Exodus16
New Living Translation
1Then the whole community of Israel set out from Elim and journeyed into the wilderness of Sin, between Elim and Mount Sinai. They arrived there on the fifteenth day of the second month, one month after leaving the land of Egypt.
2There, too, the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron.
3“If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.”
4Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.
5On the sixth day they will gather food, and when they prepare it, there will be twice as much as usual.”
6So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “By evening you will realize it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
7In the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaints, which are against him, not against us. What have we done that you should complain about us?”
8Then Moses added, “The Lord will give you meat to eat in the evening and bread to satisfy you in the morning, for he has heard all your complaints against him. What have we done? Yes, your complaints are against the Lord, not against us.”
9Then Moses said to Aaron, “Announce this to the entire community of Israel: ‘Present yourselves before the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’”
10And as Aaron spoke to the whole community of Israel, they looked out toward the wilderness. There they could see the awesome glory of the Lord in the cloud.
11Then the Lord said to Moses,
12“I have heard the Israelites’ complaints. Now tell them, ‘In the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”
13That evening vast numbers of quail flew in and covered the camp. And the next morning the area around the camp was wet with dew.
14When the dew evaporated, a flaky substance as fine as frost blanketed the ground.
15The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. “What is it?” they asked each other. They had no idea what it was. And Moses told them, “It is the food the Lord has given you to eat.
16These are the Lord’s instructions: Each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quarts for each person in your tent.”
17So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little.
18But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed.
19Then Moses told them, “Do not keep any of it until morning.”
20But some of them didn’t listen and kept some of it until morning. But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. Moses was very angry with them.
21After this the people gathered the food morning by morning, each family according to its need. And as the sun became hot, the flakes they had not picked up melted and disappeared.
22On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much as usual—four quarts for each person instead of two. Then all the leaders of the community came and asked Moses for an explanation.
23He told them, “This is what the Lord commanded: Tomorrow will be a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath day set apart for the Lord. So bake or boil as much as you want today, and set aside what is left for tomorrow.”
24So they put some aside until morning, just as Moses had commanded. And in the morning the leftover food was wholesome and good, without maggots or odor.
25Moses said, “Eat this food today, for today is a Sabbath day dedicated to the Lord. There will be no food on the ground today.
26You may gather the food for six days, but the seventh day is the Sabbath. There will be no food on the ground that day.”
27Some of the people went out anyway on the seventh day, but they found no food.
28The Lord asked Moses, “How long will these people refuse to obey my commands and instructions?
29They must realize that the Sabbath is the Lord’s gift to you. That is why he gives you a two-day supply on the sixth day, so there will be enough for two days. On the Sabbath day you must each stay in your place. Do not go out to pick up food on the seventh day.”
30So the people did not gather any food on the seventh day.
31The Israelites called the food manna. It was white like coriander seed, and it tasted like honey wafers.
32Then Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: Fill a two-quart container with manna to preserve it for your descendants. Then later generations will be able to see the food I gave you in the wilderness when I set you free from Egypt.”
33Moses said to Aaron, “Get a jar and fill it with two quarts of manna. Then put it in a sacred place before the Lord to preserve it for all future generations.”
34Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded Moses. He eventually placed it in the Ark of the Covenant—in front of the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant.
35So the people of Israel ate manna for forty years until they arrived at the land where they would settle. They ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.
36The container used to measure the manna was an omer, which was one-tenth of an ephah; it held about two quarts.
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