his anger granted their request. He provided them another kind of food, a non-vegetarian food, which was called “Quails”. It was a delicious food well known in those parts. The food was brought with a wind, lay in heaps, and was dried in the sun for use. It was the demonstration of anger by God. Israelites realized that the “Quails”, a flesh-food, which was granted by God, at their request, was weakening them rather than making them strong. Look at the way they tried to grab this flesh. They “flew upon the spoil” with an insatiable appetite, disregarding what Moses had told them. It was their preparation for ruin. They were at it two days and a night, gathering flesh, until every one in family had brought home ten homers (that is, ten ass-loads) at least.

Yes! The food, which they had at their request, thwarting the food God gave them voluntarily, was weakening them. Yes! The food, which they forced God to give to them, was not healthier to eat. It was not prepared by God with his heart and liking. It was given to them, at their request. It was request made to God, by Israelites, against the wishes of God. God in his mercy granted them their request, but, it was at the cost of blessings of heaven.

Look at the way they were gratified with flesh in plenty. A wind, a south-east wind, as we read in Ps. 78:26 brought quails. We are not sure what sort of flesh it was, but the psalmist calls them feathered fowl, or fowl of wing.