Exodus16
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.
2And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness:
3and the children of Israel said unto them, Would that we had died by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
4Then said Jehovah unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.
5And it shall come to pass on the sixth day, that they shall prepare that which they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
6And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that Jehovah hath brought you out from the land of Egypt;
7and in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of Jehovah; for that he heareth your murmurings against Jehovah: and what are we, that ye murmur against us?
8And Moses said, This shall be, when Jehovah shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that Jehovah heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against Jehovah.
9And Moses said unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before Jehovah; for he hath heard your murmurings.
10And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of Jehovah appeared in the cloud.
11And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
12I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread: and ye shall know that I am Jehovah your God.
13And it came to pass at even, that the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the camp.
14And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness a small round thing, small as the hoar-frost on the ground.
15And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, What is it? for they knew not what it was. And Moses said unto them, It is the bread which Jehovah hath given you to eat.
16This is the thing which Jehovah hath commanded. Gather ye of it every man according to his eating; an omer a head, according to the number of your persons, shall ye take it, every man for them that are in his tent.
17And the children of Israel did so, and gathered some more, some less.
18And when they measured it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.
19And Moses said unto them, Let no man leave of it till the morning.
20Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and became foul: and Moses was wroth with them.
21And they gathered it morning by morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.
22And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
23And he said unto them, This is that which Jehovah hath spoken, To-morrow is a solemn rest, a holy sabbath unto Jehovah: bake that which ye will bake, and boil that which ye will boil; and all that remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
24And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not become foul, neither was there any worm therein.
25And Moses said, Eat that to-day; for to-day is a sabbath unto Jehovah: to-day ye shall not find it in the field.
26Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.
27And it came to pass on the seventh day, that there went out some of the people to gather, and they found none.
28And Jehovah said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?
29See, for that Jehovah hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
30So the people rested on the seventh day.
31And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.
32And Moses said, This is the thing which Jehovah hath commanded, Let an omerful of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread wherewith I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.
33And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omerful of manna therein, and lay it up before Jehovah, to be kept throughout your generations.
34As Jehovah commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.
35And the children of Israel did eat the manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat the manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.
36Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Exodus 16.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The Israelites come to the wilderness of Sin. They murmur for food, God promises bread from heaven. (1–12). God sends quails and manna. (13–21). Particulars respecting the manna. (22–31). An omer of manna to be preserved. (32–36).
vv1-12
The provisions of Israel, brought from Egypt, were spent by the middle of the second month, and they murmured. It is no new thing for the greatest kindness to be basely represented as the greatest injuries. They so far undervalue their deliverance, that they wished they had died in Egypt; and by the hand of the Lord, that is, by the plagues which cut off the Egyptians. We cannot suppose they had plenty in Egypt, nor could they fear dying for want in the wilderness, while they had flocks and herds: none talk more absurdly than murmurers. When we begin to fret, we ought to consider, that God hears all our murmurings. God promises a speedy and constant supply. He tried whether they would trust him, and rest satisfied with the bread of the day in its day. Thus he tried if they would serve him, and it appeared how ungrateful they were. When God plagued the Egyptians, it was to make them know he was their Lord; when he provided for the Israelites, it was to make them know he was their God.
vv13-21
At evening the quails came up, and the people caught with ease as many as they needed. The manna came down in dew. They called it “Manna, Manhu,” which means, “What is this?” “It is a portion; it is that which our God has allotted us, and we will take it, and be thankful.” It was pleasant food; it was wholesome food. The manna was rained from heaven; it appeared, when the dew was gone, as a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost, like coriander seed, in colour like pearls. The manna fell only six days in the week, and in double quantity on the sixth day; it bred worms and became offensive if kept more than one day, excepting on the sabbath. The people had never seen it before. It could be ground in a mill, or beaten in a mortar, and was then made into cakes and baked. It continued the forty years the Israelites were in the wilderness, wherever they went, and ceased when they arrived in Canaan. All this shows how different it was from any thing found before, or found now. They were to gather the manna every morning. We are hereby taught, 1. To be prudent and diligent in providing food for ourselves and our households; with quietness working, and eating our own bread, not the bread of idleness or deceit. God's bounty leaves room for man's duty; it did so even when manna was rained; they must not eat till they have gathered. 2. To be content with enough. Those that have most, have for themselves but food and raiment; those that have least, generally have these; so that he who gathers much has nothing over, and he who gathers little has no lack. There is not such a disproportion between one and another in the enjoyment of the things of this life, as in the mere possession of them. 3. To depend upon Providence: let them sleep quietly, though they have no bread in their tents, nor in all their camp, trusting that God, with the following day, would bring them in their daily bread. It was surer and safer in God's storehouse than their own, and would come thence sweeter and fresher. See here the folly of hoarding. The manna laid up by some, who thought themselves wiser, and better managers, than their neighbours, and who would provide lest it should fail next day, bred worms, and became good for nothing. That will prove to be most wasted, which is covetously and distrustfully spared. Such riches are corrupted, Jas 5:2, 3. The same wisdom, power, and goodness that brought food daily from above for the Israelites in the wilderness, brings food yearly out of the earth in the constant course of nature, and gives us all things richly to enjoy.
vv22-31
Here is mention of a seventh-day sabbath. It was known, not only before the giving of the law upon mount Sinai, but before the bringing of Israel out of Egypt, even from the beginning, Ge 2:3. The setting apart one day in seven for holy work, and, in order to that, for holy rest, was ever since God created man upon the earth, and is the most ancient of the Divine laws. Appointing them to rest on the seventh day, he took care that they should be no losers by it; and none ever will be losers by serving God. On that day they were to fetch in enough for two days, and to make it ready. This directs us to contrive family affairs, so that they may hinder us as little as possible in the work of the sabbath. Works of necessity are to be done on that day; but it is desirable to have as little as may be to do, that we may apply ourselves the more closely to prepare for the life that is to come. When they kept manna against a command, it stank; when they kept it by a command, it was sweet and good; every thing is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. On the seventh day God did not send the manna, therefore they must not expect it, nor go out to gather. This showed that it was produced by miracle.
Key Words
נָסַע: properly, to pull up, especially the tent-pins, i.e. start on ajourney
אֵילִם: Elim, a place in the Desert
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
עֵדָה: a stated assemblage (specifically, a concourse, or generally, a family or crowd)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
מִדְבָּר: a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs)
סִין: Sin the name of an Egyptian town and (probably) desert adjoining
בֵּין: between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...or
Cross References
Exodus 16Quoted verbatim: Paul uses the gathering of manna to illustrate Christian equality and sharing.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Explicitly mentions the golden pot that had manna kept inside the Ark of the Covenant.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Explains God fed them manna to teach that man does not live by bread alone.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Jesus references this: 'Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread.'
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Establishes the primeval origin of the Sabbath rest, preceding the giving of the Sinai law.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallel description of manna, comparing it to coriander seed and the appearance of bdellium.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Records the precise moment the manna ceased, when Israel ate the fruit of Canaan.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Warns Christians against murmuring as the Israelites did, which brought destruction in the wilderness.
Supported by JFB
Poetically describes the raining of manna as 'the corn of heaven' and 'angels' food.'
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Moses recalls that God led them in the wilderness to humble and prove them.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels the principle that rejecting God's appointed leaders is a rejection of God Himself.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
The other major wilderness instance of God sending quails to satisfy Israel's desire for flesh.
Supported by JFB
Provides a parallel, detailed description of the appearance, gathering, and preparation of manna.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Describes how the people prepared the manna by grinding, baking, and boiling/seething it.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jesus references the wilderness manna to reveal Himself as the true Bread from heaven.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Explains the spiritual purpose of the manna: teaching that man lives by God's Word.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Nehemiah's historical prayer praises God for giving bread from heaven for their hunger.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Rehearses how God brought quails and satisfied His people with the bread of heaven.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Clarifies the instructions for preparing the double portion of manna before the Sabbath.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Promises 'hidden manna' to the overcomer, typifying the spiritual nourishment of Christ.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Poetic description of manna as 'corn of heaven' and 'angels' food' rained upon Israel.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Nehemiah recalls the making known of the holy Sabbath to Israel in the wilderness.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Defines 'the Testimony' where Aaron laid up the manna as the tablets of the Law.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Fills in the geographical itinerary, noting the omitted station by the Red Sea.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The initial divine instruction for the sixth day double portion, which the rulers report here.
Supported by Matthew Poole, Calvin
Parallel miracle where God commands a double harvest on the sixth year for the Sabbatical year.
Supported by Matthew Poole
A similar memorial of rebellion (Aaron's rod) kept 'before the testimony' for future generations.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Jesus quotes Deuteronomy in his temptation, asserting spiritual feeding over physical manna.
Supported by Matthew Henry