"The Israelites departed from Elim and came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai. They began grumbling and talking behind Aaron and Moses' backs. They feared they all would soon die of hunger and wished they had stayed in Egypt. God hears the complaints of the Israelites. God sends them flocks of quail and rained down manna from heaven at the Israelite camp in Sin. This happened for six days and on the seventh day God created the Sabbath. Therefore, on the sixth day God gave them two days worth of bread, and the people are to rest on the seventh day. The Israelites ate manna for 40 years, until they reached the border of the land of Canaan."
Exodus 16 Amplified Bible (AMP)
The Lord Provides Manna
They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of Israel came to the Wilderness of [a]Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they left the land of Egypt. 2 The whole congregation of the Israelites [grew discontented and] murmured and rebelled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the Israelites said to them, “[b]Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and ate bread until we were full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this entire assembly with hunger.”
- MISSING EGYPT. Did the millions of Israelites exhausted the land of Elim, that's why they had to finally leave the place and continue journeying in the wilderness? Maybe.. The Israelites have been traveling for more than a month, and it seems that they were having difficulties adjusting to their new life. It's a life of freedom from slavery and the Egyptians, but it's a life of new challenges as well, surviving the wilderness, by trusting fully in God's PROVISIONS and guidance. How do you lead a country, a group of million people in the middle of the desert? Moses (with Aaron) had a hard task before them. When things were difficult, and it seemed there was no hope, the Israelites go to Moses to blame him, instead of praying or asking God for help. Or perhaps, pleading Moses to pray to God. I don't know how to explain the Israelites' response of accusing Moses of 'bringing them to the wilderness to kill them with hunger', but I guess, I am like the same to God in times of difficulty and suffering. Instead of relying, depending and trusting Him and His promises, I tend to rebel, lose hope and faith. I should not miss the sinful, godless, old life of mine, instead I should REMEMBER God's goodness, faithfulness and power to provide for me and guide me.
Exodus 16:3 To understand Israel’s rebellious behavior, it is important to grasp the contrast between life in Egypt and nomadic life in the wilderness. Despite the hardships of slavery survival was not an issue in Egypt, where they were guaranteed food and other necessities. But the desert wilderness was hostile and unforgiving, and survival was an art. Desert nomads needed to understand the wilderness in order to stay alive; they had to learn, among other things, how to protect themselves from the weather, where to find water and pasture, and how to find and prepare scarce food, or live primarily from what their livestock could provide them. So the Israelites viewed every new problem they faced as life-threatening. Instead of looking back and taking comfort from God’s earlier miracles, they doubted God’s ability and willingness to help them. Their fears and doubts subsequently came to be expressed as irrational anger toward Moses.
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will cause bread to rain from heaven for you; the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, so that I may test them [to determine] whether or not they will walk [obediently] in My instruction (law). 5 And it shall be that on the sixth day, they shall prepare to bring in twice as much as they gather daily [so that they will not need to gather on the seventh day].” 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all Israel, “At evening you shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, for He hears your murmurings against the Lord. What are we, that you murmur and rebel against us?”
- BREAD FROM HEAVEN. My first thought was, how delicious that bread from heaven was? And how nutritious it must have been, if it had come out of straight from heaven. God cares for the Israelites. He did not free them just to let them starve and die of hunger in the wilderness. He has innumerable ways on how to provide, and on how to display His miraculous works. This time, He caused bread to rain from heaven, wow. If that was not amazing enough, I don't know what is. In fact, God caused the bread to rain from heaven, not just in one day, but everyday for 6 days (7th day was for rest). The people were commanded not to hoard, or get more than what they need for the day (day 1-6). I think there is a powerful lesson to that! God was telling the Israelites not to worry, He was teaching them to have trust and faith daily to look and wait for Him. Some of us worry about tomorrow, about the future, but we don't even know if we will still be alive by then. Our only security is God. He wants us to trust Him everyday, for everything! Again, every breath, every moment of our lives come from Him.
- JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE. God's word is bread, and Jesus is the Word Himself (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1) I can't help but relate this manna, bread from heaven, to Jesus. No food or material possessions can ever satisfy our hearts, our souls, only Jesus. He is the 'bread' that came down from heaven, to redeem us from our sinful lives, and fill us with God's love, joy and peace. Let us partake of this wonderful, awesome bread of life that is Jesus! (For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
"I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh." John 6:51
"But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" Matthew 4:4
The Lord Provides Meat
8 Moses said, “This will happen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning [enough] bread to be fully satisfied, because the Lord has heard your murmurings against Him; for what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.”
9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to all the congregation of Israel, ‘Approach the Lord, because He has heard your murmurings.’” 10 So it happened that as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory and brilliance of the Lord appeared in the cloud! 11 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “I have heard the murmurings of the Israelites; speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”
13 So in the evening the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a blanket of dew around the camp. 14 When the layer of dew evaporated, on the surface of the wilderness there was a fine, flake-like thing, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “[c]What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Let every man gather as much of it as he needs. Take an [d]omer for each person, according to the number of people each of you has in his tent.’” 17 The Israelites did so, and some gathered much [of it] and some [only a] little. 18 When they measured it with an omer, he who had gathered a large amount had no excess, and he who had gathered little had no lack; every man gathered according to his need (family size). 19 Moses said, “Let none of it be left [overnight] until [the next] morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses, and some left a supply of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul and rotten; and Moses was angry with them. 21 So they gathered it every morning, each as much as he needed, because when the sun was hot it melted.
- COMPLETE MEAL. Murmuring means "a soft, low, or indistinct sound produced by a person or group of people speaking quietly or at a distance; a subdued or private expression of discontent or dissatisfaction." God did not like that the people were murmuring, and rebelling against Moses. For in fact, they were murmuring against God, and not to Moses alone, as a God's instrument and chosen leader. God was very patient, and He was loving and faithful. What He said and promises, He fulfilled. He sent bread in the morning, and quails in the evening. At first, the Israelites did not recognized the bread as it was not something they were not accustomed to in Egypt, it was a 'fine, flake-like thing, as fine as frost on the ground.' It almost reminds of the 'unleavened bread' (without yeast). Some people still disobeyed by getting more than what they need for the day, and as a consequence, 'it bred worms and became foul and rotten.' It showed that some people were greedy, or they fear and worry about hunger, and they lack faith that God will take care of them tomorrow-- and God did not want that to happen or develop in their hearts.
The Sabbath Observed
22 Now on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each person; and all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses. 23 He said to them, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord’; bake and boil what you will bake and boil [today], and all that remains left over put aside for yourselves to keep until morning.” 24 They put it aside until morning, as Moses told them, and it did not become foul nor was it wormy. 25 Then Moses said, “Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none [in the field].”
27 Now on the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. 28 Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long do you [people] refuse to keep My commandments and My instructions (laws)? 29 See, the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you the bread for two days on the sixth day. Let every man stay in his place; no man is to leave his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
31 The house of Israel called the bread manna; it was like coriander seed, white, and it tasted like flat pastry (wafers) made with honey. 32 Then Moses said, “This is the word which the Lord commands, ‘Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” 33 So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a pot and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord to be kept throughout your generations.” 34 As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron [eventually] placed it in the presence of the [e]Testimony, to be kept. 35 The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they reached an inhabited land; they ate the manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 36 (Now an [f]omer is the tenth of an [g]ephah.)
- 7th DAY IS FOR REST. Here, God was establishing the ways of Israelites, according to His ways. God was not only providing, but shaping the Israel as a country set apart for God. It is also a foreshadowing of the Ten Commandments that was about to come. Trust and rest, that both comes from God. We can trust and rest in His goodness and promises. Just as God rested on the 7th day of creation, His people shall do that also. Sabbath means "to rest from labor",
"to set apart as holy." - JESUS IS OUR REST. "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
Exodus 16:36 I.e. a little over two quarts.
Exodus 16:36 I.e. approx one bushel.
* Study Guide Commentary from David Guzik:
a. On the fifteenth day of the second month: This marked one month after leaving Egypt, since they left on the fifteenth of the previous month (Exodus 12:18).
b. The Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai: They came out from Elim, an oasis of rest and comfort (Exodus 15:27). They headed towards Sinai, a place to meet with God and receive His law. In between Elim and Sinai was the wilderness of Sin.
i. It would seem that starvation was more anticipated than experienced. In other words, they did not live through weeks and weeks of famine, nor did they saw their family and friends die of malnutrition, or even have to kill all their livestock for food. Instead they started to feel hungry and anticipated starvation.
ii. They went from singing to complaining very quickly.
b. When we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full: Israel selectively remembered the past and thought of their time in Egypt as a good time. They lost sight of God’s future for them, and they also twisted the past to support their complaining. This thinking is common among those who complain.
a. Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you: This was a remarkable promise. Bread doesn’t normally rain from heaven. Yet God promised that He would provide for Israel in this unexpected way.
i. This reminds us that God may provide from resources that we never knew existed. Sometimes He provides from familiar resources, sometimes from unexpected resources.
c. That I may test them: The blessing of bread from heaven came with the responsibility of obedience. This responsibility would test Israel and measure their obedience. The test came on the sixth day, when they were to gather twice as much, so the seventh day could be received as a day of rest.
b. In the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord: They would not see the glory of God as in His enthroned radiance; but in His great, loving provision for His people. That is a real display of God’s glory.
i. The glory of the Lord: “The sheer weight, gravity (kabed, ‘to be heavy,’ then ‘to glorify’) of his divine presence.” (Kaiser)
ii. One way that God showed His glory was through this display of mercy and goodness. God didn’t send them hell from heaven; He sent bread instead. Nor did He demand that they stop their complaining before they ate. Just like Jesus would later command us, God loved and fed those who acted like His enemies.
i. Exodus 16:31 further describes the bread from heaven as like coriander seed (about the size of a sesame seed), and sweet like honey. Numbers 11:7 says it was the color of bdellium (a pearl-like color). It was either baked or boiled (Exodus 16:23).
d. As fine as frost on the ground: The purpose for giving the bread from heaven was not only to provide for the material needs of Israel, but also to teach them eternal lessons of dependence on God. This is demonstrated in passages like Deuteronomy 8:3: So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. When God puts us in a place of need, He wants to do more than meet the need. He wants to teach eternal lessons.
i. Feeding Israel through the bread from heaven was an example of God’s way of cooperating with man. Israel could not bring the manna and God would not gather it for them. Each had to do their part.
c. The taste of it was like wafers made with honey: God gave Israel good tasting food. He didn’t give them tasteless gruel or pasty porridge. Since it could be baked like bread or cake (Exodus 16:23), eating manna was like eating sweet bread every day.
ii. This manna, this bread from heaven, is a powerful picture of Jesus Himself. After the feeding of the 5,000 Jesus had a discussion with people who wanted Him to keep on feeding them with His miraculous power. They wanted Jesus to provide for them just Israel was provided for with manna in the wilderness. This is what Jesus said in reply:
Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. (John 6:32-33)
iii. Jesus is the bread from heaven, and we have to receive Him like Israel received the manna.
· Aware of our need, hungry
· Each for himself, family by family
· Every day
· Humbly – perhaps even on our knees
· With gratitude, knowing we don’t deserve it
· Eating it, taking the gift inside, to our innermost being
Reference and credits to https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Exd/Exd-16.cfm ©2013 David Guzik
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