Exodus 16

1 Later, they left Elim, and the whole congregation of the Israelis came to the desert ^{a16:1 Or wilderness} of Sin, which lay between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt.ISV — Exodus 16:1

2 The whole congregation of the Israelis complained against Moses and Aaron in the desert.ISV — Exodus 16:2

3 The Israelis told them, “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt when we sat by the cooking pots, ^{b16:3 Lit. pots for cooking meat} when we ate bread until we were filled—because you brought us to this desert to kill this entire congregation with hunger.”ISV — Exodus 16:3

4 The LORD told Moses, “Listen very carefully! I’ll cause food to rain down for you from heaven, and the people are to go out and gather each day’s portion on that day. In this way I’ll test them to demonstrate whether or not they’ll live according to my instructions.ISV — Exodus 16:4

5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be double what they gather on other days.” ^{c16:5 Lit. gather daily}ISV — Exodus 16:5

6 So Moses and Aaron addressed the entire congregation of the Israelis: “This evening you will know that the LORD has brought you out of the land of Egypt,ISV — Exodus 16:6

7 and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your complaints against him. ^{d16:7 Lit. against the LORD} After all, who are we that you complain against us?”ISV — Exodus 16:7

8 Moses also said, “When the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and bread in the morning to satisfy you, the LORD will hear your complaints directed ^{e16:8 Lit. complained} against him. Who are we? Your complaints aren’t against us, but rather against the LORD.”ISV — Exodus 16:8

9 Then Moses instructed Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelis, ‘Come near into the LORD’s presence, because he has heard your complaints.’”ISV — Exodus 16:9

10 While Aaron was speaking to all the congregation of the Israelis, they turned toward the desert, and there the glory of the LORD was seen in the cloud.ISV — Exodus 16:10

11 The LORD told Moses,ISV — Exodus 16:11

12 “I’ve heard the complaints of the Israelis. Tell them, ‘At twilight you are to eat meat and in the morning you are to be filled with bread, so you may know that I am the LORD your God.’”ISV — Exodus 16:12

13 Later that evening quail came up and covered the camp, and then in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.ISV — Exodus 16:13

14 When the layer of dew evaporated, ^{f16:14 Lit. went up} on the surface of the desert a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost, appeared on the ground.ISV — Exodus 16:14

15 When the Israelis saw it, they asked one another, “What is it?”, ^{g16:15 Heb. man hu; cf. vs. 31} because they did not know what it was. Moses told them, “It’s the food that the LORD has given you to eat.ISV — Exodus 16:15

16 This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘You are to gather from it what each person is to eat, ^{h16:16 Lit. each according to his eating} about one omer ^{i16:16 i.e. about two quarts} per person according to the number of your people, and one person is to gather for everyone in his tent.’”ISV — Exodus 16:16

17 The Israelis did this, some gathering much, some little.ISV — Exodus 16:17

18 When they measured it with a vessel the capacity of which was one omer, ^{j16:18 i.e. a vessel with a dry capacity of about two quarts} the one who gathered much did not have an excess, while the one who gathered little did not lack. They gathered exactly what each needed to eat. ^{k16:18 Lit. each according to his eating}ISV — Exodus 16:18

19 Then Moses told them, “No one is to leave any of it until morning.”ISV — Exodus 16:19

20 But they did not listen to Moses—some people left part of it until morning, and it produced maggots and smelled bad, so Moses got angry at them.ISV — Exodus 16:20

21 Every morning they gathered it, according to what each needed to eat; and when the sun became hot, it melted.ISV — Exodus 16:21

22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, about two omers ^{l16:22 i.e. about four quarts} per person. Then all the leaders of the congregation came and reported to Moses,ISV — Exodus 16:22

23 and he told them, “This is what the LORD said: ‘Tomorrow is a Sabbath observance, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil, and put aside whatever remains to be kept for yourselves until morning.’”ISV — Exodus 16:23

24 So they put it away until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not smell bad, and there were no maggots in it.ISV — Exodus 16:24

25 Moses said, “Eat it today, since today is a Sabbath to the LORD, and today you won’t find it in the field.ISV — Exodus 16:25

26 For six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there won’t be any.” ^{m16:26 Lit. any on it}ISV — Exodus 16:26

27 Nevertheless, that seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they did not find any.ISV — Exodus 16:27

28 Then the LORD asked Moses, “How long will you people ^{n16:28 Lit. you (pl.); the Heb. lacks people} refuse to keep my commandments and my instructions? ^{o16:28 Or laws}ISV — Exodus 16:28

29 You see that the LORD has given you the Sabbath, and so on the sixth day he gives you food for two days. Let each person stay where he is; let no one leave his place on the seventh day.”ISV — Exodus 16:29

30 So the people rested on the seventh day.ISV — Exodus 16:30

31 The Israelis named it ^{p16:31 Lit. called its name} “manna”. ^{q16:31 Manna sounds like the Heb. term What is it?; cf. vs. 15} It was white like coriander seed, and tasted like a wafer made with honey.ISV — Exodus 16:31

32 Moses said, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Set aside one omer ^{r16:32 i.e. about two quarts} of it for future generations, so that they may see the food with which I fed you in the desert when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’”ISV — Exodus 16:32

33 Then Moses told Aaron, “Take a jar, fill it with about one omer ^{s16:33 i.e. about two quarts} of manna, and place it in the LORD’s presence, to be preserved throughout future generations.”ISV — Exodus 16:33

34 So Aaron placed it before the Testimony ^{t16:34 i.e. the tablets on which the ten commandments were written and which were placed in the Ark of the Covenant; cf. Exod 25:16 and 31:18} to be kept, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.ISV — Exodus 16:34

35 The Israelis ate manna for 40 years until they came to a land where they could settle. ^{u16:35 Or an inhabited land} They ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.ISV — Exodus 16:35

36 Now one omer ^{v16:36 i.e. about two quarts} is a tenth of an ephah. ^{w16:36 An ephah was about one half bushel}ISV — Exodus 16:36