Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Exodus 16
Exodus 16:4Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.
Here, God lays out His plan to provide bread from heaven, presenting it as a test to see if the people will learn to walk in His ways, not merely a rescue.Exodus 16:15When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" for they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.
When the Israelites first see the manna, their question, 'What is it?' gives the miraculous food its name and captures their awe and confusion at God's strange provision.Exodus 16:35The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan.
This verse summarizes the incredible faithfulness of God, who sustained His people with this daily bread for their entire forty-year journey to the Promised Land.
Historical & Cultural Context
From Celebration to Complaint
One month after their triumphant escape from Egypt, the Israelites find themselves deep in the harsh Wilderness of Sin. The initial euphoria of freedom has faded, replaced by the stark reality of survival. Their food supplies have run out, and the vast, empty desert stretches before them, sparking fear and uncertainty about their future and God's plan.
A Crisis of Faith in the Desert
This fear quickly turns into widespread grumbling against Moses and Aaron. In their hunger, the people develop a selective memory, romanticizing their time in Egypt as a period of abundance with 'meat pots and bread to the full.' They accuse their leaders of bringing them into the wilderness to die, a complaint that is ultimately directed at the God who led them there. This moment reveals a deep crisis of faith, questioning whether God's deliverance was actually a death sentence.
God Provides Manna and Quail
The scene is set in the barren Wilderness of Sin, a month after the Exodus. The people of Israel, facing starvation, have turned their fear into bitter complaints against Moses and Aaron. Their grumbling sets the stage for God to reveal His character not in anger, but in a miraculous and instructive act of provision that will define their relationship for the next forty years.
A Cry of Desperation (Exodus 16:1-3)
1 They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt.
2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness,
3 and the people of Israel said to them, "Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."
Commentary:
Facing hunger in the desert, the Israelites complain and wish they had died as slaves in Egypt.
God's Gracious Response (Exodus 16:4-12)
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.
5 On the sixth day they shall prepare what they bring in, and it will be twice as much as they gather daily."
6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, "At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?”
8 And Moses said, "When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him - what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord."
9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’”
10 And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.
11 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
12 "I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.'"
Commentary:
God hears their grumbling and promises to rain down bread from heaven as a test of their obedience.
The Arrival of Manna and Quail (Exodus 16:13-21)
13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp.
14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground.
15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" for they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.
16 This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.'"
17 The people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less.
18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat.
19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.”
20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.
21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.
Commentary:
God sends quail for meat and manna for bread, instructing the people to gather only enough for one day.
The First Sabbath (Exodus 16:22-30)
22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses.
23 he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’”
24 So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it.
25 And Moses said, "Eat it 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, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.
27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none.
28 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?
29 See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day."
30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
Commentary:
God provides a double portion of manna on the sixth day to establish the practice of resting on the Sabbath.
A Memorial for Generations (Exodus 16:31-36)
31 Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.
32 Moses said, "This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, so 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 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, 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 placed it before the testimony to be kept.
35 The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan.
36 (Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.)
Commentary:
The bread is named manna, and a portion is preserved to remind future generations of God's forty-year provision.
Lessons from the Bread of Heaven
God's Faithful Provision
This chapter powerfully demonstrates that God's provision is an expression of His grace, not a reward for our faith. He provided for the Israelites even as they were complaining against Him. This shows that His character is fundamentally merciful, meeting our deepest needs even when we are at our worst.
The Test of Daily Dependence
The rules for gathering manna were a practical daily lesson in trust. By forbidding them from hoarding, God was teaching the Israelites to let go of anxiety about the future and rely on Him for today's needs. This daily rhythm was designed to build an active and present faith, not merely a distant belief.
The Gift of Sabbath Rest
Before the Sabbath was a law, it was a gift. God provided for the seventh day in advance so the people could experience rest without fear. This teaches that true rest is an act of faith, a declaration that God is in control and our well-being ultimately depends on Him, not our own constant effort.
Living on Daily Bread
The Israelites' grumbling in Exodus 16:2-3 shows how easily fear can make us forget God's past faithfulness and even romanticize past hardships. When you face uncertainty, you might also be tempted to complain or doubt God's goodness, focusing on what you lack instead of remembering the ways He has already delivered you.
The daily provision of manna teaches that God's care is for today's needs, not a lifetime supply to be stored away. This challenges you to fight anxiety by living in daily dependence on Him, as instructed in Exodus 16:4. It's a call to trust that He will provide for tomorrow's needs when tomorrow comes.
The Sabbath in Exodus 16:23-26 is a deliberate choice to stop producing and start trusting. In your life, this means intentionally setting aside time to rest and remember that your value and security don't come from your constant effort. It's a practical way to declare your faith in God as your ultimate provider, finding renewal in Him instead of in your own productivity.
God's Provision for Grumbling Hearts
Exodus 16 reveals God's great patience and grace in the face of human weakness. When His people complained out of fear, He responded not with judgment but with miraculous food from heaven. This story is a powerful reminder that God's provision is tied to His presence. He does not merely solve our problems from a distance. He meets us in our wilderness and teaches us to depend on Him day by day.
What This Means for Us Today
The story of manna is an invitation to trust in God's daily care. He met Israel's physical hunger to teach them about a deeper spiritual dependence. Today, He invites us to bring our own needs and anxieties to Him, trusting that the God who provided bread in the desert is the same God who provides for us.
- What 'manna' has God provided for you today that you might be overlooking?
- In what area of your life are you trying to hoard resources instead of trusting God for tomorrow?
- How can you practice a 'Sabbath rest' for your soul this week, even if for a short time?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This chapter contains the song of victory after crossing the Red Sea, but ends with the people's first complaint about bitter water, setting the stage for the grumbling in chapter 16.
The pattern of complaint and provision continues as the people grumble about a lack of water, leading God to command Moses to strike a rock at Horeb.
Connections Across Scripture
Jesus directly references the manna from Exodus 16, declaring that He is the true 'bread from heaven' who gives eternal life.
This historical psalm recounts Israel's time in the wilderness, specifically remembering God's miraculous provision of manna and quail in response to their testing.
Paul uses the story of the Israelites in the wilderness, including their eating of the 'spiritual food,' as an example and warning for the church to remain faithful.
Discussion Questions
- The Israelites quickly forgot their miraculous rescue and began to romanticize their slavery in Egypt. When are we tempted to look back at a difficult past with nostalgia instead of trusting God for the uncertain future He is leading us into?
- God's instructions for the manna were very specific (gather daily, double on the sixth day). Why is obedience in the small, daily details often such a powerful test of our larger faith?
- Jesus called himself the 'bread of life' in John 6, directly connecting himself to this story. How does understanding the manna as a temporary, physical provision help us appreciate Jesus as the ultimate, spiritual provision?