Thematic Bible
Exodus 16:1 (show verse)
The entire Israelite community departed from Elim and came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left the land of Egypt.
Exodus 16:2 (show verse)
The entire Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
Exodus 16:3 (show verse)
The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat and ate all the bread we wanted. Instead, you brought us into this wilderness to make this whole assembly die of hunger!”
Exodus 16:4 (show verse)
Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. This way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow My instructions.
Exodus 16:5 (show verse)
On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.”
Exodus 16:6 (show verse)
So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites: “This evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt;
Exodus 16:7 (show verse)
in the morning you will see the Lord’s glory because He has heard your complaints about Him. For who are we that you complain about us?”
Exodus 16:8 (show verse)
Moses continued, “The Lord will give you meat to eat this evening and more than enough bread in the morning, for He has heard the complaints that you are raising against Him. Who are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord.”
Exodus 16:9 (show verse)
Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for He has heard your complaints.’”
Exodus 16:10 (show verse)
As Aaron was speaking to the entire Israelite community, they turned toward the wilderness, and there in a cloud the Lord’s glory appeared.
Exodus 16:11 (show verse)
The Lord spoke to Moses,
Exodus 16:12 (show verse)
“I have heard the complaints of the Israelites. Tell them: At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will eat bread until you are full. Then you will know that I am Yahweh your God.”
Exodus 16:13 (show verse)
So at evening quail came and covered the camp. In the morning there was a layer of dew all around the camp.
Exodus 16:14 (show verse)
When the layer of dew evaporated, there were fine flakes on the desert surface, as fine as frost on the ground.
Exodus 16:15 (show verse)
When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, “What is it?” because they didn’t know what it was.
Moses told them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.
Moses told them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.
Exodus 16:16 (show verse)
This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather as much of it as each person needs to eat. You may take two quarts per individual, according to the number of people each of you has in his tent.’”
Exodus 16:17 (show verse)
So the Israelites did this. Some gathered a lot, some a little.
Exodus 16:18 (show verse)
When they measured it by quarts, the person who gathered a lot had no surplus, and the person who gathered a little had no shortage. Each gathered as much as he needed to eat.
Exodus 16:19 (show verse)
Moses said to them, “No one is to let any of it remain until morning.”
Exodus 16:20 (show verse)
But they didn’t listen to Moses; some people left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and smelled. Therefore Moses was angry with them.
Exodus 16:21 (show verse)
They gathered it every morning. Each gathered as much as he needed to eat, but when the sun grew hot, it melted.
Exodus 16:22 (show verse)
On the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, four quarts apiece, and all the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses.
Exodus 16:23 (show verse)
He told them, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you want to bake, and boil what you want to boil, and set aside everything left over to be kept until morning.’”
Exodus 16:24 (show verse)
So they set it aside until morning as Moses commanded, and it didn’t smell or have any maggots in it.
Exodus 16:25 (show verse)
“Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a Sabbath to the Lord. Today you won’t find any in the field.
Exodus 16:26 (show verse)
For six days you may gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.”
Exodus 16:27 (show verse)
Yet on the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they did not find any.
Exodus 16:28 (show verse)
Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep My commands and instructions?
Exodus 16:29 (show verse)
Understand that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day He will give you two days’ worth of bread. Each of you stay where you are; no one is to leave his place on the seventh day.”
Exodus 16:30 (show verse)
So the people rested on the seventh day.
Exodus 16:31 (show verse)
The house of Israel named the substance manna. It resembled coriander seed, was white, and tasted like wafers made with honey.
Exodus 16:32 (show verse)
Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Two quarts of it are to be preserved throughout your generations, so that they may see the bread I fed you in the wilderness when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’”
Exodus 16:33 (show verse)
Moses told Aaron, “Take a container and put two quarts of manna in it. Then place it before the Lord to be preserved throughout your generations.”
Exodus 16:34 (show verse)
As the Lord commanded Moses, Aaron placed it before the testimony to be preserved.
Exodus 16:35 (show verse)
The Israelites ate manna for 40 years, until they came to an inhabited land. They ate manna until they reached the border of the land of Canaan.
Exodus 16:36 (show verse)
(Two quarts are a tenth of an ephah.)