CHAPTER 16
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.
“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!”
Then the LORD
said
to
Moses,
“Behold,
I will rain down
bread
from
heaven
for you.
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
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 soon
as Aaron
spoke
to
the whole
congregation
of Israel,
they looked
toward
the desert,
and there
in a cloud
the glory
of the LORD
appeared.
“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.’”
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.
When the Israelites
saw it,
they asked
one
another,
“What
is it?”
For
they did not
know
what
it was.
So Moses
told them,
“It
is the bread
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.’”
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.
But they did not
listen
to
Moses;
some people
left
part of
it until
morning,
and it became full of
maggots
and began to smell.
So Moses
was angry
with them.
Each morning
they each gathered
as much
as they needed,
and when the sun
grew hot,
it melted away.
On the sixth
day,
they gathered
twice
as much food—
two
omers
per person—
and all
the leaders
of the congregation
came
and reported
this to Moses.
He told them,
“This
is what
the LORD
has said:
‘Tomorrow
is a day of solemn rest,
a holy
Sabbath
to the LORD.
So
bake
what
you want to bake,
and
boil
what
you want to boil.
Then set aside
whatever
remains
and keep it
until
morning.'"
So they set it aside
until
morning
as
Moses
had commanded,
and it did not
smell
or
contain
any maggots.
“Eat it today,”
Moses
said,
“because
today
is a Sabbath
to the LORD.
Today
you will not
find anything
in the field.
Understand
that
the LORD
has given
you the Sabbath;
therefore
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."
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.”
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.