Moses was directed to prepare the people for what God was about to do for them. "Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the Lord, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the Lord will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. 381 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; but even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the Lord which is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?"

Moses fik besked på at gøre folket rede til det, Gud ville gøre for dem. "Helliger Eder til i morgen, så skal I få kød at spise! I har jo grædt højlydt for Herren og sagt: Kunne vi dog få kød at spise! Vi havde det jo bedre i Ægypten ! Derfor vil Herren give Eder kød at spise; og ikke blot een eller to eller fem eller ti eller tyve dage skal I spise det, men en hel måned igennem, indtil det står Eder ud af næsen, og I væmmes derved, fordi I har ringeagtet Herren, der er i Eders midte, og grædt for hans åsyn og sagt: Hvorfor drog vi dog ud af Ægypten!"