Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’”

10 While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory(A) of the Lord appearing in the cloud.(B)

11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling(C) of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”(D)

13 That evening quail(E) came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew(F) around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost(G) on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know(H) what it was.

Moses said to them, “It is the bread(I) the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer[a](J) for each person you have in your tent.’”

17 The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. 18 And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.(K) Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.

19 Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”(L)

20 However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell.(M) So Moses was angry(N) with them.

21 Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. 22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice(O) as much—two omers[b] for each person—and the leaders of the community(P) came and reported this to Moses.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 16:16 That is, possibly about 3 pounds or about 1.4 kilograms; also in verses 18, 32, 33 and 36
  2. Exodus 16:22 That is, possibly about 6 pounds or about 2.8 kilograms

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