Exodus 16:36 - Printer Friendly

ESV: (An omer is the tenth part of an ephah.)

NIV: (An omer is one-tenth of an ephah.)

NASB: (Now an omer is a tenth of an ephah.)

CSB: (They used a measure called an omer, which held two quarts. )

NLT: The container used to measure the manna was an omer, which was one-tenth of an ephah; it held about two quarts.

KJV: Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.

NKJV: Now an omer is one-tenth of an ephah.

God provided one "omer" of manna (Exodus 16:14–16) for each Israelite each day (Exodus 16:21) during their entire forty years of wilderness travel (Exodus 16:35). Different cultures have used countless unique measurements, with sizes and names changing over time. Here, Scripture records a helpful footnote to define the size of this "omer." This is useful since Exodus chapter 16 is the only place where the Bible mentions this unit of measure.

The "ephah" was a more common and longer-used quantity. One ephah has been described as 3/8 to 2/3 of a bushel. This is roughly three to five gallons, or ten to twenty liters. An omer, therefore, was somewhere around a half gallon, or two liters.

Exodus 16:31–36 reads like a footnote or appendix to the story of the exodus so far. God commands Israel to keep a small jar of manna for future generations to see. Aaron puts this by the "testimony" (Exodus 25:16) given by God. This miraculous supply of food (Exodus 16:14–16) would happen daily for forty years, until the people came into the Promised Land (Joshua 5:12). Since these events look forward, it seems likely they were included by Moses and Joshua later.

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."

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).

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.

Accessed 6/15/2025 6:10:27 AM