Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna
Even all the forty years they were in it, ( Exodus 16:35
) which thy fathers knew not; when they first saw it, ( Exodus 16:15
)
that he might humble thee, and that he might prove
thee;
they were kept humble, being dependent on God for their daily
bread, having nothing in the wilderness to support themselves
with; and this tried them, whether they would trust in God for
their daily supply, and be thankful for it, or not:
to do thee good at thy latter end;
that by living on such light bread, and this only and
continually, his goodness might appear the greater, and be the
sweeter to them, when they came into a land abounding with all
good things; which is not to be understood of the latter end and
last days of their commonwealth, as our version, with the
Septuagint, Samaritan, Arabic versions, and others, and the
Targum of Onkelos; but of time following nearer, and the phrase
should be rendered "hereafter" {y}; which better agrees with the
promise of a divine blessing; though, come when it would, it was
the more acceptable for the trial; as heaven will be the sweeter
to the saints, through the afflictions, hardships, straits, and
difficulties, which attend them here.