Chinese Union Bible (1919) - with Strong’s numbers

1以色列H3478全會眾H5712從以琳H362起行H5265，在出H3318埃及H4714後第二個H8145月H2320十H6240五H2568日H3117到了H935以琳H362和西乃H5514中間、汛H5512的曠野H4057。 2以色列H3478全會眾H5712在曠野H4057向摩西H4872、亞倫H175發怨言H3885， 3說H559：巴不得H4310,H5414我們早死H4191在埃及H4714地H776、耶和華H3068的手下H3027；那時我們坐在H3427肉H1320鍋H5518旁邊，吃得H398飽足H7648。你們將我們領出來H3318，到這曠野H4057，是要叫這全會眾H6951都餓H7458死H4191阿！ 4耶和華H3068對摩西H4872說H559：我要將糧食H3899從天H8064降H4305給你們。百姓H5971可以出去H3318，每天收H3950每天H3117的分H1697，我好試驗他們H5254遵H3212不遵我的法度H8451。 5到第六H8345天H3117，他們要把所H834收進來的H935預備好了H3559，比每天H3117,H3117所收的H3950多一倍H4932。 6摩西H4872、亞倫H175對以色列H3478眾人H1121說H559：到了晚上H6153，你們要知道H3045是耶和華H3068將你們從埃及H4714地H776領出來的H3318。 7早晨H1242，你們要看見H7200耶和華H3068的榮耀H3519，因為耶和華聽見H8085你們向他H3068所發的怨言H8519了。我們H5168算甚麼，你們竟向我們發怨言H3885,H3885呢？ 8摩西H4872又說H559：耶和華H3068晚上H6153必給H5414你們肉H1320吃H398，早晨H1242必給你們食物H3899得飽H7646；因為你們向耶和華H3068發的H3885怨言H8519，他都聽見了H8085。我們H5168算甚麼，你們的怨言H8519不是向我們發的，乃是向耶和華H3068發的。 9摩西H4872對亞倫H175說H559：你告訴以色列H3478全會眾H5712說H559：你們就近H7126耶和華H3068面前H6440，因為他已經聽見H8085你們的怨言H8519了。 10亞倫H175正對以色列H3478全會眾H5712說話H1696的時候，他們向曠野H4057觀看H6437，不料，耶和華H3068的榮光H3519在雲中H6051顯現H7200。 11耶和華H3068曉諭H1696摩西H4872說H559： 12我已經聽見H8085以色列H3478人H1121的怨言H8519。你告訴H1696他們說H559：到H996黃昏H6153的時候，你們要吃H398肉H1320，早晨H1242必有食物H3899得飽H7646，你們就知道H3045我是耶和華H3068你們的神H430。 13到了晚上H6153，有鵪鶉H7958飛來H5927，遮滿了H3680營H4264；早晨H1242在營H4264四圍H5439的地上有H7902露水H2919。 14露水H2919上升H5927之後，不料，野地H4057面H6440上有如白霜H3713的小H1851圓物H2636。 15以色列H3478人H1121看見H7200，不知道H3045是甚麼，就彼此H376,H251對問說H559：這是甚麼H4478呢？摩西H4872對他們說H559：這就是耶和華H3068給H5414你們吃的H402食物H3899。 16耶和華H3068所H834吩咐的H6680是這樣：你們要按著各人H376的飯量H400，為帳棚裡H168的人H376，按著人H5315數H4557收起來H3947，各H1538拿H3950一俄梅珥H6016。 17以色列H3478人H1121就這樣行H6213；有多收的H7235，有少收的H4591。 18及至用俄梅珥H6016量一量H4058，多收的H7235也沒有餘H5736，少收的H4591也沒有缺H2637；各人H376按著自己的飯H400量H6310收取H3950。 19摩西H4872對他們說H559：所收的，不許甚麼人H376留到H3478早晨H1242。 20然而他們H582不聽H8085摩西H4872的話，內中有留H3498到早晨H1242的，就生H7311蟲H8438變臭了H887；摩西H4872便向他們發怒H7107。 21他們每日早晨H1242，按著各人H376的飯H400量H6310收取H3950，日頭H8121一發熱H2552，就消化了H4549。 22到第六H8345天H3117，他們收了H3950雙倍H4932的食物H3899，每人H259兩H8147俄梅珥H6016。會眾H5712的官長H5387來H935告訴H5046摩西H4872； 23摩西對他們說H559：耶和華H3068這樣說H1696：明天H4279是聖H6944安息日H7677，是向耶和華H3068守的聖安息日H7676。你們要烤的H644就烤了H644，要煮的H1310就煮了H1310，所H3605剩下的H5736都留H3240,H4931到早晨H1242。 24他們就照摩西H4872的吩咐H6680留H3240到早晨H1242，也不臭H887，裡頭也沒有蟲子H7415。 25摩西H4872說H559：你們今天H3117吃這個罷H398！因為今天H3117是向耶和華H3068守的安息日H7676；你們在田野H7704必找H4672不著了。 26六H8337天H3117可以收取H3950，第七H7637天H3117乃是安息日H7676，那一天必沒有了。 27第七H7637天H3117，百姓H5971中有人出去H3318收H3950，甚麼也找H4672不著。 28耶和華H3068對摩西H4872說H559：你們不肯H3985守H8104我的誡命H4687和律法H8451，要到幾時呢？ 29你們看H7200！耶和華H3068既將安息日H7676賜給H5414你們，所以第六H8345天H3117他賜給H5414你們兩天H3117的食物H3899，第七H7637天H3117各人H376要住在H3427自己的地方H4725，不許甚麼人H376出去H3318。 30於是百姓H5971第七H7637天H3117安息了H7673。 31這食物，以色列H3478家H1004叫H7121嗎哪H4478；樣子像芫荽H1407子H2233，顏色是白H3836的，滋味H2940如同攙蜜H1706的薄餅H6838。 32摩西H4872說H559：耶和華H3068所吩咐H6680的是這樣：要將一滿H4393俄梅珥H6016(就是：伊法十分之一)嗎哪留到H4931世世代代H1755，使後人可以看見H7200我當日將你們領出H3318埃及H4714地H776，在曠野H4057所給你們吃的H398食物H3899。 33摩西H4872對亞倫H175說H559：你拿H3947一個H259罐子H6803，盛H5414一滿H4393俄梅珥H6016嗎哪H4478，存在H3240耶和華H3068面前H6440，要留到H4931世世代代H1755。 34耶和華H3068怎麼吩咐H6680摩西H4872，亞倫H175就怎麼行，把嗎哪放在H3240法櫃H5715前H6440存留H4931。 35以色列H3478人H1121吃H398嗎哪H4478共四十H705年H8141，直到進了H935有人居住H3427之地H776，就是迦南H3667的境界H7097。 36俄梅珥H6016就是伊法H374十分之一H6224。


Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary
 1   The host of Israel, it seems, took along with them out of Egypt, when they came thence on the fifteenth day of the first month, a month's provisions, which, by the fifteenth day of the second month, was all spent; and here we have,
I. Their discontent and murmuring upon that occasion, Exod 16:2, Exod 16:3. The whole congregation, the greatest part of them, joined in this mutiny; it was not immediately against God that they murmured, but (which was equivalent) against Moses and Aaron, God's viceregents among them. 1. They count upon being killed in the wilderness - nothing less, at the first appearance of disaster. If the Lord had been pleased to kill them, he could easily have done that in the Red Sea; but then he preserved them, and now could as easily provide for them. It argues great distrust of God, and of his power and goodness, in every distress and appearance of danger to despair of life, and to talk of nothing but being speedily killed. 2. They invidiously charge Moses with a design to starve them when he brought them out of Egypt; whereas what he had done was both by order from God and with a design to promote their welfare. Note, It is no new thing for the greatest kindnesses to be misinterpreted and basely represented as the greatest injuries. The worst colours are sometimes put upon the best actions. Nay, 3. They so far undervalue their deliverance that they wish they had died in Egypt, nay, and died by the hand of the Lord too, that is, by some of the plagues which cut off the Egyptians, as if it were not the hand of the Lord, but of Moses only, that brought them into this hungry wilderness. It is common for people to say of that pain, or sickness, or sore, of which they see not the second causes, It is what pleases God, as if that were not so likewise which comes by the hand of man, or some visible accident. Prodigious madness! They would rather die by the fleshpots of Egypt, where they found themselves with provision, than live under the guidance of the heavenly pillar in a wilderness and be provided for by the hand of God! they pronounce it better to have fallen in the destruction of God's enemies than to bear the fatherly discipline of his children! We cannot suppose that they had any great plenty in Egypt, how largely soever they now talk of the flesh-pots; nor could they fear dying for want in the wilderness, while they had their flocks and herds with them. But discontent magnifies what is past, and vilifies what is present, without regard to truth or reason. None talk more absurdly than murmurers. Their impatience, ingratitude, and distrust of God, were so much the worse in that they had lately received such miraculous favours, and convincing proofs both that God could help them in the greatest exigencies and that really he had mercy in store for them. See how soon they forgot his works, and provoked him at the sea, even at the Red Sea, Pss 106:7-Pss 106:13. Note, Experiences of God's mercies greatly aggravate our distrusts and murmurings.
II. The care God graciously took for their supply. Justly he might have said, I will rain fire and brimstone upon these murmurers, and consume them; but, quite contrary, he promises to rain bread upon them. Observe,
1. How God makes known to Moses his kind intentions, that he might not be uneasy at their murmurings, nor be tempted to wish he had let them alone in Egypt. (1.) He takes notice of the people's complaints: I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, Exod 16:12. As a God of pity, he took cognizance of their necessity, which was the occasion of their murmuring; as a just and holy God, he took cognizance of their base and unworthy reflections upon his servant Moses, and was much displeased with them. Note, When we begin to fret and be uneasy, we ought to consider that God hears all our murmurings, though silent, and only the murmurings of the heart. Princes, parents, masters, do not hear all the murmurs of their inferiors against them, and it is well they do not, for perhaps they could not bear it; but God hears, and yet bears. We must not think, because God does not immediately take vengeance on men for their sins, that therefore he does not take notice of them; no, he hears the murmurings of Israel, and is grieved with this generation, and yet continues his care of them, as the tender parent of the froward child. (2.) He promises them a speedy, sufficient, and constant supply, Exod 16:4. Man being made out of the earth, his Maker has wisely ordered him food out of the earth, Pss 104:14. But the people of Israel, typifying the church of the first-born that are written in heaven, and born from above, and being themselves immediately under the direction and government of heaven, receiving their charters, laws, and commissions, from heaven, from heaven also received their food: their law being given by the disposition of angels, they did also eat angels' food. See what God designed in making this provision for them: That I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law or no. [1.] Thus he tried whether they would trust him, and walk in the law of faith or no, whether they could live from hand to mouth, and (though now uneasy because their provisions were spent) could rest satisfied with the bread of the day in its day, and depend upon God for fresh supplies tomorrow. [2.] Thus he tried whether they would serve him, and be always faithful to so good a Master, that provided so well for his servants; and hereby he made it appear to all the world, in the issue, what an ungrateful people they were, whom nothing could affect with a sense of obligation. Let favour be shown to them, yet will they not learn righteousness, Isa 26:10.
2. How Moses made known these intentions to Israel, as God ordered him. Here Aaron was his prophet, as he had been to Pharaoh. Moses directed Aaron what to speak to the congregation of Israel (Exod 16:9); and some think that, while Aaron was giving a public summons to the congregation to come near before the Lord, Moses retired to pray, and that the appearance of the glory of the Lord (Exod 16:10) was in answer to his prayer. They are called to come near, as Isa 1:18, Come, and let us reason together. Note, God condescends to give even murmurers a fair hearing; and shall we then despise the cause of our inferiors when they contend with us? Job 31:13. (1.) He convinces them of the evil of their murmurings. They thought they reflected only upon Moses and Aaron, but here they are told that God was struck at through their sides. This is much insisted on (Exod 16:7, Exod 16:8): Your murmurings are not against us, then we would have been silent, but against the Lord; it was he that led you into these straits, and not we. Note, When we murmur against those who are instruments of any uneasiness to us, whether justly or unjustly, we should do well to consider how much we reflect upon God by it; men are but God's hand. Those that quarrel with the reproofs and convictions of the word, and are angry with their ministers when they are touched in a tender part, know not what they do, for therein they strive with their Maker. Let this for ever stop the mouth of murmuring, that it is daring impiety to murmur at God, because he is God; and gross absurdity to murmur at men, because they are but men. (2.) He assures them of the supply of their wants, that since they had harped upon the flesh-pots so much they should for once have flesh in abundance that evening, and bread the next morning, and so on every day thenceforward, Exod 16:8, Exod 16:12. Many there are of whom we say that they are better fed than taught; but the Israelites were thus fed, that they might be taught. He led him about, he instructed him (Deut 32:10); and, as to this instance, see Deut 8:3, He fed thee with manna, that thou mightest know that man doth not live by bread only. And, besides this, here are two things mentioned, which he intended to teach them by sending them manna: - [1.] By this you shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt, Exod 16:6. That they were brought out of Egypt was plain enough; but so strangely sottish and short-sighted were they that they said it was Moses that brought them out, Exod 16:3. Now God sent them manna, to prove that it was no less than infinite power and goodness that brought them out, and this could perfect what was begun. If Moses only had brought them out of Egypt, he could not thus have fed them; they must therefore own that that was the Lord's doing, because this was so, and both were marvellous in their eyes; yet, long afterwards, they needed to be told that Moses gave them not this bread from heaven, John 6:32. [2.] By this you shall know that I am the Lord your God, Exod 16:12. This gave proof of his power as the Lord, and his particular favour to them as their God. When God plagued the Egyptians, it was to make them know that he was the Lord; when he provided for the Israelites, it was to make them know that he was their God.
3. How God himself manifested his glory, to still the murmurings of the people, and to put a reputation upon Moses and Aaron, Exod 16:10. While Aaron was speaking, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The cloud itself, one would think, was enough both to strike an awe upon them and to give encouragement to them; yet, in a few days, it had grown so familiar to them that it made no impression upon them, unless it shone with an unusual brightness. Note, What God's ministers say to us is then likely to do us good when the glory of God shines in with it upon our souls.

 13   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 (Pss 78:27), therefore not locusts, as some think; quails, or pheasants, or some wild fowl, came up, and covered the camp, so tame that they might take up as many of them as they pleased. Note, God gives us of the good things of this life, not only for necessity, but for delight, that we may not only serve him, but serve him cheerfully.
II. Next morning he rained manna upon them, which was to be continued to them for their daily bread. 1. That which was provided for them was manna, which descended from the clouds, so that, in some sense, they might be said to live upon the air. It came down in dew that melted, and yet was itself of such a consistency as to serve for nourishing strengthening food, without any thing else. They called it manna, manhu, What is this? Either, What a poor thing this is! despising it: or, What a strange thing this is! admiring it: or, It is a portion, no matter what it is; it is that which our God has allotted us, and we will take it and be thankful, Exod 16:14, Exod 16:15. It was pleasant food; the Jews say that it was palatable to all, however varied their tastes. It was wholesome food, light of digestion, and very necessary (Dr. Grew says) to cleanse them from disorders with which he thinks it probable that they were, in the time of their bondage, more or less infected, which disorders a luxurious diet would have made contagious. By this spare and plain diet we are all taught a lesson of temperance, and forbidden to desire dainties and varieties. 2. They were to gather it every morning (Exod 16:21), the portion of a day in his day, Exod 16:4. Thus they must live upon daily providence, as the fowls of the air, of which it is said, That which thou givest them they gather (Pss 104:28); not today for tomorrow: let the morrow take thought for the things of itself. To this daily raining and gathering of manna our Saviour seems to allude when he teaches us to pray, Give us this day our daily bread. We are hereby taught, (1.) Prudence and diligence in providing food convenient for ourselves and our household. What God graciously gives we must industriously gather; with quietness working, and eating our own bread, not the bread either of idleness or deceit. God's bounty leaves room for man's duty; it did so even when manna was rained: they must not eat till they have gathered. (2.) Contentment and satisfaction with a sufficiency. They must gather, every man according to his eating; enough is as good as a feast, and more than enough is as bad as a surfeit. Those that have most have, for themselves, but food, and raiment, and mirth; and those that have least generally have these: so that he who gathers much has nothing over, and he who gathers little has no lack. There is not so great a disproportion between one and another in the comforts and enjoyments of the things of this life as there is in the property and possession of the things themselves. (3.) Dependence upon Providence: Let no man leave till morning (Exod 16:19), but let them learn to go to bed and sleep quietly, though they have not a bit of bread in their tent, nor in all their camp, trusting that God, with the following day, will bring them their daily bread. It was surer and safer in God's store-house than in their own, and would thence come to them sweeter and fresher. Read with this, Matt 6:25, Take no thought for your life, etc. See here the folly of hoarding. The manna that was laid up by some (who thought themselves wiser and better managers than their neighbours, and who would provide in case it should fail next day), putrefied, and bred worms, and became good for nothing. Note, That proves to be most wasted which is covetously and distrustfully spared. Those riches are corrupted, James 5:2, James 5:3. Let us set ourselves to think, [1.] Of that great power of God which fed Israel in the wilderness, and made miracles their daily bread. What cannot this God do, who prepared a table in the wilderness, and furnished it richly even for those who questioned whether he could or no? Pss 78:19, Pss 78:20. Never was there such a market of provisions as this, where so many hundred thousand men were daily furnished, without money and without price. Never was there such an open house kept as God kept in the wilderness for forty years together, nor such free and plentiful entertainment given. The feast which Ahasuerus made, to show the riches of his kingdom, and the honour of his majesty, was nothing to this, Esth 1:4. It is said (Exod 16:21), When the sun waxed hot, it melted; as if what was left were drawn up by the heat of the sun into the air to be the seed of the next day's harvest, and so from day to day. [2.] Of that constant providence of God which gives food to all flesh, for his mercy endures for ever, Pss 136:25. He is a great house-keeper that provides for all the creatures. The same wisdom, power, and goodness that now brought food daily out of the clouds, are employed in the constant course of nature, bringing food yearly out of the earth, and giving us all things richly to enjoy.

 22   We have here, 1. A plain intimation of the observing of a seventh day sabbath, not only before the giving of the law upon Mount Sinai, but before the bringing of Israel out of Egypt, and therefore, from the beginning, Gen 2:3. If the sabbath had now been first instituted, how could Moses have understood what God said to him (Exod 16:5), concerning a double portion to be gathered on the sixth day, without making any express mention of the sabbath? And how could the people so readily take the hint (Exod 16:22), even to the surprise of the rulers, before Moses had declared that it was done with a regard to the sabbath, if they had not had some knowledge of the sabbath before? The setting apart of one day in seven for holy work, and, in order to that, for holy rest, was a divine appointment ever since God created man upon the earth, and the most ancient of positive laws. The way of sabbath-sanctification is the good old way. 2. The double provision which God made for the Israelites, and which they were to make for themselves, on the sixth day: God gave them on the sixth day the bread of two days, Exod 16:29. Appointing them to rest on the seventh day, he took care that they should be no losers by it; and none ever will be losers by serving God. On that day they were to fetch in enough for two days, and to prepare it, Exod 16:23. The law was very strict, that they must bake and seeth, the day before, and not on the sabbath day. This does not now make it unlawful for us to dress meat on the Lord's day, but directs us to contrive our family affairs so that they may hinder us as little as possible in the work of the sabbath. Works of necessity, no doubt, are to be done on that day; but it is desirable to have as little as may be to do of things necessary to the life that now is, that we may apply ourselves the more closely to the one thing needful. That which they kept of for their food on the sabbath day did not putrefy, Exod 16:24. When they kept it in opposition to a command (Exod 16:20) it stank; when they kept it in obedience to a command it was sweet and good; for every thing is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 3. The intermission of the manna on the seventh day. God did not send it then, and therefore they must not expect it, nor go out to gather, Exod 16:25, Exod 16:26. This showed that it was not produced by natural causes, and that it was designed for a confirmation of the divine authority of the law which was to be given by Moses. Thus God took an effectual course to make them remember the sabbath day; they could not forget it, nor the day of preparation for it. Some, it seems, went out on the seventh day, expecting to find manna (Exod 16:27); but they found none, for those that will find must seek in the appointed time: seek the Lord while he may be found. God, upon this occasion, said to Moses, How long refuse you to keep my commandments? Exod 16:28. Why did he say this to Moses? He was not disobedient. No, but he was the ruler of a disobedient people, and God charges it upon him that he might the more warmly charge it upon them, and might take care that their disobedience should not be through any neglect or default of his. It was for going out to seek for manna on he seventh day that they were thus reproved. Note, (1.) Disobedience, even in a small matter, is very provoking. (2.) God is jealous for the honour of his sabbaths. If walking out on the sabbath to seek for food was thus reproved, walking out on that day purely to find our own pleasure cannot be justified.

 32   God having provided manna to be his people's food in the wilderness, and to be to them a continual feast, we are here told, 1. How the memory of it was preserved. An omer of this manna was laid up in a golden pot, as we are told (Hebre 9:4), and kept before the testimony, or the ark, when it was afterwards made, Exod 16:32-Exod 16:34. The preservation of this manna from waste and corruption was a standing miracle, and therefore the more proper memorial of this miraculous food. Posterity shall see the bread, says God, wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, see what sort of food it was, and how much each man's daily proportion of it was, that it may appear they were neither kept to hard fare nor to short allowance, and then judge between God and Israel, whether they had any cause given them to murmur and find fault with their provisions, and whether they and their seed after them had not a great deal of reason gratefully to won God's goodness to them. Note, Eaten bread must not be forgotten. God's miracles and mercies are to be had in everlasting remembrance, for our encouragement to trust in him at all times. 2. How the mercy of it was continued as long as they had occasion for it. The manna never ceased till they came to the borders of Canaan, where there was bread enough and to spare, Exod 16:35. See how constant the care of Providence is; seedtime and harvest fail not, while the earth remains. Israel was very provoking in the wilderness, yet the manna never failed them: thus still God causes his rain to fall on the just and unjust. The manna is called spiritual meat (1Cor 10:3), because it was typical of spiritual blessings in heavenly things. Christ himself is the true manna, the bread of life, of which this was a figure, John 6:49-John 6:51. The word of God is the manna by which our souls are nourished, Matt 4:4. The comforts of the Spirit are hidden manna, Revel 2:17. These come from heaven, as the manna did, and are the support and comfort of the divine life in the soul, while we are in the wilderness of this world. It is food for Israelites, for those only that follow the pillar of cloud and fire. It is to be gathered; Christ in the word is to be applied to the soul, and the means of grace are to be used. We must every one of us gather for ourselves, and gather in the morning of our opportunities, which if we let slip, it may be too late to gather. The manna they gathered must not be hoarded up, but eaten; those that have received Christ must by faith live upon him, and not receive his grace in vain. There was manna enough for all, enough for each, and none had too much; so in Christ there is a complete sufficiency, and no superfluity. But those that did eat manna hungered again, died at last, and with many of them God was not well-pleased; whereas those that feed on Christ by faith shall never hunger, and shall die no more, and with them God will be for ever well pleased. The Lord evermore give us this bread!