Exodus 16:10-20

10 While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud.

11 The LORD said to Moses,

12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.’ ”

13 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.

14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor.

15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat.

16 This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer^[a] for each person you have in your tent.’ ”

17 The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little.

18 And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.

19 Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”

20 However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.

Exodus 16:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 16

This chapter begins with an account of the journeying of the children of Israel from Elim to the wilderness of Sin, where they murmured for want of bread, Ex 16:1-3, when the Lord told Moses that he would rain bread from heaven for them, which Moses informed them of; and withal, that the Lord took notice of their murmurings, Ex 16:4-12 which promise the Lord fulfilled; and a description of the bread, and the name of it, are given, Ex 16:13-15, and some instructions are delivered out concerning the quantity of it to be gathered, Ex 16:16-18, the time of gathering and keeping it, Ex 16:19-21, the gathering a double quantity on the sixth day for that and the seventh day, with the reason of it, Ex 16:22-30 and a further description of it, Ex 16:31, and an order to preserve an omer of it in a pot, to be kept for generations to come, that it might be seen by them, Ex 16:32-34, and the chapter is concluded with observing, that this bread was ate by the Israelites forty years, even till they came to the borders of the land of Canaan, and the quantity they ate every day is observed what it was, Ex 16:35,36.

Cross References

• 1. S ver 7; Numbers 16:19; John 11:4
• 2. Exodus 13:21; Exodus 40:34-35; 1 Kings 8:10; 2 Chronicles 7:1; Ezekiel 10:4
• 3. S ver 7
• 4. S Exodus 6:2; S Exodus 20:2
• 5. Numbers 11:31; Psalms 78:27-28; Psalms 105:40; Psalms 106:15
• 6. Numbers 11:9
• 7. ver 31; Numbers 11:7-9; Deuteronomy 8:3,16; Psalms 105:40
• 8. Deuteronomy 8:16
• 9. S ver 4; Nehemiah 9:20; S John 6:31
• 10. ver 32,36
• 11. 2 Corinthians 8:15*
• 12. ver 23; Exodus 12:10; Exodus 23:18
• 13. ver 24
• 14. Exodus 32:19

Footnotes

• [a]. That is, possibly about 3 pounds or about 1.4 kilograms; also in verses 18, 32, 33 and 36