Exodus 16:2-12

2 And the whole congregation of the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness;

3 and the sons of Israel said unto them, It would have been better if we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots and when we ate bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

4 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather the word for every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.

5 And it shall come to pass that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in, which shall be twice as much as they gather daily.

6 Then Moses and Aaron said unto all the sons of Israel, At evening ye shall know that the LORD has brought you out from the land of Egypt;

7 And in the morning ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for he has heard your murmurings against the LORD; and what are we, that ye murmur against us?

8 And Moses said, This shall be when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat and in the morning bread to the full; for the LORD has heard your murmurings which ye have murmured against him; and what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.

9 And Moses spoke unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the sons of Israel, Come near before the LORD, for he has heard your murmurings.

10 And it came to pass as Aaron spoke unto the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.

11 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

12 I have heard the murmurings of the sons of Israel; speak unto them, saying, Between the two evenings ye shall eat flesh, and tomorrow ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God.

Exodus 16:2-12 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.