Chūāijíjì 16

1 Yǐsèliè quánhuì zhòng cóng Yǐlín qǐ xíng , zaì chū Āijí hòu dì èr gè yuè shí wǔ rì dào le Yǐlín hé Xīnǎi zhōngjiān , Xùn de kuàngyĕ .
2 Yǐsèliè quánhuì zhòng zaì kuàngyĕ xiàng Móxī , Yàlún fà yuànyán ,
3 Shuō , bābùdé wǒmen zǎo sǐ zaì Āijí dì , Yēhéhuá de shǒu xià , nàshí wǒmen zuò zaì ròu guō pángbiān , chī de bǎozú . nǐmen jiàng wǒmen lǐng chūlai , dào zhè kuàngyĕ , shì yào jiào zhè quánhuì zhòng dōu è sǐ a .
4 Yēhéhuá duì Móxī shuō , wǒ yào jiàng liángshi cóng tiān jiàng gĕi nǐmen . bǎixìng kĕyǐ chū qù , mĕi tiān shōu mĕi tiān de fèn , wǒ hǎo shìyàn tāmen zūn bù zūn wǒde fǎdù .
5 Dào dì liù tiān , tāmen yào bǎ suǒ shōu jìnlái de yùbeì hǎo le , bǐ mĕi tiān suǒ shōu de duō yī beì .
6 Móxī , Yàlún duì Yǐsèliè zhòngrén shuō , dào le wǎnshang , nǐmen yào zhīdào shì Yēhéhuá jiàng nǐmen cóng Āijí dì lǐng chūlai de .
7 Zǎochen , nǐmen yào kànjian Yēhéhuá de róngyào , yīnwei Yēhéhuá tīngjian nǐmen xiàng tā suǒ fà de yuànyán le . wǒmen suàn shénme , nǐmen jìng xiàng wǒmen fà yuànyán ne .
8 Móxī yòu shuō , Yēhéhuá wǎnshang bì gĕi nǐmen ròu chī , zǎochen bì gĕi nǐmen shíwù de bǎo , yīnwei nǐmen xiàng Yēhéhuá fà de yuànyán , tā dōu tīngjian le . wǒmen suàn shénme , nǐmen de yuànyán bù shì xiàng wǒmen fà de , nǎi shì xiàng Yēhéhuá fà de .
9 Móxī duì Yàlún shuō , nǐ gàosu Yǐsèliè quánhuì zhòng shuō , nǐmen jiù jìn Yēhéhuá miànqián , yīnwei tā yǐjing tīngjian nǐmen de yuànyán le .
10 Yàlún zhēng duì Yǐsèliè quánhuì zhòng shuōhuà de shíhou , tāmen xiàng kuàngyĕ guānkàn , búliào , Yēhéhuá de róngguāng zaì yún zhōng xiǎnxiàn .
11 Yēhéhuá xiǎoyù Móxī shuō ,
12 Wǒ yǐjing tīngjian Yǐsèliè rén de yuànyán . nǐ gàosu tāmen shuō , dào huánghūn de shíhou , nǐmen yào chī ròu , zǎochen bì yǒu shíwù debǎo , nǐmen jiù zhīdào wǒ shì Yēhéhuá nǐmen de shén .
13 Dào le wǎnshang , yǒu ānchún fēi lái , zhē mǎn le yíng , zǎochen zaì yíng sìwéi de dì shàng yǒu lùshuǐ .
14 Lùshuǐ shàng shēng zhī hòu , búliào , yĕdì miàn shàng yǒu rú bái shuāng de xiǎo yuán wù .
15 Yǐsèliè rén kànjian , bù zhīdào shì shénme , jiù bǐcǐ duì wèn shuō , zhè shì shénme ne . Móxī duì tāmen shuō , zhè jiù shì Yēhéhuá gĕi nǐmen chī de shíwù .
16 Yēhéhuá suǒ fēnfu de shì zhèyàng , nǐmen yào àn zhe gèrén de fànliàng , wèi zhàngpéng lǐ de rén , àn zhe rén shǔ shōu qǐlai , gè ná yī éméiĕr .
17 Yǐsèliè rén jiù zhèyàng xíng , yǒu duō shōu de , yǒu shào shōu de .
18 Jízhì yòng éméiĕr liáng yī liáng , duō shōu de yĕ méiyǒu yú , shào shōu de yĕ méiyǒu quē , gèrén àn zhe zìjǐ de fànliàng shōu qǔ .
19 Móxī duì tāmen shuō , suǒ shōu de , bù xǔ shénme rén liú dào zǎochen .
20 Ránér tāmen bù tīng Móxī de huà , neì zhōng yǒu liú dào zǎochen de , jiù shēng chóng biàn chòu le , Móxī biàn xiàng tāmen fānù .
21 Tāmen mĕi rì zǎochen , àn zhe gèrén de fànliàng shōu qǔ , rìtou yī fà rè , jiù xiāohuà le .
22 Dào dì liù tiān , tāmen shōu le shuāng beì de shíwù , mĕi rén liǎng éméiĕr . huì zhòng de guān zhǎng lái gàosu Móxī ,
23 Móxī duì tāmen shuō , Yēhéhuá zhèyàng shuō , míngtiān shì shèng ānxīrì , shì xiàng Yēhéhuá shǒu de shèng ānxīrì . nǐmen yào kǎo de jiù kǎo le , yào zhǔ de jiù zhǔ le , suǒ shèngxia de dōu liú dào zǎochen .
24 Tāmen jiù zhào Móxī de fēnfu liú dào zǎochen , yĕ bú chòu , lǐtou yĕ méiyǒu chóngzi .
25 Móxī shuō , nǐmen jīntiān chī zhège ba , yīnwei jīntiān shì xiàng Yēhéhuá shǒu de ānxīrì , nǐmen zaì tiānyĕ bì zhǎo bù zhe le .
26 Liù tiān kĕyǐ shōu qǔ , dì qī tiān nǎi shì ānxīrì , nà yī tiān bì méiyǒu le .
27 Dì qī tiān , bǎixìng zhōng yǒu rén chū qù shōu , shénme yĕ zhǎo bù zhe .
28 Yēhéhuá duì Móxī shuō , nǐmen bù kĕn shǒu wǒde jièmìng hé lǜfǎ , yào dào jǐshí ne .
29 Nǐmen kàn , Yēhéhuá jì jiàng ānxīrì cìgĕi nǐmen , suǒyǐ dì liù tiān tā cìgĕi nǐmen liǎng tiān de shíwù , dì qī tiān gèrén yào zhù zaì zìjǐ de dìfang , bú xǔ shénme rén chū qù .
30 Yúshì bǎixìng dì qī tiān ānxī le .
31 Zhè shíwù , Yǐsèliè jia jiào mǎnǎ , yàngzi xiàng yánsuī zǐ , yánsè shì bái de , zīwèi rútóng chān mì de baóbǐng .
32 Móxī shuō , Yēhéhuá suǒ fēnfu de shì zhèyàng , yào jiàng yī mǎn éméiĕr ( éméiĕr nǎi yīfǎ shí fèn ...zhīyī ) mǎnǎ liú dào shì shìdaì daì , shǐ hòurén kĕyǐ kànjian wǒ dàng rì jiàng nǐmen lǐng chū Āijí dì , zaì kuàngyĕ suǒ gĕi nǐmen chī de shíwù .
33 Móxī duì Yàlún shuō , nǐ ná yī gè guànzi , shèng yī mǎn éméiĕr mǎnǎ , cún zaì Yēhéhuá miànqián , yào liú dào shì shìdaì daì .
34 Yēhéhuá zĕnme fēnfu Móxī , Yàlún jiù zĕnme xíng , bǎ mǎnǎ fàng zaì fǎ guì qián cún liú .
35 Yǐsèliè rén chī mǎnǎ gòng sì shí nián , zhídào jìn le yǒu rén jūzhù zhī dì , jiù shì Jiānán de jìngjiè .
36 éméiĕr nai yifa shi fen zhiyi.

Chūāijíjì 16 Commentary

Chapter 16

The Israelites come to the wilderness of Sin. They murmur for food, God promises bread from heaven. (1-12) God sends quails and manna. (13-21) Particulars respecting the manna. (22-31) An omer of manna to be preserved. (32-36)

Verses 1-12 The provisions of Israel, brought from Egypt, were spent by the middle of the second month, and they murmured. It is no new thing for the greatest kindness to be basely represented as the greatest injuries. They so far undervalue their deliverance, that they wished they had died in Egypt; and by the hand of the Lord, that is, by the plagues which cut off the Egyptians. We cannot suppose they had plenty in Egypt, nor could they fear dying for want in the wilderness, while they had flocks and herds: none talk more absurdly than murmurers. When we begin to fret, we ought to consider, that God hears all our murmurings. God promises a speedy and constant supply. He tried whether they would trust him, and rest satisfied with the bread of the day in its day. Thus he tried if they would serve him, and it appeared how ungrateful they were. When God plagued the Egyptians, it was to make them know he was their Lord; when he provided for the Israelites, it was to make them know he was their God.

Verses 13-21 At evening the quails came up, and the people caught with ease as many as they needed. The manna came down in dew. They called it "Manna, Manhu," which means, "What is this?" "It is a portion; it is that which our God has allotted us, and we will take it, and be thankful." It was pleasant food; it was wholesome food. The manna was rained from heaven; it appeared, when the dew was gone, as a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost, like coriander seed, in colour like pearls. The manna fell only six days in the week, and in double quantity on the sixth day; it bred worms and became offensive if kept more than one day, excepting on the sabbath. The people had never seen it before. It could be ground in a mill, or beaten in a mortar, and was then made into cakes and baked. It continued the forty years the Israelites were in the wilderness, wherever they went, and ceased when they arrived in Canaan. All this shows how different it was from any thing found before, or found now. They were to gather the manna every morning. We are hereby taught, 1. To be prudent and diligent in providing food for ourselves and our households; with quietness working, and eating our own bread, not the bread of idleness or deceit. God's bounty leaves room for man's duty; it did so even when manna was rained; they must not eat till they have gathered. 2. To be content with enough. Those that have most, have for themselves but food and raiment; those that have least, generally have these; so that he who gathers much has nothing over, and he who gathers little has no lack. There is not such a disproportion between one and another in the enjoyment of the things of this life, as in the mere possession of them. 3. To depend upon Providence: let them sleep quietly, though they have no bread in their tents, nor in all their camp, trusting that God, with the following day, would bring them in their daily bread. It was surer and safer in God's storehouse than their own, and would come thence sweeter and fresher. See here the folly of hoarding. The manna laid up by some, who thought themselves wiser, and better managers, than their neighbours, and who would provide lest it should fail next day, bred worms, and became good for nothing. That will prove to be most wasted, which is covetously and distrustfully spared. Such riches are corrupted, ( james 5:2 james 5:3 ) . The same wisdom, power, and goodness that brought food daily from above for the Israelites in the wilderness, brings food yearly out of the earth in the constant course of nature, and gives us all things richly to enjoy.

Verses 22-31 Here is mention of a seventh-day sabbath. It was known, not only before the giving of the law upon mount Sinai, but before the bringing of Israel out of Egypt, even from the beginning, ( Genesis 2:3 ) . The setting apart one day in seven for holy work, and, in order to that, for holy rest, was ever since God created man upon the earth, and is the most ancient of the Divine laws. Appointing them to rest on the seventh day, he took care that they should be no losers by it; and none ever will be losers by serving God. On that day they were to fetch in enough for two days, and to make it ready. This directs us to contrive family affairs, so that they may hinder us as little as possible in the work of the sabbath. Works of necessity are to be done on that day; but it is desirable to have as little as may be to do, that we may apply ourselves the more closely to prepare for the life that is to come. When they kept manna against a command, it stank; when they kept it by a command, it was sweet and good; every thing is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. On the seventh day God did not send the manna, therefore they must not expect it, nor go out to gather. This showed that it was produced by miracle.

Verses 32-36 God having provided manna to be his people's food in the wilderness, the remembrance of it was to be preserved. Eaten bread must not be forgotten. God's miracles and mercies are to be had in remembrance. The word of God is the manna by which our souls are nourished, ( Matthew 4:4 ) . The comforts of the Spirit are hidden manna, ( Revelation 2:17 ) . These come from heaven, as the manna did, and are the support and comfort of the Divine life in the soul, while we are in the wilderness of this world. Christ in the word is to be applied to the soul, and the means of grace are to be used. We must every one of us gather for ourselves, and gather in the morning of our days, the morning of our opportunities; which if we let slip, it may be too late to gather. The manna must not be hoarded up, but eaten; those who have received Christ, must by faith live upon him, and not receive his grace in vain. There was manna enough for all, enough for each, and none had too much; so in Christ there is enough, but not more than we need. But those who ate manna, hungered again, died at last, and with many of them God was not well pleased; whereas they that feed on Christ by faith, shall never hunger, and shall die no more, and with them God will be for ever well pleased. Let us seek earnestly for the grace of the Holy Spirit, to turn all our knowledge of the doctrine of Christ crucified, into the spiritual nourishment of our souls by faith and love.

Chapter Summary

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.

Chūāijíjì 16 Commentaries

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