Exodus 16

King James Version

Full text for Exodus Chapter 16

1¶ 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.

2And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:

3And 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.

4Then 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.

5And 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.

6And 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:

7And 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?

8And 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.

9And 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.

10And 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.

11And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

12I 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.

13¶ 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.

14And 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.

15And 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.

16This [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.

17And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.

18And 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.

19And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.

20Notwithstanding 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.

21And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.

22¶ 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.

23And 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.

24And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.

25And 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.

26Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, [which is] the sabbath, in it there shall be none.

27And it came to pass, [that] there went out [some] of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.

28And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?

29See, 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.

30So the people rested on the seventh day.

31And 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¶ 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.

33And 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.

34As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.

35And 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.

36Now an omer [is] the tenth [part] of an ephah.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

The Israelites, two months after leaving Egypt, murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness of Sin due to lack of food. The LORD heard their complaints and promised to provide bread from heaven (manna) daily and quails in the evening. He also instituted the Sabbath rest by providing a double portion of manna on the sixth day, which did not spoil, while no manna appeared on the seventh.

Medium Summary

Upon reaching the wilderness of Sin, the children of Israel complained bitterly to Moses and Aaron, longing for the food they had in Egypt and fearing starvation. The LORD responded to their murmuring by promising to rain bread from heaven and provide flesh in the evening, clarifying that their complaints were against Him. That evening, quails covered the camp, and each morning, a small, round, white substance, which they called "Manna," appeared on the ground. Instructions were given to gather an omer per person daily, with a double portion on the sixth day for the Sabbath, and none to be left overnight except for the Sabbath provision. Disobedience resulted in the manna spoiling and breeding worms. The Manna sustained the Israelites for forty years until they reached the land of Canaan, serving as a constant reminder of God's provision and a test of their obedience to His laws, particularly the Sabbath.

Long Summary

Two months after their departure from Egypt, the entire congregation of Israel journeyed from Elim into the wilderness of Sin, where they began to murmur against Moses and Aaron. They expressed a desire to have died in Egypt, where they had ample food, accusing their leaders of bringing them into the wilderness to perish from hunger. The LORD heard their complaints and declared to Moses His intention to rain bread from heaven daily, providing a test of their obedience to His law. He also promised flesh in the evening. Moses and Aaron informed the people that their murmuring was against the LORD Himself, not against them. Subsequently, the glory of the LORD appeared in a cloud, and that evening, quails ascended and covered the camp, providing meat. In the morning, after the dew had evaporated, a small, round, hoar-frost-like substance appeared on the wilderness ground. The Israelites, unfamiliar with it, called it "Manna," and Moses confirmed it was the bread provided by the LORD. Specific instructions were given for gathering: an omer per person daily, with no leftovers until the morning. However, some disobeyed, and their stored manna bred worms and stank, incurring Moses' wrath. Each morning, the manna was gathered, and it melted under the hot sun. On the sixth day, a double portion was gathered, as it was explained that the following day was the holy Sabbath. This double portion did not spoil. The LORD commanded that no manna would be found on the Sabbath, yet some people went out to gather and found none, leading to a rebuke from the LORD concerning their failure to keep His commandments. The people then rested on the seventh day. The manna was described as white, like coriander seed, with a taste like wafers made with honey. An omer of manna was commanded to be preserved in a pot before the LORD as a perpetual memorial of His provision. The children of Israel ate manna for forty years until they reached the borders of the land of Canaan.

Core Concepts

  • MurmuringThe Israelites' repeated complaints against Moses, Aaron, and ultimately the LORD, expressing discontent and a desire to return to Egypt due to perceived lack of food in the wilderness. This highlights their lack of faith and patience despite God's previous deliverance.
  • Divine ProvisionThe LORD's miraculous provision of quails in the evening and manna every morning, demonstrating His faithfulness to sustain His people even in the barren wilderness. This act directly addresses their hunger and shows God's immediate response to their needs.
  • MannaThe miraculous "bread from heaven" provided daily, described as a small, round, white substance like hoar frost, tasting like wafers with honey. It served as the primary sustenance for the Israelites for forty years and was a tangible sign of God's care.
  • Sabbath ObservanceThe institution of the Sabbath rest, reinforced by the manna's provision pattern: a double portion on the sixth day and none on the seventh. This tested the Israelites' obedience to God's command to rest and sanctify the seventh day.
  • Obedience and TestingThe chapter illustrates God's testing of Israel's obedience through specific instructions regarding the gathering and keeping of manna, particularly concerning the Sabbath. Disobedience led to spoilage, while adherence demonstrated faith.
  • MemorialThe command to preserve an omer of manna in a pot before the LORD, serving as a perpetual reminder for future generations of God's miraculous provision and faithfulness during their wilderness journey.