1
After they set out from Elim, the whole congregation of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which lies between Elim and Mount Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of the land of Egypt.
2
In the wilderness the whole congregation of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron;
3
and said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat and ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole congregation with hunger.”
4
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather each day the amount needed for that day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.
5
And on the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.”
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Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “This evening you shall know that it is the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
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And in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because He has heard your grumblings against Him. For what are we, that you grumble against us?”
8
And Moses said, “If the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening and bread to the full in the morning, because the LORD has heard the grumblings that you grumble against Him—what are we? Your grumblings are not against us, but against the LORD.”
9
Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of Israel, ‘Come near before the LORD, for He has heard your grumblings.’”
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And as Aaron was speaking to the whole congregation of Israel, they turned toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.
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Then the LORD spoke to Moses:
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“I have heard the grumblings of the children of Israel; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’”
13
In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.
14
When the dew had evaporated, there on the surface of the wilderness was something fine, something like flakes, fine as frost on the ground.
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When the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. But Moses said to them, “This is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.”
16
This is the command of the LORD: Gather it, each person according to his need; each of you may take for those in his tent, an omer for each person, according to the number of souls.”
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And the people of Israel did so; they gathered, some much, some little.
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When they measured it with an omer, the one who gathered much had nothing over, and the one who gathered little had no lack. Each person gathered according to his need.
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Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it until morning.”
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But some did not listen to Moses and left some of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul. And Moses was angry with them.
21
Every morning they gathered it, each person according to his need; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.
22
And on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each person; and all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses.
23
Then Moses said to them, “This is what the LORD has said: Tomorrow is a day of complete rest, a holy sabbath to the LORD; so whatever bread you need to bake, bake, and whatever you need to boil, boil; and all that remains, leave it in its place to be kept until morning.”
24
So they left it in its place until the next day, as Moses had commanded; and it did not become foul, and there were no worms in it.
25
Then Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field.
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Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath; on that day there will be none.”
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Yet on the seventh day some of the people went out to gather it, but they found none.
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Therefore the LORD said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep all My commandments and My laws?
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See, the LORD has given you the sabbath; that is why on the sixth day He gives you bread for two days. Stay each of you in your place; let no one go out from his place on the seventh day.”
30
So the people rested on the seventh day.
31
The house of Israel called its name manna; it was white like coriander seed, and its taste was like wafers made with honey.
32
Moses said, “This is the command of the LORD: Take an omer full, to be kept for your generations, so that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.”
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Therefore Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer full of manna in it, and place it before the LORD, to be kept for your generations.”
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As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the ark of the testimony, to be kept.
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The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited by people; they ate the manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.
36
Now an omer is one-tenth of an ephah.
🍞🌿☁️ Summary of Exodus 16
Exodus 16 tells how God provided manna and quail for the people of Israel in the wilderness, in response to their complaints because of hunger.
1. The Complaint of the People of Israel (verses 1–3)
- After a month out of Egypt, they came to the wilderness of Sin.
- They murmured against Moses and Aaron, longing for the food in Egypt:
“It would be better for us to die in Egypt with bread and meat…”
- This shows a lack of trust, even though they had already seen great miracles.
2. The LORD Gives Manna and Quail (verses 4–15)
- The LORD promised to send bread from heaven (manna) every morning and quail in the evening.
- They were to gather enough each day—not more except for the sixth day (because the seventh day was the Sabbath).
- They wondered and asked:
“What is it?” (Hebrew: man hu = manna)
For they had never seen that food before.
3. The Command Concerning Manna and the Sabbath (verses 16–30)
- They were to obey the instructions for gathering: each person one-ninth of an omer per head.
- If more than needed was gathered and kept until the next day, it would breed worms and rot (except for the sixth day, so that the Sabbath would remain holy).
- Some did not obey, and the LORD rebuked them—emphasizing the importance of obedience and the sanctifying of the Sabbath.
4. Manna Kept as a Memorial (verses 31–36)
- Manna was called “bread from heaven”, and its taste was like honey cakes.
- A vessel containing manna was kept for future generations as a reminder of God’s provision.
📖 Main Lessons
- The Lord provides for His people, even in the dry wilderness.
- Complaining often comes from unbelief, not from lack.
- The Lord teaches obedience through small things (such as gathering food).
- Rest (the Sabbath) is part of the order and holiness of life.
- God’s provision must be remembered, not forgotten.
✨ Spiritual Meaning
- Manna symbolizes Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life (John 6:32–35).
- The Lord not only saves, but also provides daily—teaching complete dependence on Him.
- Not storing up excess is a lesson in enough, gratitude, and trust for tomorrow.
- The Sabbath day is not a burden, but a gift for resting and worshiping God.
- The manna memorial teaches us always to remember and honor the history of God’s presence.
