خروج ١٦:٢

Here, in this arid sandy waste, the whole congregation murmured against Moses and Aaron on account of the want of food. What they brought with them from Egypt had been consumed in the 30 days that had elapsed since they came out (Exo 16:1). In their vexation the people expressed the wish that they had died in Egypt by the flesh-pot, in the midst of plenty, "by the hand of Jehovah," i.e., by the last plague which Jehovah sent upon Egypt, rather than here in the desert of slow starvation. The form ויּלּינוּ is a Hiphil according to the consonants, and should be pointed ילּינוּ, from הלּין for הלין (see Ges. 72, Anm. 9, and Ewald, 114c.). As the want really existed, Jehovah promised them help (Exo 16:4). He would rain bread from heaven, which the Israelites should gather every day for their daily need, to try the people, whether they would walk in His law or not. In what the trial was to consist, is briefly indicated in Exo 16:5 : "And it will come to pass on the sixth day (of the week), that they will prepare what they have brought, and it will be double what they gather daily." The meaning is, that what they gathered and brought into their tents on the sixth day of the week, and made ready for eating, would be twice as much as what they gathered on every other day; not that Jehovah would miraculously double what was brought home on the sixth day, as Knobel interprets the words in order to make out a discrepancy between Exo 16:5 and Exo 16:22. הכין, to prepare, is to be understood as applying partly to the measuring of what had been gathered (Exo 16:18), and partly to the pounding and grinding of the grains of manna into meal (Num 11:8). In what respect this was a test for the people, is pointed out in Exo 16:16. Here, in Exo 16:4 and Exo 16:5, the promise of God is only…

This chapter gives us an account of the victualling of the camp of Israel. I. Their complaint for want of bread (Exo 16:1-3). II. The notice God gave them beforehand of the provision he intended to make for them (Exo 16:4-12). III. The sending of the manna (Exo 16:13-15). IV. The laws and orders concerning the manna. 1. That they should gather it daily for their daily bread (Exo 16:16-21). 2. That they should gather a double portion on the sixth day (Exo 16:22-26). 3. That they should expect none on the seventh day (Exo 16:27-31). 4. That they should preserve a pot of it for a memorial (Exo 16:32, etc.).

16:2 complained: The people were developing a pattern of faithlessness manifested in complaining.