They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,

They were not estranged from that which they desired, Their food was yet in their mouths,

they were not defrauded of that which they craved. As yet their meat was in their mouth:

They were not alienated from their lust, their meat was yet in their mouths,

They were not estranged from their desire: but while their meat was yet in their mouths,

They have not been estranged from their desire, Yet is their food in their mouth,

But they were not turned from their desires; and while the food was still in their mouths,

They were not estranged from their craving, Their food was yet in their mouths,

They were not estranged from their lust - literally, "They were not made strangers to;" that is, in regard to their lusts or desires they were not in the condition of "foreigners" or aliens; they were not separated from them. The word "lusts" here means "desires, wishes." It is not used here in the restricted sense in which it is now with us. The reference is to their desire for food different from manna - for flesh; and the idea is, that they did not restrain their intense desire even when it should have been fully satisfied. They indulged to excess, and the consequence was that many of them perished.
But while their meat was yet in their mouths - Even while they were eating, and were indulging in this unrestrained manner.

They were not estranged from their (q) lust. But while their meat [was] yet in their mouths,
(q) Such is the nature of concupiscence, that the more it has the more it lusts.

They were not estranged from their lust,.... By the goodness and liberality of God unto them, they were not brought to repentance for their sin of lusting; nor did they abstain from their fleshly lusts, or deny themselves of them, which the grace of God teaches to do; or else the sense is, what they lusted after, flesh, was not withheld from them, or they restrained from eating it; they were indulged with it for a whole month together; to which agrees what follows:
but while their meat was yet in their mouths; the meat of the quails, while it was between their teeth, ere it was chewed, and before it was swallowed down, while they were rolling this sweet morsel under their tongues, and were gorging themselves with it, destruction came upon them, as follows; just as Belshazzar, while he was feasting with his nobles, in the midst of his mirth and jollity, was slain by the Persians, Daniel 5:1.

not estranged . . . lust--or, "desire"--that is, were indulging it.