They were filled with craving in the desert and put God to the test;

so he gave them what they asked for, but also sent a terrible disease among them.

There in the desert they all complained to Moses and Aaron

and said to them, "We wish that the LORD had killed us in Egypt. There we could at least sit down and eat meat and as much other food as we wanted. But you have brought us out into this desert to starve us all to death."

There were foreigners traveling with the Israelites. They had a strong craving for meat, and even the Israelites themselves began to complain: "If only we could have some meat!

Now, all of this is an example for us, to warn us not to desire evil things, as they did,

You want things, but you cannot have them, so you are ready to kill; you strongly desire things, but you cannot get them, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have what you want because you do not ask God for it.

And when you ask, you do not receive it, because your motives are bad; you ask for things to use for your own pleasures.