Exodus 16
16
The Lord Gives Israel Food Every Day
1The whole community of Israel started out from Elim. They came to the Desert of Sin. It was between Elim and Sinai. They arrived there on the 15th day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. 2In the desert the whole community told Moses and Aaron they weren’t happy with them. 3The Israelites said to them, “We wish the Lord had put us to death in Egypt. There we sat around pots of meat. We ate all the food we wanted. But you have brought us out into this desert. You must want this entire community to die of hunger.”
4Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people must go out each day. Have them gather enough bread for that day. Here is how I will test them. I will see if they will follow my directions. 5On the sixth day they must prepare what they bring in. On that day they must gather twice as much as on the other days.”
6So Moses and Aaron spoke to all the people of Israel. They said, “In the evening you will know that the Lord brought you out of Egypt. 7And in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord. He has heard you say you aren’t happy with him. Who are we? Why are you telling us you aren’t happy with us?” 8Moses also said, “You will know that the Lord has heard you speak against him. He will give you meat to eat in the evening. He’ll give you all the bread you want in the morning. But who are we? You aren’t speaking against us. You are speaking against the Lord.”
9Then Moses told Aaron, “Talk to the whole community of Israel. Say to them, ‘Come to the Lord. He has heard you speak against him.’ ”
10While Aaron was talking to the whole community of Israel, they looked toward the desert. There was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud!
11The Lord said to Moses, 12“I have heard the people of Israel talking about how unhappy they are. Tell them, ‘When the sun goes down, you will eat meat. In the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”
13That evening quail came and covered the camp. In the morning the ground around the camp was covered with dew. 14When the dew was gone, thin flakes appeared on the desert floor. They looked like frost on the ground. 15The people of Israel saw the flakes. They asked each other, “What’s that?” They didn’t know what it was.
Moses said to them, “It’s the bread the Lord has given you to eat. 16Here is what the Lord has commanded. He has said, ‘Everyone should gather as much as they need. Take three pounds for each person who lives in your tent.’ ”
17The people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, and some gathered a little. 18When they measured it out, the one who gathered a lot didn’t have too much. And the one who gathered a little had enough. Everyone gathered only what they needed.
19Then Moses said to them, “Don’t keep any of it until morning.”
20Some of them didn’t pay any attention to Moses. They kept part of it until morning. But it was full of maggots and began to stink. So Moses became angry with them.
21Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed. But by the hottest time of the day, the thin flakes had melted away. 22On the sixth day, the people gathered twice as much. It amounted to six pounds for each person. The leaders of the community came and reported that to Moses. 23He said to them, “Here is what the Lord commanded. He said, ‘Tomorrow will be a day of rest. It will be a holy Sabbath day. It will be set apart for the Lord. So bake what you want to bake. Boil what you want to boil. Save what is left. Keep it until morning.’ ”
24So they saved it until morning, just as Moses commanded. It didn’t stink or get maggots in it. 25“Eat it today,” Moses said. “Today is a Sabbath day to honor the Lord. You won’t find any flakes on the ground today. 26Gather them for six days. But on the seventh day there won’t be any. It’s the Sabbath day.”
27In spite of what Moses said, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather the flakes. But they didn’t find any. 28Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, “How long will all of you refuse to obey my commands and my teachings? 29Keep in mind that I have given you the Sabbath day. That is why on the sixth day I give you bread for two days. Everyone must stay where they are on the seventh day. No one can go out.” 30So the people rested on the seventh day.
31The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seeds. It tasted like wafers made with honey. 32Moses said, “Here is what the Lord has commanded. He has said, ‘Get three pounds of manna. Keep it for all time to come. Then those who live after you will see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert. I gave it to you when I brought you out of Egypt.’ ”
33So Moses said to Aaron, “Get a jar. Put three pounds of manna in it. Then place it in front of the Lord. Keep it there for all time to come.”
34Aaron did exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses. He put the manna with the tablets of the covenant law. He put it there so it would be kept for all time to come. 35The Israelites ate manna for 40 years. They ate it until they came to a land where people were living. They ate it until they reached the border of Canaan.
36The jar had three pounds of manna in it.
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Exodus 16: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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Exodus 16
16
1 And they set out from Elim. And the entire multitude of the sons of Israel arrived at the desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month, after they departed from the land of Egypt.
2 And the entire congregation of the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
3 And the sons of Israel said to them: "If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat around bowls of meat and ate bread until filled. Why have you led us away, into this desert, so that you might kill the entire multitude with famine?"
4 Then the Lord said to Moses: "Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Let the people go out and collect what is sufficient for each day, so that I may test them, as to whether or not they will walk in my law.
5 But on the sixth day, let them prepare what they use for carrying, and let there be double what they were accustomed to collect on a single day."
6 And Moses and Aaron said to the sons of Israel: "In the evening, you will know that the Lord has led you away from the land of Egypt.
7 And in the morning, you will see the glory of the Lord. For he has heard your murmuring against the Lord. But as for us, truly what are we, that you would whisper against us?"
8 And Moses said: "In the evening, the Lord will give you flesh to eat, and in the morning, bread in fullness. For he has heard your murmurings that you have murmured against him. For what are we? Your murmuring is not against us, but against the Lord."
9 Moses also said to Aaron: "Say to the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, 'Approach before the Lord. For he has heard your murmuring.' "
10 And when Aaron spoke to the entire assembly of the sons of Israel, they looked out toward the wilderness. And behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in a cloud.
11 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
12 "I have heard the murmuring of the sons of Israel. Say to them: 'In the evening, you will eat flesh, and in the morning, you will be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord your God.' "
13 Therefore, it happened in the evening: quails, rising up, covered the camp. Likewise, in the morning, a dew lay all around the camp.
14 And when it had covered the face of the earth, it appeared, in the wilderness, small and as if crushed with a pestle, similar to hoar-frost on the ground.
15 When the sons of Israel had seen it, they said one to another: "Manhu?" which means "What is this?" For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them: "This is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.
16 This is the word that the Lord has instructed. Let each one collect as much of it as is sufficient to eat. One omer for each head. According to the number of your souls which live in a tent, so will you take of it."
17 And the sons of Israel did so. And they collected: some more, others less.
18 And they measured by the measure of an omer. He who collected more, did not have too much; nor did he who prepared less, find too little. But each one gathered according to what they were able to eat.
19 And Moses said to them, "Let no one leave any of it behind until morning."
20 And they did not listen to him, but they left some of it behind until morning, and it began to swarm with worms, and it putrefied. And Moses became angry against them.
21 Then each one collected, in the morning, as much as would be sufficient to eat. And after the sun became hot, it melted.
22 But on the sixth day, they collected a double portion, that is, two omers for each man. Then all the leaders among the multitude came, and they discoursed with Moses.
23 And he said to them: "This is what the Lord has spoken: Tomorrow, the rest day of the Sabbath, has been sanctified to the Lord. Whatever would be done, do it now. And whatever would be cooked, cook it now. Then anything that will have been left over, store it until morning."
24 And they did just as Moses had instructed, and it did not putrefy, nor were there any worms found in it.
25 And Moses said: "Eat it today, because it is the Sabbath of the Lord. Today it will not be found in the field.
26 Gather for six days. But on the seventh day, it is the Sabbath of the Lord, for which reason it will not be found."
27 And the seventh day arrived. And some of the people, going out to collect it, did not find it.
28 Then the Lord said to Moses: "How long will you be unwilling to keep my commandments and my law?
29 See how the Lord has given you the Sabbath, and, because of this, on the sixth day he distributes to you a double portion. Let each one remain with his own, and let no one go forth from his place on the seventh day."
30 And the people kept the Sabbath on the seventh day.
31 And the house of Israel called its name 'Manna.' It was like white coriander seed, and its taste was like wheat flour with honey.
32 Then Moses said: "This is the word that the Lord has instructed: Fill an omer of it, and let it be kept for future generations hereafter, so that they may know the bread, with which I nourished you in the wilderness, when you had been led away from the land of Egypt."
33 And Moses said to Aaron, "Take one vessel, and put manna into it, as much as an omer is able to hold. And store it in the sight of the Lord, to keep for your generations,
34 just as the Lord instructed Moses." And so, Aaron placed it in the tabernacle, in reserve.
35 Now the sons of Israel ate manna for forty years, until they arrived in a habitable land. With this food they were nourished, even until they touched the borders of the land of Canaan.
36 Now an omer is a tenth part of an ephah.
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