161 And they journey from Elim, and all the company of the sons of Israel come in unto the wilderness of Sin, which 'is' between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month of their going out from the land of Egypt. 2 And all the company of the sons of Israel murmur against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness; 3 and the sons of Israel say unto them, 'Oh that we had died by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt, in our sitting by the flesh-pot, in our eating bread to satiety—for ye have brought us out unto this wilderness to put all this assembly to death with hunger.' 4 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Lo, I am raining to you bread from the heavens—and the people have gone out and gathered the matter of a day in its day—so that I try them whether they walk in My law, or not; 5 and it hath been on the sixth day, that they have prepared that which they bring in, and it hath been double above that which they gather day 'by' day.' 6 And Moses saith—Aaron also—unto all the sons of Israel, 'Evening—and ye have known that Jehovah hath brought you out from the land of Egypt; 7 and morning—and ye have seen the honour of Jehovah, in His hearing your murmurings against Jehovah, and what 'are' we, that ye murmur against us?' 8 And Moses saith, 'In Jehovah's giving to you in the evening flesh to eat, and bread in the morning to satiety—in Jehovah's hearing your murmurings, which ye are murmuring against Him, and what 'are' we? your murmurings 'are' not against us, but against Jehovah.' 9 And Moses saith unto Aaron, 'Say unto all the company of the sons of Israel, Come ye near before Jehovah, for He hath heard your murmurings;' 10 and it cometh to pass, when Aaron is speaking unto all the company of the sons of Israel, that they turn towards the wilderness, and lo, the honour of Jehovah is seen in the cloud. 11 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, 12 'I have heard the murmurings of the sons of Israel; speak unto them, saying, Between the evenings ye eat flesh, and in the morning ye are satisfied 'with' bread, and ye have known that I 'am' Jehovah your God.'
13 And it cometh to pass in the evening, that the quail cometh up, and covereth the camp, and in the morning there hath been the lying of dew round about the camp, 14 and the lying of the dew goeth up, and lo, on the face of the wilderness a thin, bare thing, thin as hoar-frost on the earth. 15 And the sons of Israel see, and say one unto another, 'What 'is' it?' for they have not known what it 'is'; and Moses saith unto them, 'It 'is' the bread which Jehovah hath given to you for food. 16 'This 'is' the thing which Jehovah hath commanded: Gather of it each according to his eating, an omer for a poll; and the number of your persons, take ye each for those in his tent.' 17 And the sons of Israel do so, and they gather, he who is 'gathering' much, and he who is 'gathering' little; 18 and they measure with an omer, and he who is 'gathering' much hath nothing over, and he who is 'gathering' little hath no lack, each according to his eating they have gathered. 19 And Moses saith unto them, 'Let no man leave of it till morning;' 20 and they have not hearkened unto Moses, and some of them do leave of it till morning, and it bringeth up worms and stinketh; and Moses is wroth with them.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 16:1-20
Commentary on Exodus 16:1-12
(Read Exodus 16:1-12)
The provisions of Israel, brought from Egypt, were spent by the middle of the second month, and they murmured. It is no new thing for the greatest kindness to be basely represented as the greatest injuries. They so far undervalue their deliverance, that they wished they had died in Egypt; and by the hand of the Lord, that is, by the plagues which cut off the Egyptians. We cannot suppose they had plenty in Egypt, nor could they fear dying for want in the wilderness, while they had flocks and herds: none talk more absurdly than murmurers. When we begin to fret, we ought to consider, that God hears all our murmurings. God promises a speedy and constant supply. He tried whether they would trust him, and rest satisfied with the bread of the day in its day. Thus he tried if they would serve him, and it appeared how ungrateful they were. When God plagued the Egyptians, it was to make them know he was their Lord; when he provided for the Israelites, it was to make them know he was their God.
Commentary on Exodus 16:13-21
(Read Exodus 16:13-21)
At evening the quails came up, and the people caught with ease as many as they needed. The manna came down in dew. They called it "Manna, Manhu," which means, "What is this?" "It is a portion; it is that which our God has allotted us, and we will take it, and be thankful." It was pleasant food; it was wholesome food. The manna was rained from heaven; it appeared, when the dew was gone, as a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost, like coriander seed, in colour like pearls. The manna fell only six days in the week, and in double quantity on the sixth day; it bred worms and became offensive if kept more than one day, excepting on the sabbath. The people had never seen it before. It could be ground in a mill, or beaten in a mortar, and was then made into cakes and baked. It continued the forty years the Israelites were in the wilderness, wherever they went, and ceased when they arrived in Canaan. All this shows how different it was from any thing found before, or found now. They were to gather the manna every morning. We are hereby taught, 1. To be prudent and diligent in providing food for ourselves and our households; with quietness working, and eating our own bread, not the bread of idleness or deceit. God's bounty leaves room for man's duty; it did so even when manna was rained; they must not eat till they have gathered. 2. To be content with enough. Those that have most, have for themselves but food and raiment; those that have least, generally have these; so that he who gathers much has nothing over, and he who gathers little has no lack. There is not such a disproportion between one and another in the enjoyment of the things of this life, as in the mere possession of them. 3. To depend upon Providence: let them sleep quietly, though they have no bread in their tents, nor in all their camp, trusting that God, with the following day, would bring them in their daily bread. It was surer and safer in God's storehouse than their own, and would come thence sweeter and fresher. See here the folly of hoarding. The manna laid up by some, who thought themselves wiser, and better managers, than their neighbours, and who would provide lest it should fail next day, bred worms, and became good for nothing. That will prove to be most wasted, which is covetously and distrustfully spared. Such riches are corrupted, James 5:2,3. The same wisdom, power, and goodness that brought food daily from above for the Israelites in the wilderness, brings food yearly out of the earth in the constant course of nature, and gives us all things richly to enjoy.