² In the desert the whole community grumbled^(A) against Moses and Aaron. ³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!^(B) There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food^(C) we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”^(D)

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven^(E) for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test^(F) them and see whether they will follow my instructions. ⁵ On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice^(G) as much as they gather on the other days.”

³⁵ The Israelites ate manna^(A) forty years,^(B) until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.^(C)

⁶ But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!^(A)”

¹⁸ “Tell the people: ‘Consecrate yourselves^(A) in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed,^(B) “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!”^(C) Now the Lord will give you meat,^(D) and you will eat it.

³ He humbled^(A) you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna,^(B) which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach^(C) you that man does not live on bread^(D) alone but on every word that comes from the mouth^(E) of the Lord.^(F)

¹⁶ He gave you manna^(A) to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known,^(B) to humble and test^(C) you so that in the end it might go well with you.