Exodus 16:17-27

17 And the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less.

18 And when they measured it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.

19 And Moses said, "Let no man leave any of it until the morning."

20 Notwithstanding, they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left part of it until the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was wroth with them.

21 And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating; and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.

22 And it came to pass that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man; and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.

23 And he said unto them, "This is that which the LORD hath said: `Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the LORD. Bake that which ye will bake today, and boil what ye will boil; and that which remaineth over lay up for yourselves to be kept until the morning.'"

24 And they laid it up until the morning, as Moses bade; and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.

25 And Moses said, "Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath unto the LORD. Today ye shall not find it in the field.

26 Six days ye shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none."

27 And it came to pass that there went out some of the people on the seventh day to gather, and they found none.

Exodus 16:17-27 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.