Exodus 16:1-36

The whole congregation of the Israelites set out from Elim; and Israel came to the wilderness of Sin¹, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month² after they had departed from the land of Egypt. The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.³ The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt,⁴ when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’⁵

Then the Lord said to Moses,⁶ ‘I am going to rain bread from heaven for you,⁷ and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.⁸ On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.’⁹
So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites,¹⁰ ‘In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?’¹¹ And Moses said, ‘When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we?¹² Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.’
Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites,¹³ “Draw near to the Lord,¹⁴ for he has heard your complaining.”¹⁵
’And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked towards the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.¹⁶ The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.”’¹⁷
In the evening quails came up and covered the camp;¹⁸ and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was.¹⁹
Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.²⁰ This is what the Lord has commanded: “Gather as much of it as each of you needs,²¹ an omer to a person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.”’
The Israelites did so, some gathering more, some less.²² But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed.²³
And Moses said to them, ‘Let no one leave any of it over until morning.’²⁴
But they did not listen to Moses; some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul.²⁵ And Moses was angry²⁶ with them. Morning by morning they gathered it, as much as each needed;²⁷ but when the sun grew hot, it melted.
On the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, two omers apiece. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, he said to them, ‘This is what the Lord has commanded: “Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord;²⁸ bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning.”’
So they put it aside until morning, as Moses commanded them; and it did not become foul, and there were no worms in it.²⁹ Moses said, ‘Eat it today, for today is a sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. For six days you shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is a sabbath, there will be none.’
On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, and they found none.³⁰
The Lord said to Moses, ‘How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and instructions?³¹ See! The Lord has given you the sabbath,³² therefore on the sixth day he gives you food for two days; each of you stay where you are; do not leave your place on the seventh day.’ So the people rested on the seventh day.³³
The house of Israel called it manna; it was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.³⁴ Moses said, ‘This is what the Lord has commanded: “Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations,³⁵ in order that they may see the food with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.”’
And Moses said to Aaron, ‘Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord, to be kept throughout your generations.’
As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the covenant, for safe-keeping. The Israelites ate manna for forty years,³⁶ until they came to a habitable land; they ate manna, until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. An omer is a tenth of an ephah.³⁷



1 Not a symbolic name? Really?

2 An entire month has already passsed.

3 They had been obedient, but their patience and trust is once again quite thin.

4 What a horrifyingly bitter expression. Even in their distress, they can't really mean that.

5 An exceedingly harsh claim. Also hyperbole?

6 As usual, God addresses the people through Moses.

7 An incredibly profound miracle. Another miracle of sustenance to contrast the previous miracles of judgment.

8 Their faith is measured at the same time they are miraculously provided for.

9 Additionally measuring their faith in a specific scenario.

10 At this point, the faith of Moses and Aaron appears strong.

11 Identifying that the complaints against God had been focused as complaints against them.

12 In a way a sign of humility, but also a sign of power, for they mediate the words of the Lord.

13 Interesting – Aaron is still speaking for Moses at times.

14 God's answer to them is seen as a call to come closer to God. Relationship begets closer relationship.

15 The sixth time that the word “complain” has been uttered (more to come) – this passage really focuses on the people's complaint.

16 God is appearing directly to the Israelites (in a sense), not just to Moses.

17 The Egyptians knew he was God by works of judgment, the Israelites will now further know by works of provision.

18 Incredible image

19 Pretty fascinating that the miracle is one the Israelites cannot immediately recognize.

20 Moses recognizes what the average Israelite does not.

21 While God's provision is abundant, the Israelites are only to take what they need of that provision.

22 The people aren't exactly perfectly obedient.

23 While they did not obey, God again worked miraculously to ensure that justice was carried out.

24 Another testing of their trust.

25 Again disobedient, again (do to God's miraculous work), their disobedience brings them no benefit.

26 Not only God is angry, but Moses is as well.

27 Sort of implying that they started to learn.

28 Moses explains the reason behind the separate day.

29 God's miraculous provision once again.

30 Once again disobedient.

31 While the people identify Moses with God, it appears that God identifies Moses with the people.

32 “sabbath” mentioned for the fourth time in the last few lines.

33 Looks like they eventually got the message.

34 What an odd description – where did this come from?

35 Did this happen? How long did people continue to see the manna?

36 Giving a sense of extensiveness to the miraculous provision.

37 Sort of a funny postscript.

Take-home: As God had proven himself to the Egyptians via plagues and destruction, he proves himself to the Israelites via provision, first with water and now with quail and manna. The theme of faith in God, trusting his word and that he will provide, is very strong in the passage. God's presence with and relationship with the Israelites is personal. The sabbath is also introduced, showing both the importance of rest and one outworking of that faith in God. The Israelites show themselves to be disobedient and distrustful three times in this narrative. While Moses and Aaron are shown to be obedient to God and faithful to his message, God holds them responsible for the disobedience of the people.