Exodus 16

Exodus 16 recounts how God provides manna and quail for the Israelites during their journey in the wilderness after their departure from Egypt. It highlights their grumbling, God's miraculous provision, and His instruction for gathering the food. The chapter serves as a test of the people's obedience to God's laws and His care for them despite their complaints.

Exodus 16:1-3 (NKJV)
1 And 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.
2 Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
3 And 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.”

After traveling for about a month from Egypt, the Israelites arrive in the Wilderness of Sin and begin to complain about their lack of food. In their frustration, they express a desire to return to Egypt, where they remember having an abundance of food. Their statement reveals their lack of trust in God's provision, as they accuse Moses and Aaron of leading them into the wilderness to starve. This complaint sets the stage for God’s miraculous provision of food.

Exodus 16:4-5 (NKJV)
4 Then 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.
5 And 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.”

God responds to the people's complaint by promising to provide bread from heaven, later known as manna. He sets specific instructions for gathering it, with the purpose of testing their obedience. The daily gathering would reflect whether they trusted God enough to follow His commands. On the sixth day, they were to gather twice as much in preparation for the Sabbath, establishing the principle of rest and reliance on God’s provision.

Exodus 16:6-8 (NKJV)
6 Then 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.
7 And 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?”
8 Also 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.”

Moses and Aaron remind the people that their complaints, though directed at them, are actually against God, who brought them out of Egypt. They announce that God will demonstrate His glory by providing meat in the evening and bread in the morning, addressing their physical needs. This response emphasizes that their dissatisfaction is a sign of their lack of faith in God’s care and that their true issue is with Him, not with human leadership.

Exodus 16:9-12 (NKJV)
9 Then 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.’”
10 Now 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.
11 And 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.’”

God instructs Moses to gather the people, and as Aaron speaks, the glory of the Lord appears in the cloud. This visible manifestation of God’s presence reaffirms His leadership and involvement in their journey. God reiterates His promise to provide meat in the evening and bread in the morning, making it clear that through these provisions, they will come to know that He is their God, both their provider and protector.

Exodus 16:13-15 (NKJV)
13 So it was that quail came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp.
14 And 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.
15 So 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.”

In the evening, quail arrive and cover the camp, providing the Israelites with meat as promised. The next morning, after the dew evaporates, they discover a fine, flaky substance on the ground, which they call “manna” (meaning “What is it?”). God’s provision of manna is a miraculous event that not only sustains them but also serves as a sign of His faithfulness in meeting their needs.

Exodus 16:16-18 (NKJV)
16 This 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.’
17 Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less.
18 So 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.

God gives specific instructions on how much manna each person should gather, based on the size of their household. Regardless of how much they collected, when it was measured, everyone had exactly what they needed. This provision underscores God’s care for each individual’s needs and the sufficiency of His provision, ensuring that no one had more than necessary, and no one lacked.

Exodus 16:19-21 (NKJV)
19 And Moses said, “Let no one leave any of it till morning.”
20 Notwithstanding 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.
21 So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted.

God instructs the Israelites to gather only what they need for the day, but some disobey and try to hoard the manna. The leftover manna spoils and becomes inedible by the next morning. This event shows that God desires the people to trust Him daily for their provision, not to rely on their own wisdom or stockpiling, but to live in daily dependence on Him.

Exodus 16:22-24 (NKJV)
22 And 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.
23 Then 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.’”
24 So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it.

On the sixth day, the people are instructed to gather twice the amount of manna in preparation for the Sabbath. This provision, in contrast to the other days, miraculously does not spoil overnight. The preservation of the manna for the Sabbath emphasizes the sanctity of this day of rest and God’s miraculous intervention to ensure the people’s needs are met without work.

Exodus 16:25-27 (NKJV)
25 Then Moses said, “Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field.
26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.”
27 Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none.

Despite the clear instruction to rest on the Sabbath and not gather manna, some Israelites still went out to look for it. This reveals a lack of trust in God’s word and a reluctance to fully embrace the rhythm of rest and reliance on God. Their disobedience demonstrates their difficulty in adhering to God’s commands, especially regarding the Sabbath, which was meant to be a day of worship and rest.

Exodus 16:28-30 (NKJV)
28 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws?
29 See! 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.”
30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

God expresses frustration with the people’s disobedience, emphasizing that the Sabbath is a gift, not a burden. He reminds them that He has provided for their needs ahead of time, so they have no reason to work on the Sabbath. This passage underscores the importance of trusting in God’s provision and respecting His commands. In response, the people finally obey and rest on the seventh day, in line with God's instructions.

Exodus 16:31-32 (NKJV)
31 And 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.
32 Then 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.’”

The Israelites name the bread from heaven "Manna," and it is described as tasting like honey-flavored wafers. God commands them to preserve a portion of the manna as a testimony for future generations, serving as a reminder of His miraculous provision during their time in the wilderness. This memorial highlights God’s faithfulness in sustaining them and ensuring they had everything they needed.

Exodus 16:33-36 (NKJV)
33 And 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.”
34 As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.
35 And 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.
36 Now an omer is one-tenth of an ephah.

Moses instructs Aaron to place a pot of manna before the Testimony (the Ark of the Covenant) as a lasting memorial of God’s provision. The people continue to eat manna for forty years until they reach the Promised Land of Canaan. This long-term provision of manna is a powerful symbol of God’s faithfulness throughout the Israelites’ journey, sustaining them until they reach the land He promised to give them. The note about the measurement of an omer emphasizes the specific instructions and precise care that God took in providing for them.