Manna and Quail

1They took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. 2The whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness; 3and the children of Israel said to them, “If only we had died by YHWH’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate our fill of bread. Instead, y’all brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

4Then YHWH said to Moses, “Look! I am going to rain bread from the heavens for y’all. The people are to go out and gather a day’s portion every day. This way I will test them, as to whether they will walk in my law or not. 5On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, and it will be twice as much as they gather daily.”

6Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “This evening, y’all will know that YHWH has brought y’all out from the land of Egypt. 7In the morning, y’all will see YHWH’s glory, because ʜᴇ hears y’all’s grumbling against YHWH. And who are we, that y’all would grumble against us?” 8Moses said, “Now YHWH will give y’all meat to eat in the evening and bread to satisfy y’all in the morning, because YHWH hears y’all’s grumbling which y’all grumble against ʜɪᴍ. And who are we? Y’all’s grumblings are not against us, but against YHWH.” 9Moses said to Aaron, “Tell all the congregation of the children of Israel, ‘Y’all come face YHWH, for ʜᴇ has heard y’all’s grumblings.’” 10As Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and saw YHWH’s glory appearing in the cloud. 11YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 12“I have heard the grumblings of the children of Israel. You must tell them, ‘At twilight y’all will eat meat, and in the morning y’all will be filled with bread. Then y’all will know that I am YHWH y’all’s God.’”

13In the evening, quail came up and covered the camp; and in the morning the dew lay around the camp. 14When the dew that lay had gone, there on the surface of the wilderness was a small round thing, small as the frost on the ground. 15When the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they didn’t know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread which YHWH has given y’all to eat. 16This is what YHWH has commanded: ‘Y’all are to gather as much as each person needs to heat. Y’all may take an+16:16 An omer is about 2.2 liters or about 2.3 quarts per head, according to the number of people in y’all’s tent.’” 17The children of Israel did so, and some gathered more, some less. 18When they measured it with an omer, he who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack. They each gathered according to his eating. 19Moses said to them, “Let no one leave of it until the morning.” 20Notwithstanding they didn’t listen to Moses, but some of them left of it until the morning, so it bred worms and became foul; and Moses was angry with them. 21They gathered it morning by morning, everyone according to his eating. When the sun grew hot, it melted. 22On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one; and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. 23He said to them, “This is what YHWH has said, ‘Tomorrow is a day of Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to YHWH. Bake what y’all want to bake and boil what y’all want to boil, and all that remains y’all set aside until the morning.’” 24They laid it up until the morning, as Moses ordered, and it didn’t become foul, and there were no worms in it. 25Moses said, “Y’all should eat it today, because today is a Sabbath to YHWH. Today Y’all won’t find it in the field. 26Six days y’all are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.” 27On the seventh day, some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. 28YHWH said to Moses, “How long will y’all refuse to keep my commandments and my instructions? 29Look y’all—YHWH has given the Sabbath to y’all, which is why ʜᴇ gives y’all bread of two days on the sixth day. Each of y’all stay in your place. No one is to leave their place on the seventh day.” 30So the people rested on the seventh day.

31The house of Israel called its name “Manna”,+16:31 “Manna” means “What is it?” and it was like coriander seed, white; and its taste was like wafers with honey. 32Moses said, “This is what YHWH has commanded, ‘An omer-full of it is be preserved throughout y’all’s generations, so that they may see the bread that I fed y’all in the wilderness, when I brought y’all out of the land of Egypt.’” 33Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omer-full of manna in it, and place it before YHWH, to be preserved throughout y’all’s generations.” 34As YHWH commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. 35The children of Israel ate the manna for forty years until they came to an inhabited land. They ate the manna until they came to the borders of the land of Canaan. 36(An omer is one tenth of an ephah.+16:36 1 ephah is about 22 liters or about 2/3 of a bushel)