1 And they took their journey H5265 from Elim, H362 and all the congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 came H935 unto the wilderness H4057 of Sin, H5512 which is between Elim H362 and Sinai, H5514 on the fifteenth H2568 H6240 day H3117 of the second H8145 month H2320 after their departing out H3318 of the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
2 And the whole congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 murmured H3885 against Moses H4872 and Aaron H175 in the wilderness: H4057
3 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto them, Would to God H4310 H5414 we had died H4191 by the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 in the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 when we sat H3427 by the flesh H1320 pots, H5518 and when we did eat H398 bread H3899 to the full; H7648 for ye have brought us forth H3318 into this wilderness, H4057 to kill H4191 this whole assembly H6951 with hunger. H7458
4 Then said H559 the LORD H3068 unto Moses, H4872 Behold, I will rain H4305 bread H3899 from heaven H8064 for you; and the people H5971 shall go out H3318 and gather H3950 a certain rate H1697 every day, H3117 H3117 that I may prove H5254 them, whether they will walk H3212 in my law, H8451 or no.
5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth H8345 day H3117 they shall prepare H3559 that which H834 they bring in; H935 and it shall be twice H4932 as much as they gather H3950 daily. H3117 H3117
6 And Moses H4872 and Aaron H175 said H559 unto all the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 At even, H6153 then ye shall know H3045 that the LORD H3068 hath brought you out H3318 from the land H776 of Egypt: H4714
7 And in the morning, H1242 then ye shall see H7200 the glory H3519 of the LORD; H3068 for that he heareth H8085 your murmurings H8519 against the LORD: H3068 and what are we, H5168 that ye murmur H3885 H3885 against us?
8 And Moses H4872 said, H559 This shall be, when the LORD H3068 shall give H5414 you in the evening H6153 flesh H1320 to eat, H398 and in the morning H1242 bread H3899 to the full; H7646 for that the LORD H3068 heareth H8085 your murmurings H8519 which ye murmur H3885 against him: and what are we? H5168 your murmurings H8519 are not against us, but against the LORD. H3068
9 And Moses H4872 spake H559 unto Aaron, H175 Say H559 unto all the congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 Come near H7126 before H6440 the LORD: H3068 for he hath heard H8085 your murmurings. H8519
10 And it came to pass, as Aaron H175 spake H1696 unto the whole congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 that they looked H6437 toward the wilderness, H4057 and, behold, the glory H3519 of the LORD H3068 appeared H7200 in the cloud. H6051
11 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559
12 I have heard H8085 the murmurings H8519 of the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 speak H1696 unto them, saying, H559 At even H996 H6153 ye shall eat H398 flesh, H1320 and in the morning H1242 ye shall be filled H7646 with bread; H3899 and ye shall know H3045 that I am the LORD H3068 your God. H430
13 And it came to pass, that at even H6153 the quails H7958 came up, H5927 and covered H3680 the camp: H4264 and in the morning H1242 the dew H2919 lay H7902 round about H5439 the host. H4264
14 And when the dew H2919 that lay H7902 was gone up, H5927 behold, upon the face H6440 of the wilderness H4057 there lay a small H1851 round thing, H2636 as small H1851 as the hoar frost H3713 on the ground. H776
15 And when the children H1121 of Israel H3478 saw H7200 it, they said H559 one H376 to another, H251 It is manna: H4478 for they wist H3045 not what it was. And Moses H4872 said H559 unto them, This is the bread H3899 which the LORD H3068 hath given H5414 you to eat. H402
16 This is the thing H1697 which H834 the LORD H3068 hath commanded, H6680 Gather H3950 of it every man H376 according H6310 to his eating, H400 an omer H6016 for every man, H1538 according to the number H4557 of your persons; H5315 take H3947 ye every man H376 for them which are in his tents. H168
17 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did H6213 so, and gathered, H3950 some more, H7235 some less. H4591
18 And when they did mete H4058 it with an omer, H6016 he that gathered much H7235 had nothing over, H5736 and he that gathered little H4591 had no lack; H2637 they gathered H3950 every man H376 according H6310 to his eating. H400
19 And Moses H4872 said, H559 Let no man H376 leave H3498 of it till the morning. H1242
20 Notwithstanding they hearkened H8085 not unto Moses; H4872 but some H582 of them left H3498 of it until the morning, H1242 and it bred H7311 worms, H8438 and stank: H887 and Moses H4872 was wroth H7107 with them.
21 And they gathered H3950 it every morning, H1242 every man H376 according H6310 to his eating: H400 and when the sun H8121 waxed hot, H2552 it melted. H4549
22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth H8345 day H3117 they gathered H3950 twice H4932 as much bread, H3899 two H8147 omers H6016 for one H259 man: and all the rulers H5387 of the congregation H5712 came H935 and told H5046 Moses. H4872
23 And he said H559 unto them, This is that which the LORD H3068 hath said, H1696 To morrow H4279 is the rest H7677 of the holy H6944 sabbath H7676 unto the LORD: H3068 bake H644 that which ye will bake H644 to day, and seethe H1310 that ye will seethe; H1310 and that which H3605 remaineth over H5736 lay up H3240 for you to be kept H4931 until the morning. H1242
24 And they laid it up H3240 till the morning, H1242 as Moses H4872 bade: H6680 and it did not stink, H887 neither was there any worm H7415 therein.
25 And Moses H4872 said, H559 Eat H398 that to day; H3117 for to day H3117 is a sabbath H7676 unto the LORD: H3068 to day H3117 ye shall not find H4672 it in the field. H7704
26 Six H8337 days H3117 ye shall gather H3950 it; but on the seventh H7637 day, H3117 which is the sabbath, H7676 in it there shall be none.
27 And it came to pass, that there went out H3318 some of the people H5971 on the seventh H7637 day H3117 for to gather, H3950 and they found H4672 none.
28 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 How long refuse H3985 ye to keep H8104 my commandments H4687 and my laws? H8451
29 See, H7200 for that the LORD H3068 hath given H5414 you the sabbath, H7676 therefore he giveth H5414 you on the sixth H8345 day H3117 the bread H3899 of two days; H3117 abide H3427 ye every man H376 in his place, let no man H376 go out H3318 of his place H4725 on the seventh H7637 day. H3117
30 So the people H5971 rested H7673 on the seventh H7637 day. H3117
31 And the house H1004 of Israel H3478 called H7121 the name H8034 thereof Manna: H4478 and it was like coriander H1407 seed, H2233 white; H3836 and the taste H2940 of it was like wafers H6838 made with honey. H1706
32 And Moses H4872 said, H559 This is the thing H1697 which the LORD H3068 commandeth, H6680 Fill H4393 an omer H6016 of it to be kept H4931 for your generations; H1755 that they may see H7200 the bread H3899 wherewith I have fed H398 you in the wilderness, H4057 when I brought you forth H3318 from the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
33 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto Aaron, H175 Take H3947 a H259 pot, H6803 and put H5414 an omer H6016 full H4393 of manna H4478 therein, and lay it up H3240 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 to be kept H4931 for your generations. H1755
34 As the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses, H4872 so Aaron H175 laid it up H3240 before H6440 the Testimony, H5715 to be kept. H4931
35 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did eat H398 manna H4478 forty H705 years, H8141 until they came H935 to a land H776 inhabited; H3427 they did eat H398 manna, H4478 until they came H935 unto the borders H7097 of the land H776 of Canaan. H3667
36 Now an omer H6016 is the tenth H6224 part of an ephah. H374
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 16
Commentary on Exodus 16 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 16
Ex 16:1-36. Murmurs for Want of Bread.
1. they took their journey from Elim—where they had remained several days.
came unto the wilderness of Sin—It appears from Nu 32:1-42, that several stations are omitted in this historical notice of the journey. This passage represents the Israelites as advanced into the great plain, which, beginning near El-Murkah, extends with a greater or less breadth to almost the extremity of the peninsula. In its broadest part northward of Tur it is called El-Kaa, which is probably the desert of Sin [Robinson].
2. the whole congregation … murmured against Moses and Aaron—Modern travellers through the desert of Sinai are accustomed to take as much as is sufficient for the sustenance of men and beasts during forty days. The Israelites having been rather more than a month on their journey, their store of corn or other provisions was altogether or nearly exhausted; and there being no prospect of procuring any means of subsistence in the desert, except some wild olives and wild honey (De 32:13), loud complaints were made against the leaders.
3. Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt—How unreasonable and absurd the charge against Moses and Aaron! how ungrateful and impious against God! After all their experience of the divine wisdom, goodness, and power, we pause and wonder over the sacred narrative of their hardness and unbelief. But the expression of feeling is contagious in so vast a multitude, and there is a feeling of solitude and despondency in the desert which numbers cannot dispel; and besides, we must remember that they were men engrossed with the present—that the Comforter was not then given—and that they were destitute of all visible means of sustenance and cut off from every visible comfort, with only the promises of an unseen God to look to as the ground of their hope. And though we may lament they should tempt God in the wilderness and freely admit their sin in so doing, we can be at no loss for a reason why those who had all their lives been accustomed to walk by sight should, in circumstances of unparalleled difficulty and perplexity, find it hard to walk by faith. Do not even we find it difficult to walk by faith through the wilderness of this world, though in the light of a clearer revelation, and under a nobler leader than Moses? [Fisk]. (See 1Co 10:11, 12).
4. Then said the Lord unto Moses—Though the outbreak was immediately against the human leaders, it was indirectly against God: yet mark His patience, and how graciously He promised to redress the grievance.
I will rain bread from heaven—Israel, a type of the Church which is from above, and being under the conduct, government, and laws of heaven, received their food from heaven also (Ps 78:24).
that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no—The grand object of their being led into the wilderness was that they might receive a religious training directly under the eye of God; and the first lesson taught them was a constant dependence on God for their daily nourishment.
13-31. at even the quails came up, and covered the camp—This bird is of the gallinaceous kind [that is, relating to the order of heavy-bodied, largely terrestrial birds], resembling the red partridge, but not larger than the turtledove. They are found in certain seasons in the places through which the Israelites passed, being migratory birds, and they were probably brought to the camp by "a wind from the Lord" as on another occasion (Nu 11:31).
and in the morning … a small round thing … manna—There is a gum of the same name distilled in this desert region from the tamarisk, which is much prized by the natives, and preserved carefully by those who gather it. It is collected early in the morning, melts under the heat of the sun, and is congealed by the cold of night. In taste it is as sweet as honey, and has been supposed by distinguished travellers, from its whitish color, time, and place of its appearance, to be the manna on which the Israelites were fed: so that, according to the views of some, it was a production indigenous to the desert; according to others, there was a miracle, which consisted, however, only in the preternatural arrangements regarding its supply. But more recent and accurate examination has proved this gum of the tarfa-tree to be wanting in all the principal characteristics of the Scripture manna. It exudes only in small quantities, and not every year; it does not admit of being baked (Nu 11:8) or boiled (Ex 16:23). Though it may be exhaled by the heat and afterwards fall with the dew, it is a medicine, not food—it is well known to the natives of the desert, while the Israelites were strangers to theirs; and in taste as well as in the appearance of double quantity on Friday, none on Sabbath, and in not breeding worms, it is essentially different from the manna furnished to the Israelites.
32-36. Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations—The mere fact of such a multitude being fed for forty years in the wilderness, where no food of any kind is to be obtained, will show the utter impossibility of their subsisting on a natural production of the kind and quantity as this tarfa-gum [see on Ex 16:13]; and, as if for the purpose of removing all such groundless speculations, Aaron was commanded to put a sample of it in a pot—a golden pot (Heb 9:4)—to be laid before the Testimony, to be kept for future generations, that they might see the bread on which the Lord fed their fathers in the wilderness. But we have the bread of which that was merely typical (1Co 10:3; Joh 6:32).