Exodus 16:8

8 And Moses said, "When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord."

Exodus 16:8 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 16:8

And Moses said, this shall be
Which supplement may be left out: when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat;
cause the quails to come up, and fall about their tents: and in the morning bread to the full;
by raining it from heaven all around them: for that,
or rather "then" F11, the Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him;
it will then appear that he has heard them, and taken notice of them, by giving them bread and flesh, they complained of the want of; and yet did not resent in a way of wrath and displeasure their murmurings, but kindly, bountifully, and in a most marvellous manner provided for them, which was acting like himself, a God gracious and merciful: and what [are] we?
that we should be the objects of your resentment, and be murmured at, and complained of, who had done nothing to deserve such treatment: your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord;
not only against them, but against the Lord also; or not so much against them as against the Lord, whose messengers and ministers they were, and whom they represented, obeyed, and served; thus whatever is done to the ministers of Christ, he reckons as done to the Father, and to himself, ( Luke 10:16 ) ( 1 Thessalonians 4:8 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F11 (emvb) "testabitur se audisse", Tigurine version.

Exodus 16:8 In-Context

6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, "In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?"
8 And Moses said, "When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord."
9 Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, "Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.' "
10 And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.