QUAILS. ‘Tis known, that God gave Quails to his People in the Wilderness, upon two Occasions. First, in the Wilderness of Sin, or Zin, a few Days after they had passed over the Red-Sea. The second time was, at the Encampment, call’d in Hebrew Kibroth-hataavah, or, The Graves of Numb. xi. 32. Psal. civ. 40.Lust. Both of these happen’d in the Spring, when the Quails pass’d from Asia into Europe. Then they are to be found in great Quantities upon the Coasts of the Red-Sea and the Mediterranean. God caus’d a Wind to arise, that drove them within and about the Camp of the Israelites; and ‘tis in this that the Miracle consists, that they were brought so seasonably to this Place, and in so great Numbers, as to suffice for above a Million of Persons above a Month. The Hebrew Word Shalav1 signifies a Quail, by the Agreement of the ancient Interpreters. And the Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic Languages call them nearly by the same Name. Yet Mr. Ludolf, in his Ethiopic History, l. 1. c. 13. . 96. takes great Pains to shew, that Moses did not here mean Quails, but Locusts.
These are the Reasons alledg’d by Mr. Ludolf, to prove that Moses intended not Quails, but Locusts, in Exod. xvi. 3, 13. and Numb. xi. 32. He observes, that the original Word Selavv may be derived from a Root that signifies Abundance; which agrees better with Locusts than Quails. He owns, that the Oriental Versions explain it by Quails: but he maintains, that they did not understand the true Sense of the Text. Porphyry observes, that an Army in Africa being ready to perish by Famine, was seasonably reliev’d by a Cloud of Locusts, which they fed upon. Ludolf conjectures, that it was a like Event that satisfy’d the Desires of the Israelites in the Desarts of Arabia. ‘Tis an easy thing to prove, by the Testimony of many Authors, both ancient and modern,2 that there is an almost incredible Number of Locusts in the East; that the People of Arabia live upon the Locusts which are brought to ‘em by the Winds; that they lay them up upon Heaps, preserve them in Salt, eat of ‘em gladly, and serve them up even at Kings Tables; that they are of an excellent Taste, and very wholsome and nourishing.
Sometimes the Locusts fly in the Air in such vast Quantities as to darken the Sun, and to cover the Harvesters as with a Cloud of ill Omen. And when they come down upon a Country, they leave nothing untouch’d; they gnaw, devour, and blast every thing, even the hardest Wood. Whole Nations have been compell’d to forsake their Habitations, to avoid these troublesome Insects.
Ludolf afterwards shews, that the Account of Moses is favourable to his Opinion. First; Locusts are good to eat, and expresly allow’d by the Law of Moses. Secondly; It was the Wind that brought the Animals, mention’d by that Law-giver, into the Camp: And this agrees much better to Locusts than to Quails. Thirdly; It is said, that they were scatter’d over the Field, and that they cover’d the Ground all over for a Day’s Journey; that they were of the Depth of a Cubit; that they gather’d them up on Heaps; that they fill’d ten Omers with them. These Expressions are very difficult to reconcile, in the common Supposition of Quails, but3 may be very naturally understood of Locusts. Fourthly; These Animals were spread all round the Camp; or, according to the Vulgate, they dry’d them all round the Camp: Which cannot be understood of Quails; for they would soon have been full of Worms, if they had been thus exposed to the Sun.
*Moses says Selav, and Mahomet says Salva. † Houssain Vaez, vide Bibl. Orient. p. 749. col. 1.But what overthrows all these Conjectures, is, First, the Consent of the Languages, and of the Oriental Versions, which have understood Quails by the Name of Selavv. The Septuagint, Josephus, and all the Commentators both ancient and modern, understand it in the same manner. Besides, the Hebrews ask’d Moses for Flesh, being disgusted with Manna; and would they have been contented with Locusts?
Mahomet, in his Alcoran, speaks of the Miracle that God perform’d in favour of the Israelites, by sending them Flesh. He makes use of the same Word with Moses. One of his Interpreters says, that the Word Salva does not only signify Quails, but also Honey. Another Interpreter says, that the Word Salva is usually explain’d by Sumani, which is a Word more in use among the Arabians, to signify a Quail; which the Persians also call Semavah. However, adds he, this is a Bird peculiar to Arabia Felix, larger than a Sparrow, and smaller than a Pigeon, which has neither Sinews, Bones, nor Veins, and of which the Flesh is very agreeable. He says besides, that the Wind which God sent was so violent, that it broke the Wings of those Birds, and made them fall like a very thick Cloud into the Camp of the Israelites, who took them with their Hands, and eat them along with the Manna. What they tell us of this Bird, that it has neither Bones, Veins, or Sinews, must be understood as an Hyperbole, to express its being very fat and tender, something like our Fig-peckers, Ortolans, and Red-breasts.
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