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The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:5
On the sixth day. That a period of seven days was known to the Hebrews as a week appears from the story of Jacob and Laban (Genesis 29:27). But there is no distinct evidence that the year was as yet divided into weeks,…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:6
At even, then ye shall know. See Exodus 16:12 and Exodus 16:13. The first evidence which the Israelites would have, that God had heard 'and considered their complaints, would be the descent of the quails at even of the…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:7
― And in the morning then ye shall see the glory of the Lord. This has been supposed to refer to the manifestation of God's presence recorded in Exodus 16:10; but the balance of the two clauses in Exodus 16:6 and Exodus…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:8
When the lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat. Moses must have received a distinct intimation of the coming arrival of the quails, trough he has not recorded it, his desire of brevity causing him to retrench…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:9-21
EXPOSITION THE PROMISE FULFILLED. Moses had made a double promise to the Israelites in God's name. "The Lord shall give you," he had said," in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full" (Exodus 16:8…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:9-21
God and Nature. I. GOD IS THE MASTER OF NATURE, NOT NATURE'S SERVANT. A school of modern thought places nature above God, or at,any rate on a par with God. It is an absolute impossibility, we are told, that a law of nat…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:11-12
He nurtured them in the wilderness. Continual mention of murmurings; yet all such murmurings do not meet the same treatment (cf. Numbers 11:31-33). Much alike to outward seeming, but not so in the sight of God. (illustr…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:12
At even. Literally, "between the two evenings." For the meaning of the phrase, see the comment on Exodus 12:6. Ye shall eat flesh. The quails, as appears by the subsequent narrative, were supplied, not regularly, but on…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 16:13-21
At evening the quails came up, and the people caught with ease as many as they needed. The manna came down in dew. They called it “Manna, Manhu,” which means, “What is this?” “It is a portion; it is that which our God h…
Manna Rained from Heaven. (b. c. 1491.)
MANNA RAINED FROM HEAVEN. (B. C. 1491.) Now they begin to be provided for by the immediate hand of God. I. He makes them a feast, at night, of delicate fowl, feathered fowl (Psalm 78:27), therefore not locusts, as some…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:13
The quails came up. The word here translated, "quails" has been supposed to designate the flying-fish (Trigla Israelitarum of Ehrenberg), or a species of locust (Ludolf). But Psalms 78:28, makes it clear that "feathered…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:13-31
Divine provision for daily need. I. THE LORD'S FAITHFULNESS. 1. Their varied need was met. Flesh as well as bread was given. God gives us richly all things to enjoy. 2. They came in the order and at the time God said th…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:14
When the dew that lay was gone up. The moisture which lay upon the herbage soon evaporated, drawn up by the sun; and then the miracle revealed itself. There remained upon each leaf and each blade of grass a delicate sma…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:14-18
Bread from heaven. Our Lord tells us that the manna was a type of him, and that he was the "true bread from heaven" (John 6:32). We may profitably consider, in what respects the type held good. I. IT WAS THE NOURISHMENT…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:15
They said one to another, this is manna. Rather, "this is a gift." To suppose that they recognised the substance as one known to them in Egypt under the name of menu or mennu, is to make this clause contradict the next.…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:15
Christ the bread from heaven. The manna, which is described in Exodus 16:4 as "bread from heaven," was typical of Christ, who is "the true bread from heaven"—"the bread of God which cometh down from heaven and giveth li…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:16
An omer for every man. According to Kalisch, the omer is about two quarts (English): but this estimate is probably in excess. Josephus makes the measure one equal to six cotyles, which would be about a quart and a half,…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:16-22
The law of the manna. God had said (Exodus 16:4) that rules would be given in connection with the manna by which the people would be proved, whether they would walk in his law, or no. One rule is given in Exodus 16:5, a…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:16-36
The manna-regulations for type gathering and using of it. I. THE EFFECTIVE DISTRIBUTION OF IT IS PROVIDED FOR. The responsibilities and opportunities of the family relation, which had been touched upon in the institutio…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:17
The children of Israel did so The Israelites set themselves to obey Moses, and gathered what they supposed to be about an omer; but, as a matter of course, some of them exceeded the amount, while others fell short of it…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:18
When they did mete it with an omer. On returning to their tents, with the manna which they had collected, the Israelites proceeded to measure it with their own, or a neighbour's, omer measure, when the wonderful result…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:19
Let no man leave of it till the morning. Moses, divinely instructed, warned the people that they were not to lay up in store any of their manna to be eaten the next day. God would have them trust their future wants to h…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:19-36
The law of the manna. I. THERE MUST BE INDIVIDUAL EFFORT FOR INDIVIDUAL NEED. 1. The manna lay around their tents, but it had to be gathered. To feed on Christ each must lay hold of him for his own soul by meditation an…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 16:20
It bred worms. This was a supernatural, not a natural result. It served as a sort of punishment of the disobedient, and effectually checked the practice of laying up in store.