Exodus 16
Israel gets hungry
Then the Israelites left Elim and journeyed into the uninhabited region called “Sin” which is located between Elim and Sinai. They got there on the 15th of the second month after their departure from Egypt. The entire caravan grumbled about Moses and Aaron in the wasteland saying,
“The Existing One should have just killed us back in Egypt. At least we had pots of meat and ate bread til we were stuffed. But now you brought us out into this wasteland to starve us all to death.”
God hears Israel’s complaints
Then the Existing One told Moses,
“Watch: I’ll rain food from the sky for you. Every day they’ll need to gather enough to eat that day, and I’ll test them to see whether or not they’ll follow my instructions. On the sixth day they’ll be allowed to collect twice as much as normal.”
So Moses and Aaron told the Israelite people,
“At sunset you’ll know that the Existing One has brought you out of Egypt, and at sunrise you’ll see the Existing One’s grandeur. He hears your complaints about him, and he will address them. Also, who are we that you complain to us?”
Moses continued,
“The Existing One will give you bread to eat in the morning and meat to eat in the evening, because he hears your complaints against him. And what can we do? Your complaints aren’t with us, but with the Existing One.”
Then Moses told Aaron,
“Tell everyone in the caravan to come closer to the Existing One’s being because he has listened to your murmurs.”
Right as Aaron was talking to the caravan, everyone turned toward the wasteland and saw the Existing One’s splendor appear in the cloud. And the Existing One spoke and told Moses,
“I’ve heard Israel’s murmurs. Tell them that they’ll be eating meat this evening and bread in the morning. You will know that I am the Existing One your God.”
God provides meat and manna
So that evening so many quails came through that they covered the campgrounds. Then in the morning a layer of dew covered the campgrounds, and when it evaporated, sure enough, there was something thin and flakey like frost that covered the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they asked each other what it was, and Moses told them,
“This is the food the Existing One has given you to eat. He told everyone to gather enough for him to eat. All the men should collect about 2 liters for each person in his tent.”
So that’s what the Israelites did. Some collected more than others, but after they measured it out, the ones who collected more didn’t have any leftovers, and the ones who collected less weren’t in need. Everyone collected as much as they needed.
Israel doesn’t take sabbaticals like God instructed
Moses told them not to keep any leftovers overnight, but they didn’t listen to him. Instead they kept some overnight, but it sprouted worms and smelled rotten which made Moses angry. Morning after morning they collected as much as they needed, but it would melt when the sun grew hot.
Then on the sixth day, they gathered twice as much food—four liters for each person (instead of two). When the leaders informed Moses, he said,
“The Existing One declared tomorrow as a sabbatical that should be distinguished just for him. Bake whatever you need to bake, and boil whatever you need to boil today, and save the leftovers for tomorrow.”
So they saved the leftovers for the next day like Moses had said, and it didn’t grow smelly or worm-infested. Moses told them,
“Eat the leftovers today, because today is a sabbatical in honor of the Existing One, and you won’t find any on the ground. You’ll gather it for six days, but there won’t be any on the seventh day, the sabbatical.”
Some people still went out on the seventh day, but they didn’t find any. Then the Existing One asked Moses,
“How long will you disregard my directions and refuse to follow my instructions? The Existing One gave you a weekly sabbatical, and on the sixth day he supplies you with enough food for two days. Everyone should stay in their places. Don’t let anyone go out on the seventh day.”
So everyone stopped on the seventh day.
Israel keeps some mana for future generations to see
The tribe of Israel named the food manna. It was like white coriander seeds, and it tasted like honey wafers. Moses said that the Existing One said,
“Keep two liters of it for a generation so that everyone can see what I fed you in the wasteland after I brought you out of Egypt.”
Moses told Aaron to put two liters of it in a jar and keep it in front of the Existing One throughout the generations, and Aaron placed it in front of the Testimony. Israel’s descendants ate the manna for 40 years until they reached the borders of Canaan which was an inhabited region.