We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic:
All Commentaries on Numbers 11:5 Go To Numbers 11
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Fish. The Nile abounds in fish, which they might catch freely. The fish of the lake Moeris, brought a considerable revenue to the king of Egypt. (Herodotus, ii. 149.) The Hebrews had dwelt also near the Mediterranean Sea. Fish was formerly in greater esteem than it is at present. The priests of Egypt abstained from it, (Herodotus, ii. 37,) and the people from such as had scales, and from eels, because they believed they were sacred. (Herodotus, ii. 72). Porphyrius and Ovid even maintain that they refrained from all fish, as well as the Syrians. But they had not probably carried their superstition so far, in the days of Moses.
Garlic. These things are much more delicious and wholesome in hot countries. The Greeks fed much on cucumbers and garlic. (Aristophanes)
The Turks still delight in them, eating the former raw with sour milk, (which would be very dangerous in our climate), and onions, which are as good as our pears. (Spon. Bellon. iii. 18) The wounded Machaon feasts upon onions (Homer, Iliad ix.) The Egyptians afterwards scrupled to eat leeks and onions. (Calmet)
Porrumcepe nefas violare.O sanctas gentes! quibus hæc nascuntur in hortis
Numina. (Juvenal, Sat. xv.) But in the earlier ages Moses represents them as accustomed to such food. (Haydock)
