What Is That?
Exodus 16:1-7, 11-17
Israel Complains, So God Sends Food
16 1Then the people left Elim and came to the desert of Zin, between Elim and Sinai. They arrived at that place on the 15th day of the second montha after leaving Egypt. 2 Then the whole community of Israelites began complaining again. They complained to Moses and Aaron in the desert. 3 They said, “It would have been better if the Lord had just killed us in the land of Egypt. At least there we had plenty to eat. We had all the food we needed. But now you have brought us out here into this desert to make us all die from hunger.”
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will cause food to fall from the sky. This food will be for you to eat. Every day the people should go out and gather the food they need that day. I will do this to see if they will do what I tell them. 5 Every day the people will gather only enough food for one day. But on Friday, when the people prepare their food, they will see that they have enough food for two days.”b
6 So Moses and Aaron said to the Israelites, “Tonight you will see the power of the Lord. You will know that he is the one who brought you out of Egypt. 7 You have been complaining about the Lord, and he heard you. So tomorrow morning you will see the Glory of the Lord.c You have been complaining and complaining about us. Maybe now we can have a little rest.”d
11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the complaints of the Israelites. So tell them, ‘Tonight you will eat meat. And in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know you can trust the Lord, your God.’”
13 That night, quails (birds) came all around the camp, and in the morning dew lay on the ground near the camp. 14 After the dew was gone, something like thin flakes of frost was on the ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they asked each other, “What is that?”e because they did not know what it was. So Moses told them, “This is the food the Lord is giving you to eat. 16 The Lord says, ‘Each of you should gather what you need, a basketf of manna for everyone in your family.’”
17So that is what the Israelites did. Some people gathered a large amount, some people gathered a little.
a 16:1 15th day of the second month That is, the 15th of Iyyar. The Israelites had been traveling for a month.
b 16:5 Friday, … two days This happened so that the people would not have to work on the Sabbath (Saturday), the day of rest.
c 16:7 Glory of the Lord One of the forms God used when he appeared to people. It was like a bright, shining light. In the book of Numbers it might have been a bright light or a tall cloud.
d 16:7 You … rest Or “Who are we that you should be complaining about us?”
e 16:15 What is that? In Hebrew this is like the word “manna.”
f 16:16 basket Literally, “1 omer” (2.2 l). Also in verses 32, 33.