God put the Spirit that was upon Moses upon the seventy elders (v. 25). When this Spirit came upon them, they prophesied.
Two of the seventy, who were not with the others around the tent of meeting, also prophesied (v. 26). "A young man ran and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp. And Joshua the son of Nun, a minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them" (vv. 27-28). Joshua was jealous for Moses, and he charged Moses to forbid them. But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake?" (v. 29a). Then Moses uttered a great prophecy: "Oh, that all Jehovah's people were prophets, that Jehovah would put His Spirit upon them!" (v. 29b). This prophecy was promoted by Paul in 1 Corinthians and will be fulfilled in God's New Testament economy.
At this time when the people were lusting for meat, God came in to do a great miracle. He fed the people with quail (vv. 18-23, 31-34). He brought in so many quail that they surrounded the camp for a distance equal to a day's journey and to a depth of about three feet (v. 31).
In feeding the people with quail, God was angry, and in His anger He struck them with a severe plague. "While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of Jehovah burned against the people, and Jehovah struck the people with a severe plague" (v. 33).
The lusting people were struck and buried in Kibroth-hattaavah. "Therefore the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who lusted" (v. 34). This was for the purpose of clearing up the mixed multitude. By this plague God purified His people.
"From Kibroth-hattaavah the people journeyed to Hazeroth; and they abode at Hazeroth" (v. 35). It is likely that the people were silent as they journeyed to Hazeroth. To be sure, no one desired to eat quail, for their lusting for meat had brought in death.