Exodus 16

Chapter 16

16:1 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of ^a Sin, which [is] between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.

(a) This is the eighth place in which they had camped, there is another place called Zin, which was the 33rd place in which they camped, and is also called Kadesh, ( Numbers 33:36 ).

16:3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh ^b pots, [and] when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

(b) It is a hard thing for the flesh not to complain against God when the stomach is empty.

16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every ^c day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

(c) To signify that they should patiently depend on Gods providence from day to day.

16:7 And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; ^d for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what [are] we, that ye murmur against us?

(d) He did not give them Manna because they complained, but because of his promise.

16:8 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 that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what [are] we? your murmurings [are] not against us, but against the ^e LORD.

(e) He that condemns Gods ministers, condemns God himself.

16:15 And when the children of Israel saw [it], they said one to another, It [is] ^f manna: for they wist not what it [was]. And Moses said unto them, This [is] the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.

(f) Which signifies a part, portion, or gift: also meat prepared.

16:16 This [is] the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, ^g an omer for every man, [according to] the number of your persons; take ye every man for [them] which [are] in his tents.

(g) Which contains about half a gallon in our measure.

16:18 And when they did mete [it] with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no ^h lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.

(h) God richly feeds everyone, and no one can justly complain.

16:20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and ⁱ stank: and Moses was wroth with them.

(i) No creature is so pure, but being abused it turns to our destruction.

16:22 And it came to pass, [that] on the sixth day they gathered ^k twice as much bread, two omers for one [man]: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.

(k) Which would serve for the Sabbath and the day before.

16:25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day [is] a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not ^l find it in the field.

(l) God took away the opportunity for their labour, to signify how holy he would have the Sabbath kept.

16:27 And it came to pass, [that] there ^m went out [some] of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.

(m) Their unfaithfulness was so great, that they did exactly the opposite of Gods commandment.

16:31 And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it [was] like ⁿ coriander seed, white; and the taste of it [was] like wafers [made] with honey.

(n) In form and figure, but not in colour; ( Numbers 11:7 ).

16:33 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a ^o pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations.

(o) Of this vessel read ( Hebrews 9:4 ).

16:34 As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the ^p Testimony, to be kept.

(p) That is, the Ark of the covenant that is, after the Ark was made.

16:36 Now an omer [is] the tenth [part] of an ^q ephah.

(q) Which measure contained about five gallons.