Dawn over a vast camp of low black goat-hair tents asleep on a stony desert plain, a thin white mist of dew lying low over the ground, bare mountains beyond.

The Book of

Exodus 16

A month out of Egypt, the food runs out and the complaining starts. God answers with meat at evening and bread on the ground every morning.

36 verses≈ 7 min2 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

1–6Slaves in EgyptOppression and a deliverer
7–13The plaguesThe LORD against Pharaoh
14–18Through the seaRescued and ledChapter 16
19–24At SinaiThe covenant and the law
25–31A place to dwellThe tabernacle planned
32–40Broken and renewedThe calf, mercy, the glory

Manna and Quail from Heaven

On the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left the land of Egypt, the whole congregation of Israel set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai. And there in the desert the whole congregation of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron.

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Stylised map · locations approximate

On the map

Into the Desert of Sin

From the springs of Elim, Israel came to the Desert of Sin, “which is between Elim and Sinai.” Sin is a place name, related to Sinai, not the English word. Elim, the Desert of Sin and Mount Sinai (Horeb) are all uncertain sites: the wilderness is often placed on the plain along the Gulf of Suez, and Sinai traditionally in the south of the peninsula. The dashed line is one possible route.

“If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt!” they said. “There we sat by pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, but you have brought us into this desert to starve this whole assembly to death!”

Exodus 16:4

Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test whether or not they will follow My instructions. Then on the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

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, and in the morning you will see the LORD’s glory, because He has heard your grumbling against Him. For who are we, that you should grumble against us?”

And Moses added, “The LORD will give you meat to eat this evening and bread to fill you in the morning, for He has heard your grumbling against Him. Who are we? Your grumblings are not against us but against the LORD.”

Then Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the whole congregation of Israel, ‘Come before the LORD, for He has heard your grumbling.’”

And as Aaron was speaking to the whole congregation of Israel, they looked toward the desert, and there in a cloud the glory of the LORD appeared.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.’”

Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.

Exodus 16:12

That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.

When the layer of dew had evaporated, there were thin flakes on the desert floor, as fine as frost on the ground.

The Israelites

When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, “What is it?”

For they did not know what it was.

Moses

So Moses told them, “It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.

This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Each one is to gather as much as he needs. You may take an omer for each person in your tent.’”

Small white flakes covering the desert ground at dawn around a camp of low dark tents, no people in sight.

So the Israelites did this. Some gathered more, and some less. When they measured it by the omer, he who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortfall. Each one gathered as much as he needed to eat.

Then Moses said to them, “No one may keep any of it until morning.” But they did not listen to Moses; some people left part of it until morning, and it became infested with maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.

Every morning each one gathered as much as was needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away.

0:34

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Reflect

Enough for today

God gave bread one morning at a time. “Each one gathered as much as he needed to eat,” and what was hoarded “became infested with maggots.” He was teaching a hungry people to trust Him for today and to wait for tomorrow’s mercy. Where are you trying to store up tomorrow’s security instead of trusting God for today? Write down one worry you will hand to Him this morning.

The Sabbath Observed

Yet on the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they did not find anything.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep My commandments and instructions? Understand that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day He will give you bread for two days. On the seventh day, everyone must stay where he is; no one may leave his place.”

Exodus 16:30

Question

Quick question

Moses told the people, “No one may keep any of it until morning.” Some did anyway.

What happened to manna kept until morning on an ordinary day?

The Jar of Manna

Now the house of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey.

Moses said, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Keep an omer of manna for the generations to come, so that they may see the bread I fed you in the wilderness when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’”

So Moses told Aaron, “Take a jar and fill it with an omer of manna. Then place it before the LORD to be preserved for the generations to come.” And Aaron placed it in front of the Testimony, to be preserved just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land where they could settle; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.

(Now an omer is a tenth of an ephah.)

Bread from heaven

Whiteboard

The LORD promised, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you,” and kept that promise every morning: “The Israelites ate manna forty years.” Jesus said the manna pointed to the true bread from heaven, given by the Father: Himself.

Pray

Our daily bread

For forty years God fed His people bread they had not grown, one morning at a time. Thank Him for what He has given you today. Ask Him for the bread you need tomorrow, and for a heart that trusts Him instead of grumbling. Then thank Him for Jesus, the true bread from heaven, who gives life to all who come to Him.

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Exodus 16

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A verse to carry with you

Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you.

Exodus 16:4

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