Exodus 16:2

2 And all the congregation of the sons of Israel grouched against Moses (And all the Israelites grumbled against Moses), and against Aaron, in the wilderness.

Exodus 16:2 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 16:2

And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured,
&c.] For want of bread; for the Targum of Jonathan says, that day the dough ceased they brought of Egypt, on which, and the unleavened cakes they had lived thirty days; and for a longer space of time it was not sufficient, as Josephus F7 and other Jewish writers F8 observe; and now it was all spent, and they were in the utmost distress for bread, and fall a murmuring as they were used to do, when in any distress, even the whole congregation of them, at least the far greater part; some few might be excepted, as Caleb and Joshua, and some others: and they

murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness;
in the wilderness of Sin, where they were, and where no corn was to be had to make bread of; and their murmuring was not only against Moses, as before when they wanted water, but against Aaron also, who were jointly concerned in bringing them out of Egypt. It is a common case, when things do not go so well as to be wished for in church or state, for people to murmur against their governors, ecclesiastic or civil, and lay all the blame to them.


FOOTNOTES:

F7 Antiqu. l. 2. c. 15. sect. 1.
F8 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 5. p. 17.

Exodus 16:2 In-Context

1 And they went forth from Elim, and all the multitude of the sons of Israel came into the desert of Sin, which is betwixt Elim and Sinai, in the fifteenth day of the second month, after that they went out of the land of Egypt. (And they went forth from Elim, and all the multitude of the Israelites came into the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month, after that they went out of the land of Egypt.)
2 And all the congregation of the sons of Israel grouched against Moses (And all the Israelites grumbled against Moses), and against Aaron, in the wilderness.
3 And the sons of Israel said to them, We would that we had been dead by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat on the flesh pots, and ate loaves in plenty; why led ye us into this desert, that ye should slay all the multitude with hunger? (And the Israelites said to them, We wish that we had died by the Lord's hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and had plenty of loaves to eat; why did ye lead us into this wilderness, so that ye could kill all the multitude with hunger?)
4 Forsooth the Lord said to Moses, Lo! I shall rain to you loaves from heaven; the people go out, that it gather those things that suffice by each day; that I assay the people, whether it go in my law, or not. (And the Lord said to Moses, Lo! I shall rain down loaves from the heavens for you; have the people go out, and gather those things that suffice for each day; and I shall test, or shall prove, the people, and see if they go in my law, or not.)
5 Soothly in the sixth day, make they ready that that they shall bear in, and be it double over that they were wont to gather by each (other) day. (And on the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it shall be double over what they were wont to gather on the other days.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.