8589. 'Because of the wrangling of the children of Israel' means complaining on account of the bitterness of the temptation, so severe that they were close to giving in. This is clear from the meaning of 'the wrangling' as bitter complaining, dealt with in 8563. The fact that their being close to giving in is meant is clear from the nature of their wrangling; that is to say, it was such that they were on the verge of stoning Moses, they were tempting Jehovah, and they were saying, Is Jehovah in the midst of us?