Exodus 17:1-7 God Provides Water at Horeb

"The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin,

traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded.

They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.

So they quarreled with Moses and said,

'Give us water to drink.'

Moses replied, 'Why do you quarrel with me?

Why do you put the LORD to the test?'

But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses.

They said, 'Why did you bring us up out of Egypt

 to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?'

Then Moses cried out to the LORD,

'What am I to do with these people?

They are almost ready to stone me.'

The LORD answered Moses,

'Walk on ahead of the people.

Take with you some of the elders of Israel

and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.

I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb.

Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.'

So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.

And he called the place Massah and Meribah

because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying,

'Is the LORD among us or not?'

Exodus 17:1-7 (NIV)

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  In the book of Numbers (chapter 33, verses 12-14), there is a  more complete listing of the places that the Israelite community stayed in their journey back to the Promised Land.  If we just went by the Exodus account, we would think that they went in this order:  Rameses to Succoth to Etham, then turning back to Pi Hahiroth (which is between Migdol and the sea) and camping opposite Baal Zephon.  Then they crossed the Red Sea and went into the Desert of Shur.  When they came to Marah, the LORD told Moses to throw a certain piece of wood into the bitter waters and God caused the waters to become drinkable.  Then they went to Elim, an oasis.  Afterwards they came to the Desert of Sin (which seems to be a point midway between Elim and Sinai).  There the LORD gave them quail and manna.  Then they came to Rephidim, where this chapter's story takes place.

However, Numbers 33:12-14 adds in a few more details about the length of their stays at certain sites, and also calls the Desert of Shur 'the Desert of Etham'.  Perhaps it had several names.  I will check into that.  It also notes that after Elim, the Israelites camped by the Red Sea, then camped in the Desert of Sin, then camped at Dophkah and also at Alush before camping at Rephidim.  This is not some type of error in the Bible.  It just means that the Numbers account is more detailed, while the Exodus account was just noting the more significant stopping points along the journey.

The above listings may seem unnecessary to you, but it was a good reminder to me that the LORD had already shown the Israelites that He could miraculously provide them with water and food in the desert.  Therefore, they don't have much excuse for grumbling against Moses (or God) at this point.  Yet they did grumble, bringing back the familiar complaints that Moses should not have brought them out of Egypt and that God seemed to have abandoned them.  Moses' frustration is evident as well, and he sees that the people are ready to stone him.

God's patience and mercy are remarkable.  He instructs Moses to walk on ahead of the people with some of the nations's elders.  At the rock at Horeb, Moses was to strike the rock with his staff.  Perhaps the use of this staff is a good reminder to the people of how the LORD had previously delivered them at the Red Sea.  Now this same staff was used to strike the rock at Horeb, and water came out for the people to drink.   I think that verse 6 is particularly interesting in that it reminds us that these miracles are taking place because the LORD is indeed right with them.

Moses obeys, and water was provided, just as the LORD had promised.  Moses calls the place Massah ('testing') and Meribah ('quarreling' or, as Hebrews 3:7-8,15 translates it: 'rebellion').  The Hebrews account also notes that the Israelites were guilty of hardening their hearts despite the many evidences of God's provision for them.  Also, mention is made of the sinful, unbelieving hearts of some of them.  In a way, these rebellious ones were not much different from the Egyptian Pharaoh, who had seen many examples of God's power and yet refused to humble his heart.  Of course, that Pharaoh was now deceased.

Sadly, some of these unbelieving ones would also perish before the desert journey was over.  This is a good lesson for us.  God is abundantly merciful, providing evidences of His existence and His provision for us.  He understands our weakness and sinfulness.  However, at some point known only to Him, enough is enough, and judgment falls upon those who deliberately reject Him.  Even His covenant people are not exempt from that.  How much better it would be for them (and us) to instead pursue the light which He gives us from His Word, and to continue to follow Him from strength to strength until we see His face.

That reminds me of the passage in Jeremiah 29:11-14, where it says this:

"For I know the plans I have for you,'' declares the LORD,

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you a hope and a future.

Then you will call upon me

and come and pray to me,

and I will listen to you.

You will seek me and you will find me

when you seek me with all your heart.

I will be found by you," declares the LORD,..."

Exodus 16:31-36 Manna From Heaven

"The people of Israel called the bread manna.

It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey.

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 desert
when I brought you out of Egypt." '

So Moses said to Aaron,

'Take a jar and put an omer of manna in it.

Then place it before the LORD to be kept for the generations to come.'

As the LORD commanded Moses,

Aaron put the manna in front of the Testimony, that it might be kept.

The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled:

they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.

(An omer is one tenth of an ephah.)

Exodus 16:31-36 (NIV)

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Some comments:

• Manna means "What is it?" and expresses the surprise that the Israelites experienced at discovering this source of food which had appeared just as the LORD had promised.  (See Exodus 16:11-16.)
• The NIV Study Bible (pg. 113 note on Exodus 16:31) notes that although some have tried to attribute this manna to a naturally occurring phenomenon, such as residue from various scale insects, several factors suggest that this does not fit the circumstances:

1. Manna means 'What is it?' so it seems to have been something outside of their normal experience.
2. The description of the manna's appearance and taste suggests that it was something not experienced by other peoples in other times.
3. The daily abundance of the manna and the fact that twice as much was regularly provided on the sixth day in preparation for the Sabbath, while none ever appeared on the Sabbath day itself does not fit a natural phenomenon.
4. The fact that the manna was regularly amply available for such a large amount of people, no matter where they were, and during their entire desert travels argues against it being a natural substance.
5. The fact that they were able to keep a sample of the manna as a witness for future generations to view suggests that it was no ordinary food.

• By the way, the manna was kept in a jar made of gold (Hebrew 9:4)
• An omer was about 2 quarts or liters.
• An ephah was equivalent to 10 omers.  This was 3/5 of a bushel, or 22 liters.
• When they speak of the 'Testimony', they are referring to the two stone tablets upon which the Ten Commandments were inscribed.  These were the basic obligations of the covenant established at Sinai.  The word for 'Testimony' is related to a Babylonian word meaning 'covenant stipulations'.
• At this time, the manna was kept in a jar in front of the Testimony. (Exodus 16:33-34)
• The Israelites ate manna for 40 years, until they arrived in Canaan.  The manna stopped at the time that the Israelites celebrated their first Passover in Canaan (Joshua 5:10-12

Exodus 16:21-30 A Sabbath Rest

"Each morning everyone gathered as much as he needed,

and when the sun grew hot, it melted away.

On the sixth day they gathered twice as much --

two omers for each person --

and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses.

He said to them, 'This is what the LORD commanded:

"Tomorrow is to be a day of rest,

a holy Sabbath 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." '

So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded,

and it did not stink or get maggots in it.

'Eat it today,' Moses said,

'because today is a Sabbath to the LORD.

You will not find any of it on the ground today.

Six days you are to gather it,

but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.'

Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it,

but they found none.

Then the LORD said to Moses,

'How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions?

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 he is on the seventh day;

no one is to go out.'

So the people rested on the seventh day."

Exodus 16:21-30 (NIV)

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Some thoughts:

• Everyone gathered.  I mean, I'm sure that sometimes a person might have been unable to participate due to illness or age, but in general, all participated in gathering the food.
• On the sixth day they gathered twice as much, and this was unusual, for the leaders felt that they had to report this fact to Moses.  Moses replied that the LORD had arranged a day of rest for them, and had provided twice as much food so that they would not need to gather it on the Sabbath.
• The manna did not spoil overnight, as previous manna had done.  This tells me that the provision of manna was not just the result of some natural phenomenon, or else it would have spoiled as it had previously when kept overnight by a few disobedient Israelites.
• Some people still went out and tried to gather manna on the Sabbath, even though Moses had told them that there would be none.  The manna was one method which God used to test the Israelites as to whether they would obey His instructions. (Exodus 16:4)  Guess some weren't doing so well.  Before we get too smug or judgmental, remember that we, too, sometimes question the LORD's plan or provision for us, or neglect His instruction.
• It seems to me that the LORD wanted to develop a relationship with His covenant people, not just have them follow routines by rote.  As long as they followed His instructions, they would be well provided with all that they needed.  However, He didn't do things the same way each time.
• A day of rest is necessary.  There will always be things which need to be done.  Sometimes we just need to stop it all and rest.

Exodus 16:17-20 Life or Death?

"The Israelites did as they were told;

some gathered much, some little.

And when they measured it by the omer,

he who gathered much did not have too much,

and he who gathered little did not have too little.

Each one gathered as much as he needed.

Then Moses said to them,

'No one is to keep any of it until morning.'

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.

So Moses was angry with them.

Exodus 16:17-20 (NIV)

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At first the Israelites obeyed the Lord's command.  Some were able to gather much of the manna, while others worked more slowly.  However, after they had gathered the manna, it was measured out by the omer (about 2 quarts/liters), and each household was given an omer of manna for each person in their tent.  In this way, no one had too much, and no one starved.

So far, so good.  When they obeyed the LORD, the Israelites prospered and all their needs were met.  However, when Moses instructed the people that they should not keep any of the manna until the next morning, some disobeyed.  The disobedient were soon corrected by the maggot-y leftovers, which began to smell.

Moses was understandably angry at this rather pungeant evidence of their sin.  Also, I guess it was no secret as to which of the households had disobeyed, for their tents would doubtless have stunk for some time afterwards.

There is also a bit of a lesson here, as in 'obedience = life' and 'disobedience = death and decay'.  This is similar to their escape through the sea, where the Israelites obeyed God and escaped death, while the rebellious Pharaoh and his army drowns in the sea.  It is a lesson which they (and we) need to be reminded of over and over again. 

Exodus 16:9-16 Manna (What is it?)

"Then Moses told Aaron, 'Say to the entire Israelite community,

"Come before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling." '

While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community,

they looked toward the desert,

and there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud.

The LORD said to Moses, 'I have heard the grumbling 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." '

That evening quail came and covered the camp,

and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.

When the dew was gone,

thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor.

When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, 'What is it?'

For they did not know what it was.

Moses said to them, "It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat.

This is what the LORD has commanded:
'Each one is to gather as much as he needs.

Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.' "

Exodus 16:9-16 (NIV)

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Moses told Aaron to assemble the entire Israelite community before the LORD.  While Aaron was still in the process of telling them, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud out toward the desert.  This was the same cloud that had shielded the Israelites from the direct presence of the Holy God, the One who had led the way through the desert and stood between the Israelites and the approaching Egyptian army.

They must have been scared to death.  They knew in their hearts that Moses was correct, and that they had indeed been grumbling against the LORD when they complained to Moses and Aaron.  God had allowed them to pass safely through the Sea, while bringing that same sea upon the Egyptians in a deadly devastation.  Now, what might He do to them, after their ungrateful murmuring?

However, the LORD had a message of mercy.  He had indeed heard their grumbling, but He chose to overlook it for the moment.  He brought news of a coming feast.  At twilight they would eat meat, and in the morning they would be filled with bread.  This would be one more proof that He was their covenant-keeping God who was caring for them and meeting their every need.

Quail covered the camp that evening, and in the morning, thin flakes appeared on the desert floor around the perimeter of the camp.  Just as we would, the Israelites came over to look at the flakes and said, "What is it?"  In fact, 'manna' means 'what is it?' -- so that was what the Israelites called it. (see Exodus 16:31)

 

Moses explained to the people that this manna was the bread which the LORD had promised to give them.  He told them that the Lord had instructed them to gather as much as they needed, which was an omer (about two quarts/liters) per person.

 

Exodus 16:1-8 Grumblers

"The whole Israelite community set out from Elim

 and came to the desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai,

on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt.

In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.

The Israelites said to them, 'If only we had died by the LORD's hand in Egypt!

There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted,

but you have brought us out into this desert
to starve this entire assembly to death.'

Then the LORD said to Moses,

'I will rain down bread from heaven for you.

The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.

In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.

On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in,

and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.'

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,

and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD,

because he has heard your grumbling against him.

Who are we that you should grumble against us?'

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 against him.

Who are we?

You are not grumbling against us, but against the LORD.'

Exodus 16:1-8 (NIV)
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Exodus 16 is really one whole unit, but there is so much going on in this passage that it is really too much to cover in just one blog post.  Besides, I hate making people's eyes glaze over.  So I'll split it into several posts, as long as you will remember to consider it all together.  Deal?

 

• The whole Israelite community set out together from Elim and went to the desert of Sin.  As a kid, I used to wonder if that name had something to do with 'sin', (as in, something very sinful had happened there and they named it accordingly) but the NIV Study Bible's commentary on Exodus 16:1 (pg. 111) notes that this name probably had something to do with the fact that the desert of Sin was in the southwestern Sinai.  So it seems to be more of a linguistic thing.
• Note that Numbers 33:10-11 says that the Israelites left Elim, camped by the Red Sea, and then camped in the Desert of Sin.  This is not an error.  It is just that the author of these accounts of the Israelites' journey may have had different purposes in Exodus than in Numbers in writing things this way.  Sometimes in the Bible you will see differences between lists (like genealogical lists, where there may be an additional name or two), because the author may have had different purposes in different places.  One genealogy may have been covering every person who descended from a certain individual, while another may have been a more general listing of names for military purposes, or some other reason, like to show that someone originally came from a certain tribe.  Same here.  Maybe Exodus just shows the general flow of travel, while Numbers gives more details.
• The NIV commentary also notes that it is now one month to the day from when the Israelites had left Egypt. (See Exodus 12:2,6,29,31, which, when considered all together point to them leaving on the fifteenth of the month.)
• Also, in mapping the possible route of the Israelites, verse 16:1 notes that the Desert of Sin is between Elim and Sinai.  I assume that it is either midway between, or at a similarly logical stopping place on the way to Sinai.  This may be of help later when we try to map it out.
• Verse 2 notes that the whole community began grumbling against Moses and Aaron.  You thought your job was rough, and that everyone complains to you?  Well, try having a million or two hot, dusty, hungry people getting on your case and then you will know what a rough job is really like!
• Moses notes correctly (v.8) that the people are not really complaining against himself or Aaron, but against the LORD.
• The people long for the meat and other foods that they enjoyed while in Egypt.  However, I wonder if they are perhaps forgetting that they were slaves there, and that their taskmasters used them ruthlessly (Exodus 1:11-14; 5:6-19).  Not to mention that the Pharaoh had attempted several times to reduce their nation, trying to kill their sons so that the nation would eventually be absorbed into Egypt.  (Exodus 1:8-22)
• The hungry Israelites accuse Moses of terrible things which he never would have arranged -- they accused him of wanting to starve the nation to death. (v.3)  Many times a leader will have to deal with such false accusations.  Moses does not seem to try to defend himself.
• The LORD told Moses that He would rain bread from heaven down on the Israelites.  They were to gather enough for their daily needs, and collect twice as much on the sixth day, so that they would not have to work on the Sabbath.  This was not only provision for their needs, but also a test to see if they would obey the LORD and follow His instructions. (v.4-5)
• Moses also predicts that they would be given meat in the evening and bread in the morning, and that they would see the LORD's glory.  They would know that the LORD had given them these things, but Moses also warns the people that their grumbling was actually directed against the LORD, and that He had heard it.