CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Exodus 16
Chapter 16 of 40
Chapter Overview
What happens in Exodus 16
The Israelites complain about food in the wilderness. God provides quail in the evening and a mysterious bread called manna every morning. God uses the manna to teach the people to trust Him daily and to honor the Sabbath day of rest.
Scripture
Exodus 16
The People Complain About Food
Study note
About a month after leaving Egypt, the Israelites arrived in the wilderness of Sin between Elim and Sinai. The whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying they wished they had died in Egypt where at least they had plenty of food. God told Moses He would rain bread from heaven each day and test whether the people would follow His instructions. Moses and Aaron told the people that their complaints were not really against them but against the Lord. God's glory appeared in the cloud.
1 The entire Israelite community packed up and left Elim. They traveled into the Sin wilderness, a desert region between Elim and Mount Sinai. This was the fifteenth day of the second month after they had walked out of Egypt. And 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.
2 Out in the desert, the entire group began to grumble against Moses and Aaron. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:
3 The Israelites grumbled, "We wish the Lord had just killed us back in Egypt! At least there we could sit around pots full of meat and eat as much bread as we wanted. Instead, you dragged us out into this desert to slowly starve us all to death!" And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
4 The Lord told Moses, "Watch this — I am going to make bread rain down from the sky for you. Each day the people will go out and collect just enough for that one day. I am doing this to see whether or not they will follow my directions." Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
5 "On the sixth day, when they get ready to use what they gathered, they will find it is double the usual amount." And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
6 Moses and Aaron told all the Israelites. "By tonight, you will know for sure. The Lord is the one who saved you from Egypt." And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt:
7 "And tomorrow morning, you will witness the Lord's glory, because he has heard every one of your complaints against him. After all, who are we? Your real complaint is not with us." And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us?
8 Moses continued, "Tonight the Lord will provide meat for your dinner, and tomorrow morning you will have more bread than you can eat. He has heard all your grumbling. When you complain about us, you are truly complaining about the Lord." And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.
9 Moses told Aaron, "Tell the whole community: 'Come stand before the Lord, because he has heard your complaints.'" And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he hath heard your murmurings.
10 Aaron was still talking to the gathered group. Everyone looked out toward the desert. There in the cloud, the Lord's glory appeared before them. And 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 the LORD appeared in the cloud.
11 The Lord told Moses, And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
12 "I have heard all the grumbling from the Israelites. Give them this message: 'When the sun sets, you will have meat. When the sun rises, you will have all the bread you can eat. After that, you will know that I am the Lord your God.'" I 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 the LORD your God.
God Sends Manna
Study note
That evening, quail came and covered the camp. In the morning, when the dew evaporated, thin flakes appeared on the ground. The Israelites said 'What is it?' in Hebrew, which sounds like 'manna.' Moses told them it was the bread God had given them. Each person was to gather about two quarts per day. When they measured it, those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered a little had enough. Moses told them not to save any until morning, but some did. It spoiled and was full of worms. They had to gather it fresh each morning before the sun melted it.
13 Sure enough, that evening a great flock of quail flew in and blanketed the camp. The next morning, dew covered the ground all around the camp. And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.
14 After the dew dried up, thin flakes appeared on the desert floor. They were small and frosty-looking, spread all over the ground. And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.
15 The Israelites looked at it and asked each other, "What is those things?" Nobody recognized it. Moses explained, "This is the bread the Lord is giving you to eat." And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.
16 "Here are the Lord's instructions: Everyone should collect what they need — roughly two quarts per person in your household." This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.
17 The Israelites went out and gathered it. Some collected more, others less. And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.
18 But something amazing happened when they measured what they had: those who gathered a lot did not end up with extra, and those who gathered just a little did not come up short. Everyone had exactly the right amount. And when they did mete 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.
19 Moses warned them, "Nobody is to save any of it overnight." And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.
20 Some people ignored him and tried to keep some until the next day. It turned rotten, crawling with maggots and reeking. Moses was upset with them. Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.
21 Every morning, each person gathered what they needed for the day. Once the sun heated up, whatever was left on the ground simply melted away. And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.
Manna and the Sabbath
Study note
On the sixth day, the people gathered twice as much manna. Moses explained that the next day was the Sabbath, a holy day of rest for the Lord. On this day alone, the leftover manna did not spoil. Some people went out on the Sabbath to gather manna but found none. God was using the manna to teach the people the rhythm of working six days and resting on the seventh.
22 On the sixth day, the people collected twice their usual amount — about four quarts per person. The community leaders came to Moses to ask about this. And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
23 Moses explained, "The Lord said this: 'Tomorrow is a day of complete rest — a holy Sabbath dedicated to the Lord. Go ahead and bake or cook whatever you want today. Set aside everything that is left over and save it for tomorrow.'" And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
24 They saved the extra food until morning, just as Moses told them. This time it did not go bad or get wormy. And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.
25 Moses told them, "Eat today's portion now, because today is a Sabbath honoring the Lord. You will not find any of this food out on the ground today." And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field.
26 "Collect it for six days, but the seventh day — the Sabbath — there will be nothing to gather." Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.
27 Despite this, some people went out on the seventh day to collect food. They came back empty-handed. And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
28 The Lord asked Moses, "How long are these people going to keep ignoring my instructions and commands?" And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?
29 "Understand this: the Lord has given you the Sabbath as a gift. That is exactly why he provides a double portion on the sixth day. On the seventh day, everyone must stay home. Nobody should go out to gather food." See, for that the LORD 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.
30 So the people did no work on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day.
Manna Saved for Future Generations
Study note
The Israelites named the food manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. Moses told Aaron to fill a jar with manna and keep it before the Lord as a reminder for future generations of how God fed them in the wilderness. The Israelites ate manna for forty years until they entered the Promised Land. An omer was about two quarts and was one-tenth of an ephah.
31 The Israelites named this food manna. It looked like small white seeds, similar to coriander, and it tasted like honey wafers. And 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.
32 Moses announced, "The Lord has given this command: 'Save two quarts of manna and preserve it for future generations. Let them see the bread I provided for you in the wilderness when I brought you out of Egypt.'" And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.
33 Moses told Aaron, "Get a jar. Fill it with two quarts of manna. Set it aside in the Lord's presence to be kept for future people to see." And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations.
34 Aaron followed the Lord's command through Moses. He placed the jar of manna in front of the Testimony to be kept safe. As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.
35 The Israelites lived on manna for forty years — all the way until they reached a settled land. They ate manna right up to the moment they arrived at the edge of Canaan. And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.
36 For reference, an omer equals one-tenth of an ephah — roughly two quarts. Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.
Key Themes
Themes in Exodus 16
God's provision of daily breadLearning to trust God one day at a timeThe Sabbath as a gift of restGrumbling versus gratitude
Prophetic Connections
How this chapter points to Christ
Exodus 4-15 John 6:31-35
Jesus declares 'I am the bread of life,' directly comparing Himself to the manna God provided in the wilderness. He is the true bread from heaven that gives eternal life.
Exodus 33-34 Hebrews 9:4
A jar of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant as a memorial of God's provision, later referenced in Hebrews.
Apply This Today
Living Exodus 16
Manna had to be gathered fresh each morning — it could not be stored up. God was teaching Israel (and us) to depend on Him daily. This is the heart behind the prayer 'Give us this day our daily bread.' God wants you to trust Him for today's needs and let tomorrow take care of itself.
Go Deeper
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