Exodus 16:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day 's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.

NIV: Then the Lord said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.

NASB: Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, so that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction.

CSB: Then the Lord said to Moses, "I am going to rain bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. This way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.

NLT: Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.

KJV: Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

NKJV: Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.

Moses and Aaron endured bitter complaints from Israelites about food (Exodus 16:1–3). Rather than trusting the Lord and seeking Him, the people react with snide pessimism.

In response, God explains that He is staging another test for the people (Exodus 15:25–26). He will provide them with bread, but they will need to demonstrate dependence. God plans to arrange this miraculous provision so that each morning's harvest lasts only for that day (Exodus 16:19–20). An exception to this will be Sabbath days, where the prior harvest will yield twice as much and will not spoil for the two days of storage.

This "bread" is manna, one of the most important symbols of Scripture (Exodus 16:15, 31).

Exodus 16:1–12 describes how Israel left the oasis at Elim and began complaining to Moses about food. Moses takes these grievances to the Lord, who explains His response. God will provide meat and bread despite the people unfairly criticizing Moses and Aaron. This provision will remind Israel of God's position as their Lord.

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.