02 Ex 16.11-24 Manna

Note the manna God provided was miraculous in its source and its behavior. As to its source, there was no natural explanation for it to occur ever, and to start and stop at specific times, e.g. to start the morning after Moses said it would, to stop each Sabbath and when Israel entered Canaan with its readily available food supply. As to its behavior, any leftovers six days of the week would in the morning be spoiled/mouldy and worm-infested; except for each Sabbath when it would be fine.

Exodus 16:11–24 (NASB95)

11And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

12“I have heard the grumblings of the sons of Israel; speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’ ”

13So it came about at evening that the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.

14When the layer of dew evaporated, behold, on the surface of the wilderness there was a fine flake-like thing, fine as the frost on the ground.

15When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.

16“This is what the LORD has commanded, ‘Gather of it every man as much as he should eat; you shall take an omer apiece according to the number of persons each of you has in his tent.’ ”

17The sons of Israel did so, and some gathered much and some little.

18When they measured it with an omer, he who had gathered much had no excess, and he who had gathered little had no lack; every man gathered as much as he should eat.

19Moses said to them, “Let no man leave any of it until morning.”

20But they did not listen to Moses, and some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul; and Moses was angry with them.

21They gathered it morning by morning, every man as much as he should eat; but when the sun grew hot, it would melt.

22Now on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses,

23then he said to them, “This is what the LORD meant: Tomorrow is a sabbath observance, a holy sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning.”

24So they put it aside until morning, as Moses had ordered, and it did not become foul nor was there any worm in it.