What does Exodus 16:19 mean?
ESV: And Moses said to them, "Let no one leave any of it over till the morning."
NIV: Then Moses said to them, "No one is to keep any of it until morning."
NASB: Moses said to them, 'No one is to leave any of it until morning.'
CSB: Moses said to them, "No one is to let any of it remain until morning."
NLT: Then Moses told them, 'Do not keep any of it until morning.'
KJV: And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.
NKJV: And Moses said, “Let no one leave any of it till morning.”
Verse Commentary:
To ease fears about food supplies (Exodus 16:1–3), the Lord provided Israel with a single miraculous flock of quail (Exodus 16:13). The next morning, the people discovered a brand-new substance (Deuteronomy 8:3) left behind after the dew was dry. This is "manna," a grain-like material (Numbers 11:7–8) made up of tiny white flakes (Exodus 16:14, 31). The people are told to collect a certain amount of this for each person (Exodus 16:16–18, 21).
Here, Moses warns the people that manna is not to be stored or stockpiled. God intends to supply this to Israel each morning (Exodus 16:21) and will do so for the next forty years (Exodus 16:35). Part of the lesson is how Israel should trust God and depend on Him for their needs. However, some ignore these instructions and try to reserve some manna for the next day. It quickly becomes rotten (Exodus 16:20). Only manna collected the day before the Sabbath will keep overnight (Exodus 16:23).
Verse Context:
Exodus 16:13–30 explains the miraculous provision of meat and bread during Israel's journey through the wilderness. Quail—small birds—arrive at night. In the morning, the ground is covered in a strange substance. This becomes a bread-like food for Israel, later called "manna" (Exodus 16:31). It also symbolizes their daily dependence on God—it could not be kept longer than instructed, so the people had to continually trust the Lord to provide more. To further prove this, God instructs the people to rest on the seventh day of the week.
Chapter Summary:
As the recently-rescued Israelites (Exodus 14:21–31) journey on, they complain about food. God provides them with manna: a grain-like substance which miraculously appears each morning. The people are given instructions about how to gather and use manna. Only on the sixth day of the week can they collect more and keep leftovers for the following day. That seventh day is to be a time of rest, called a "sabbath."
Chapter Context:
Israel has celebrated (Exodus 15:1) their miraculous escape through the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21–28). They have survived their first hardship (Exodus 15:23–25). God now provides manna in response to their complaints about food. He also begins to establish the concept of the seventh-day Sabbath. Soon, the Lord will send another miracle regarding water (Exodus 17:1–7) and the people will have their first military battle (Exodus 17:8–16). Shortly after this, Moses' father-in-law will arrive and offer some helpful advice (Exodus 18).
Book Summary:
The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.
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