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Exodus 14-16
New American Standard Bible

Pharaoh in Pursuit

14 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Tell the sons of Israel to turn back and camp in front of (A)Pi-hahiroth, between (B)Migdol and the sea; you shall camp in front of Baal-zephon, opposite it, by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ 4 And (C)I will [a]harden Pharaoh’s heart, and (D)he will chase after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and (E)the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.

5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, [b]Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, “What is this that we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” 6 So he had horses harnessed to his chariot and took his people with him; 7 and he took six hundred select chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8 So (F)the Lord [c]hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he chased after the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out [d](G)boldly. 9 Then (H)the Egyptians chased after them with all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea, (I)beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

10 As Pharaoh approached, the sons of Israel [e]looked, and behold, the Egyptians were coming after them, and they became very frightened; (J)so the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord. 11 Then (K)they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, [f]bringing us out of Egypt? 12 (L)Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘[g]Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness!”

The Sea Is Divided

13 But Moses said to the people, “(M)Do not fear! [h]Stand by and see (N)the salvation of the Lord, which He will perform for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again, ever. 14 (O)The Lord will fight for you, while (P)you keep silent.”

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. 16 As for you, lift up (Q)your staff and reach out with your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall [i]go through the midst of the sea on dry land. 17 And as for Me, behold, (R)I will [j]harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 (S)Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots, and through his horsemen.”

19 Then (T)the angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. 20 So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud [k]along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Therefore the one did not approach the other all night.

21 (U)Then Moses reached out with his hand over the sea; and the Lord [l]swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into (V)dry land, and (W)the waters were divided. 22 So (X)the sons of Israel [m]went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and (Y)the waters were like a wall to them on their right and on their left. 23 Then (Z)the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea. 24 But at the morning watch, (AA)the Lord looked down on the [n]army of the Egyptians [o]through the pillar of fire and cloud, and brought the [p]army of the Egyptians into confusion. 25 He [q]caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians each said, “Let me flee from Israel, (AB)for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”

26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “(AC)Reach out with your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.” 27 So Moses reached out with his hand over the sea, and (AD)the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing [r]right into it; then the Lord [s](AE)overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; (AF)not even one of them remained. 29 But the sons of Israel walked on (AG)dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right and on their left.

30 (AH)So the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel (AI)saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 When Israel saw the great [t]power which the Lord had [u]used against the Egyptians, the people [v]feared the Lord, and (AJ)they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.

The Song of Moses and Israel

15 (AK)Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the Lord, [w]saying:

“[x](AL)I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted;
(AM)The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea.
2 [y](AN)The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
(AO)This is my God, and I will praise Him;
(AP)My father’s God, and I will (AQ)exalt Him.
3 (AR)The Lord is a warrior;
[z](AS)The Lord is His name.
4 (AT)Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has thrown into the sea;
And the choicest of his officers are [aa]drowned in the [ab]Red Sea.
5 The waters cover them;
(AU)They went down into the depths like a stone.
6 (AV)Your right hand, Lord, is majestic in power;
(AW)Your right hand, Lord, destroys the enemy.
7 And in the greatness of Your [ac]excellence You (AX)overthrow those who rise up against You;
(AY)You send out Your burning anger, and it (AZ)consumes them like chaff.
8 (BA)At the blast of Your nostrils the waters were piled up,
(BB)The flowing waters stood up like a heap;
The depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 (BC)The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will (BD)divide the spoils;
[ad]I shall [ae]be satisfied against them;
I will draw my sword, my hand will [af]destroy them.’
10 (BE)You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them;
(BF)They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
11 (BG)Who is like You among the gods, Lord?
Who is like You, (BH)majestic in holiness,
(BI)Awesome in praises, (BJ)working wonders?
12 (BK)You reached out with Your right hand,
The earth swallowed them.
13 In Your [ag]faithfulness You have (BL)led the people whom You have (BM)redeemed;
In Your strength You have guided them (BN)to Your holy habitation.
14 (BO)The peoples have heard, they tremble;
Anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 Then the (BP)chiefs of Edom were terrified;
(BQ)The leaders of Moab, trembling grips them;
(BR)All the inhabitants of Canaan have despaired.
16 (BS)Terror and dread fall upon them;
(BT)By the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone,
Until Your people pass over, Lord,
Until the people pass over whom You (BU)have purchased.
17 (BV)You will bring them and (BW)plant them in (BX)the mountain of Your inheritance,
(BY)The place, Lord, which You have made as Your dwelling,
(BZ)The sanctuary, Lord, which Your hands have established.
18 (CA)The Lord shall reign forever and ever.”

19 (CB)For the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, and the Lord brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the sons of Israel walked on (CC)dry land through the midst of the sea.

20 (CD)Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the (CE)tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with [ah](CF)dancing. 21 And Miriam answered them,

“(CG)Sing to the Lord, for He [ai]is highly exalted;
The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.”

The Lord Provides Water

22 (CH)Then Moses [aj]led Israel from the [ak]Red Sea, and they went out into (CI)the wilderness of (CJ)Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to (CK)Marah, they could not drink the waters [al]of Marah, because they were [am]bitter; for that reason it was named [an]Marah. 24 So the people (CL)grumbled at Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” 25 Then he (CM)cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him (CN)a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet.

There He (CO)made for them a statute and regulation, and there He (CP)tested them. 26 And He said, “(CQ)If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and listen (CR)to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, (CS)I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, (CT)the Lord, am your healer.”

27 Then they came to (CU)Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters.

The Lord Provides Manna

16 Then they set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel came to the wilderness of (CV)Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on (CW)the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt. 2 But the whole congregation of the sons of Israel (CX)grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 The sons of Israel said to them, “(CY)If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, (CZ)when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread until we were full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this entire assembly with hunger!”

4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, (DA)I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, so that I may (DB)test them, whether or not they will walk in My [ao]instruction. 5 (DC)On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the sons of Israel, “At evening [ap](DD)you will know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt; 7 and in the morning [aq]you will see (DE)the glory of the Lord, for (DF)He hears your grumblings against the Lord; and (DG)what are we, that you grumble against us?”

The Lord Provides Meat

8 And Moses said, “This will happen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and bread to the full in the morning; for the Lord hears your grumblings which you grumble against Him. And what are we? Your grumblings are (DH)not against us but against the Lord.”

9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, ‘(DI)Come forward before the Lord, for He has heard your grumblings.’” 10 And it came about, as Aaron spoke to the entire congregation of the sons of Israel, that they [ar]looked toward the wilderness, and behold, (DJ)the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “(DK)I have heard the grumblings of the sons of Israel; speak to them, saying, ‘[as]At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and (DL)you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”

13 So it came about at evening that (DM)the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning (DN)there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 (DO)When the layer of dew [at]evaporated, behold, on the [au]surface of the wilderness (DP)there was a fine flake-like thing, fine as the frost on the ground. 15 When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “[av]What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “(DQ)It is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is [aw]what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone gather [ax]as much as he will eat; you shall take [ay](DR)an omer apiece according to the number of people each of you has in his tent.’” 17 The sons of Israel did so, and some gathered much and some little. 18 When they measured it by the [az]omer, (DS)the one who had gathered much did not have too much, and the one who had gathered little did not have too little; everyone gathered [ba]as much as he would eat. 19 Moses said to them, “(DT)No one is to leave any of it until morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses, and some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank; and Moses was angry with them. 21 They gathered it morning by morning, everyone [bb]as much as he would eat; but when the sun became hot, it would melt.

The Sabbath

22 (DU)Now on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, [bc]two omers for each one. When all the (DV)leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 then he said to them, “This is what the Lord [bd]meant: (DW)Tomorrow is a Sabbath observance, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and (DX)all that is left over [be]put aside to be kept until morning.” 24 So they put it aside until morning, as Moses had ordered, and (DY)it did not stink nor was there a maggot in it. 25 Then Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 (DZ)Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be [bf]none.”

27 Yet it came about on the seventh day that some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. 28 Then the Lord said to Moses, “(EA)How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My [bg]instructions? 29 See, [bh]the Lord has given you the Sabbath; for that reason He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day. Remain, everyone, in his place; no one is to leave his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

31 And the house of (EB)Israel named the bread [bi]manna, and it was like (EC)coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers with honey. 32 Then Moses said, “This is [bj]what the Lord has commanded: ‘A [bk]full omer of it is to be kept safe throughout your generations, so that they may see the bread that I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” 33 And Moses said to Aaron, “(ED)Take a jar and put a [bl]full omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord to be kept safe throughout your generations.” 34 As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before (EE)the Testimony, to be kept. 35 And (EF)the sons of Israel ate the manna for forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate the manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 36 (Now (EG)an [bm]omer is a tenth of an ephah.)

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 14:4 Lit make strong
  2. Exodus 14:5 Lit the heart of Pharaoh...was changed
  3. Exodus 14:8 Lit made strong
  4. Exodus 14:8 Lit with a high hand
  5. Exodus 14:10 Lit lifted up their eyes
  6. Exodus 14:11 Lit so as to bring
  7. Exodus 14:12 Lit Cease from us
  8. Exodus 14:13 Or Take your stand
  9. Exodus 14:16 Lit enter the
  10. Exodus 14:17 Lit make strong
  11. Exodus 14:20 Lit and the darkness
  12. Exodus 14:21 Lit caused to go
  13. Exodus 14:22 Lit entered the
  14. Exodus 14:24 Lit camp
  15. Exodus 14:24 Or in
  16. Exodus 14:24 Lit camp
  17. Exodus 14:25 Or removed
  18. Exodus 14:27 Lit to meet it
  19. Exodus 14:27 Lit shook off
  20. Exodus 14:31 Lit hand
  21. Exodus 14:31 Lit done
  22. Exodus 14:31 Or revered
  23. Exodus 15:1 Lit and said, saying
  24. Exodus 15:1 Or Let me sing
  25. Exodus 15:2 Heb Yah
  26. Exodus 15:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  27. Exodus 15:4 Lit sunk
  28. Exodus 15:4 Lit Sea of Reeds
  29. Exodus 15:7 Or exaltation
  30. Exodus 15:9 Lit My soul
  31. Exodus 15:9 Lit be filled with them
  32. Exodus 15:9 Or dispossess; or drive them out
  33. Exodus 15:13 Or mercy
  34. Exodus 15:20 Lit dances
  35. Exodus 15:21 Or has triumphed gloriously
  36. Exodus 15:22 Lit caused Israel to journey
  37. Exodus 15:22 Lit Sea of Reeds
  38. Exodus 15:23 Lit from
  39. Exodus 15:23 Heb Marim
  40. Exodus 15:23 I.e., bitterness
  41. Exodus 16:4 Or law
  42. Exodus 16:6 Lit and you
  43. Exodus 16:7 Lit and you
  44. Exodus 16:10 Lit turned
  45. Exodus 16:12 Lit Between the two evenings
  46. Exodus 16:14 Lit had gone up
  47. Exodus 16:14 Lit face of
  48. Exodus 16:15 Heb Man hu, cf. v 31
  49. Exodus 16:16 Lit the thing which
  50. Exodus 16:16 Lit according to his eating
  51. Exodus 16:16 Lit an omer for a head; about 3 qt. or 2.8 liters
  52. Exodus 16:18 About 3 qt. or 2.8 liters
  53. Exodus 16:18 Lit according to his eating
  54. Exodus 16:21 Lit according to his eating
  55. Exodus 16:22 About 6 qt. or 5.6 liters
  56. Exodus 16:23 Lit spoke
  57. Exodus 16:23 Lit lay up for you
  58. Exodus 16:26 Lit none on it
  59. Exodus 16:28 Or laws
  60. Exodus 16:29 Lit for the Lord
  61. Exodus 16:31 Heb man, cf. v 15
  62. Exodus 16:32 Lit the thing which
  63. Exodus 16:32 About 3 qt. or 2.8 liters
  64. Exodus 16:33 About 3 qt. or 2.8 liters
  65. Exodus 16:36 About 3 qt. or 2.8 liters
Listen to Exodus 14-16
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Exodus 14-16
New International Version

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol(A) and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon.(B) 3 Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’ 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart,(C) and he will pursue them.(D) But I will gain glory(E) for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.”(F) So the Israelites did this.

5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled,(G) Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds(H) about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!” 6 So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. 7 He took six hundred of the best chariots,(I) along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. 8 The Lord hardened the heart(J) of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly.(K) 9 The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses(L) and chariots, horsemen[a] and troops(M)—pursued the Israelites and overtook(N) them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.(O)

10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried(P) out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?(Q) What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”(R)

13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid.(S) Stand firm and you will see(T) the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see(U) again. 14 The Lord will fight(V) for you; you need only to be still.”(W)

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me?(X) Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 Raise your staff(Y) and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water(Z) so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. 17 I will harden the hearts(AA) of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them.(AB) And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord(AC) when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”

19 Then the angel of God,(AD) who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud(AE) also moved from in front and stood behind(AF) them, 20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness(AG) to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand(AH) over the sea,(AI) and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind(AJ) and turned it into dry land.(AK) The waters were divided,(AL) 22 and the Israelites went through the sea(AM) on dry ground,(AN) with a wall(AO) of water on their right and on their left.

23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen(AP) followed them into the sea. 24 During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud(AQ) at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.(AR) 25 He jammed[b] the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting(AS) for them against Egypt.”(AT)

26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place.(AU) The Egyptians were fleeing toward[c] it, and the Lord swept them into the sea.(AV) 28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea.(AW) Not one of them survived.(AX)

29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground,(AY) with a wall(AZ) of water on their right and on their left. 30 That day the Lord saved(BA) Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand(BB) of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared(BC) the Lord and put their trust(BD) in him and in Moses his servant.

The Song of Moses and Miriam

15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song(BE) to the Lord:

“I will sing(BF) to the Lord,
    for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver(BG)
    he has hurled into the sea.(BH)

2 “The Lord is my strength(BI) and my defense[d];
    he has become my salvation.(BJ)
He is my God,(BK) and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt(BL) him.
3 The Lord is a warrior;(BM)
    the Lord is his name.(BN)
4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army(BO)
    he has hurled into the sea.
The best of Pharaoh’s officers
    are drowned in the Red Sea.[e]
5 The deep waters(BP) have covered them;
    they sank to the depths like a stone.(BQ)
6 Your right hand,(BR) Lord,
    was majestic in power.
Your right hand,(BS) Lord,
    shattered(BT) the enemy.

7 “In the greatness of your majesty(BU)
    you threw down those who opposed you.
You unleashed your burning anger;(BV)
    it consumed(BW) them like stubble.
8 By the blast of your nostrils(BX)
    the waters piled up.(BY)
The surging waters stood up like a wall;(BZ)
    the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.(CA)
9 The enemy boasted,
    ‘I will pursue,(CB) I will overtake them.
I will divide the spoils;(CC)
    I will gorge myself on them.
I will draw my sword
    and my hand will destroy them.’
10 But you blew with your breath,(CD)
    and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
    in the mighty waters.(CE)
11 Who among the gods
    is like you,(CF) Lord?
Who is like you—
    majestic in holiness,(CG)
awesome in glory,(CH)
    working wonders?(CI)

12 “You stretch out(CJ) your right hand,
    and the earth swallows your enemies.(CK)
13 In your unfailing love you will lead(CL)
    the people you have redeemed.(CM)
In your strength you will guide them
    to your holy dwelling.(CN)
14 The nations will hear and tremble;(CO)
    anguish(CP) will grip the people of Philistia.(CQ)
15 The chiefs(CR) of Edom(CS) will be terrified,
    the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling,(CT)
the people[f] of Canaan will melt(CU) away;
16     terror(CV) and dread will fall on them.
By the power of your arm
    they will be as still as a stone(CW)—
until your people pass by, Lord,
    until the people you bought[g](CX) pass by.(CY)
17 You will bring(CZ) them in and plant(DA) them
    on the mountain(DB) of your inheritance—
the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling,(DC)
    the sanctuary,(DD) Lord, your hands established.

18 “The Lord reigns
    for ever and ever.”(DE)

19 When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen[h] went into the sea,(DF) the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.(DG) 20 Then Miriam(DH) the prophet,(DI) Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels(DJ) and dancing.(DK) 21 Miriam sang(DL) to them:

“Sing to the Lord,
    for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver(DM)
    he has hurled into the sea.”(DN)

The Waters of Marah and Elim

22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert(DO) of Shur.(DP) For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.(DQ) 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.[i](DR)) 24 So the people grumbled(DS) against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”(DT)

25 Then Moses cried out(DU) to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw(DV) it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.

There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test.(DW) 26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep(DX) all his decrees,(DY) I will not bring on you any of the diseases(DZ) I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals(EA) you.”

27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped(EB) there near the water.

Manna and Quail

16 The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin,(EC) which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt.(ED) 2 In the desert the whole community grumbled(EE) against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!(EF) There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food(EG) we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”(EH)

4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven(EI) for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test(EJ) 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(EK) as much as they gather on the other days.”

6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt,(EL) 7 and in the morning you will see the glory(EM) of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling(EN) against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?”(EO) 8 Moses also said, “You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling(EP) against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.”(EQ)

9 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(ER) of the Lord appearing in the cloud.(ES)

11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling(ET) 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.’”(EU)

13 That evening quail(EV) came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew(EW) around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost(EX) 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(EY) what it was.

Moses said to them, “It is the bread(EZ) 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[j](FA) 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.(FB) 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.”(FC)

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.(FD) So Moses was angry(FE) 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(FF) as much—two omers[k] for each person—and the leaders of the community(FG) came and reported this to Moses. 23 He said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath(FH) to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’”

24 So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. 25 “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. 26 Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath,(FI) there will not be any.”

27 Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. 28 Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you[l] refuse to keep my commands(FJ) and my instructions? 29 Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

31 The people of Israel called the bread manna.[m](FK) It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. 32 Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the wilderness when I brought you out of Egypt.’”

33 So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omer of manna(FL) in it. Then place it before the Lord to be kept for the generations to come.”

34 As the Lord commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna with the tablets of the covenant law,(FM) so that it might be preserved. 35 The Israelites ate manna(FN) forty years,(FO) until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.(FP)

36 (An omer(FQ) is one-tenth of an ephah.)(FR)

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 14:9 Or charioteers; also in verses 17, 18, 23, 26 and 28
  2. Exodus 14:25 See Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint and Syriac; Masoretic Text removed
  3. Exodus 14:27 Or from
  4. Exodus 15:2 Or song
  5. Exodus 15:4 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verse 22
  6. Exodus 15:15 Or rulers
  7. Exodus 15:16 Or created
  8. Exodus 15:19 Or charioteers
  9. Exodus 15:23 Marah means bitter.
  10. Exodus 16:16 That is, possibly about 3 pounds or about 1.4 kilograms; also in verses 18, 32, 33 and 36
  11. Exodus 16:22 That is, possibly about 6 pounds or about 2.8 kilograms
  12. Exodus 16:28 The Hebrew is plural.
  13. Exodus 16:31 Manna sounds like the Hebrew for What is it? (see verse 15).
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