And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up,.... From the coasts of Egypt, from the Red sea, over which they flew; and being evening, and weary with flying so long, lighted and settled where the Israelites encamped.
Josephus says, about the Arabian gulf there are more of this sort of birds than any other, which flying over the sea, and being weary, and coming nearer the ground than other birds, and lighting among the Hebrews, they took them with their hands as food prepared for them of God.
The Targum of Jonathan calls them pheasants; some think they were locusts; but of thisSee Gill on "Nu 11:31". These here seem to have come up one evening only, whereas, in the place referred to, they had them a whole month together:and covered the camp: their numbers were so many, as indeed such a prodigious company of people as those were required a great number to satisfy them with.
These quails, which were sent in the evening, at the close of the day, were an emblem of worldly things, which are not the portion of the saints and people of God, what they are to live upon, and take up their satisfaction in; nor are they abiding, but transitory things, which come and go, make themselves wings and fly away toward heaven:and in the morning the dew lay round about the host; the camp of Israel; or a lay of dew , an emblem of the grace of God, and the blessings of it, see Ho 14:6.
Antiqu. l. 3. c. 1. sect. 5.