Exodus16
New King James Version
1And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt.
2Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
3And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
4Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.
5And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.”
6Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “At evening you shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt.
7And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord; for He hears your complaints against the Lord. But what are we, that you complain against us?”
8Also Moses said, “This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord.”
9Then Moses spoke to Aaron, “Say to all the congregation of the children of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for He has heard your complaints.’ ”
10Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.
11And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
12“I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”
13So it was that quail came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp.
14And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground.
15So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.
16This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.’ ”
17Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less.
18So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need.
19And Moses said, “Let no one leave any of it till morning.”
20Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.
21So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted.
22And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
23Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.’ ”
24So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it.
25Then Moses said, “Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field.
26Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.”
27Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none.
28And the Lord said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws?
29See! For the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain 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 its name Manna. And it was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.
32Then Moses said, “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: ‘Fill an omer with it, to be kept for your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’ ”
33And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a pot and put an omer of manna in it, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your generations.”
34As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.
35And the children of Israel ate manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.
36Now an omer is one-tenth 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