Exodus 16:16 kjv
This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.
Exodus 16:16 nkjv
This is the thing which the LORD has commanded: 'Let every man gather it according to each one's need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.' "
Exodus 16:16 niv
This is what the LORD has commanded: 'Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.'?"
Exodus 16:16 esv
This is what the LORD has commanded: 'Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.'"
Exodus 16:16 nlt
These are the LORD's instructions: Each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quarts for each person in your tent."
Exodus 16 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 8:2-3 | "...to humble you and test you... not by bread alone, but by every word..." | God's testing and spiritual nourishment. |
| Neh 9:15 | "...You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger..." | Recalls God's faithful provision of manna. |
| Psa 78:23-25 | "...He opened the doors of heaven... gave them grain of heaven... angels' food..." | Describes manna as divine, supernatural food. |
| Psa 105:40 | "...and He fed them with the bread of heaven." | Reaffirms God as the provider of manna. |
| John 6:31-35 | "Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness... I am the bread of life." | Manna as a type of Christ, the true spiritual food. |
| John 6:48-51 | "I am the bread of life... if anyone eats this bread, he will live forever." | Christ is superior to manna, giving eternal life. |
| Rev 2:17 | "...I will also give him some of the hidden manna..." | Future spiritual provision, referencing manna. |
| Matt 6:11 | "Give us today our daily bread." | Echoes the principle of daily dependence for provision. |
| Matt 6:25-33 | "...Do not worry about what you will eat... your heavenly Father knows..." | God's concern for provision, countering human anxiety. |
| Luke 11:3 | "Give us each day our daily bread." | Reinforces daily dependence on divine sustenance. |
| 1 Tim 6:8 | "But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these." | Contentment with basic, sufficient provision. |
| Phil 4:19 | "And my God will supply every need of yours..." | God's unfailing supply for His people's needs. |
| 2 Cor 8:13-15 | "Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed... that there might be equality... The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little." | Direct citation of Exod 16:18, emphasizing equality in sharing. |
| Heb 4:1-11 | Mentions entering God's rest; echoes the Sabbath rest theme in Exod 16. | Connects manna collection schedule to the principle of Sabbath rest. |
| Deut 8:16 | "...who fed you in the wilderness with manna..." | Highlights God's intentional purpose behind manna: to humble and test them. |
| Psa 145:15-16 | "The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food at the proper time..." | God's timely and universal provision for creation. |
| Isa 55:1-2 | "...come to the waters... without money and without cost... eat what is good..." | Invitation to freely receive God's spiritual sustenance. |
| Exo 16:18 | "...the one who gathered much had no more, and the one who gathered little had no less." | Confirms the result of obeying the rule in Exod 16:16. |
| Exo 16:19-20 | "Let no one leave any of it till morning." | Instruction against hoarding, further testing obedience and fostering trust. |
| Gen 22:14 | "And Abraham called the name of that place, Jehovah Jireh." | God is "The Lord Will Provide." |
| Prov 30:8-9 | "Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread." | A prayer for sufficient, humble provision, aligning with manna's principle. |
| 1 Cor 10:3-5 | "They all ate the same spiritual food... God was not pleased with most of them..." | Manna as spiritual food, highlighting that provision doesn't guarantee faithfulness. |
| Psa 37:25 | "I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread." | Assurance of God's consistent provision for the faithful. |
Exodus 16 verses
Exodus 16 16 Meaning
Exodus 16:16 conveys God's specific and direct command to the Israelites regarding the gathering of manna in the wilderness. It stipulates the precise quantity each individual, and therefore each household, was to collect daily: an omer (a set measure) for every person in their family tent. This divine instruction ensured sufficient daily provision for everyone, fostered dependence on God's consistent care, and promoted equity within the community.
Exodus 16 16 Context
Exodus chapter 16 depicts the Israelites' journey through the Wilderness of Sin, approximately one month after their deliverance from Egypt. With their provisions from Egypt exhausted, the people began to voice their dissatisfaction and grumble against Moses and Aaron, wishing they had remained in Egypt where at least they had food. This episode is crucial as it reveals Israel's initial struggles with trusting God in their newfound freedom. In response to their complaint, the LORD, out of His mercy and covenant faithfulness, promised to miraculously provide "bread from heaven" (manna) in the morning and quail in the evening. This provision was designed not only to sustain them physically but also to teach them crucial lessons about His power, faithfulness, and the necessity of obedience and daily reliance upon Him. Verse 16 specifically articulates the divine instruction on how to collect the manna, setting precise boundaries to foster trust, prevent greed, and maintain communal order.
Exodus 16 16 Word analysis
- "This is what the LORD has commanded": (זֹה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יְהוָה, Zeh ha-davar asher tzivah YHWH). This opening declaration immediately asserts the absolute divine authority and origin of the instruction. It emphasizes that this provision system and its rules are a direct, authoritative decree from YHWH, the covenant-keeping God, underscoring His sovereignty, involvement, and the expectation of complete obedience from His people.
- "Each one": (אִישׁ, 'ish). Signifies "every man," or "each person" individually. It highlights that God's provision is personal and extends to every single member of the Israelite community, irrespective of their status, ensuring none are overlooked.
- "to gather": (לִקְטוּ, liqtu). The verb "to gather" indicates active participation is required. God provides the manna, but the Israelites must exert effort to collect it. This interaction illustrates that while salvation is God's free gift, His blessings often involve human cooperation and effort.
- "as much as he needs for his own family": (לְפִ֥י אָכְלֹ֖ו, l'fi okhlo). Literally "according to his eating" or "according to his consumption." This principle defines the quantity not as excess or scarcity, but as sufficiency for sustenance. It directly links the gathering to actual, daily requirement, discouraging hoarding and promoting daily dependence on God.
- "a homer": (עֹ֣מֶר, 'omer). This refers to a specific ancient dry measure, approximately 2.2 liters or just over 2 quarts. In this context, it was presented as the standard daily portion for one person. The precise measure demonstrates God's methodical provision and acts as a constant lesson in disciplined gathering and trusting in just enough.
- "for each person": (לְגֻלְגֹּלֶת, l'gulgōlet). Literally "per skull" or "per head." This phrase further emphasizes the individual allocation, meaning an equal portion for everyone. This rule cultivated a sense of communal equity, demonstrating that in God's eyes, all were equally deserving of His sustenance regardless of their circumstances.
- "according to the number of persons each of you has in his tent": (מִסְפַּ֣ר נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם֙ אִ֣ישׁ לְאָהֳלֹ֗ו, mispar nafshoteikhem ish l'oholo). This group of words clarifies the household as the primary unit of gathering and consumption. Each family unit was responsible for counting its members and collecting the total required omer portions. This strengthened family unity, shared responsibility, and ensured communal order in the wilderness encampment.
Exodus 16 16 Bonus section
The omer of manna itself held deeper significance. God later commanded that a pot containing an omer of manna be preserved "before the Testimony" (Exod 16:33-34), eventually placed within the Ark of the Covenant. This transformed the daily portion into a perpetual historical and theological witness for future generations of God's miraculous wilderness provision and His enduring faithfulness. The seemingly meager, yet sufficient, nature of the manna taught the Israelites to value humility and gratitude for what seemed insignificant but was divinely empowering. It was not merely food; it was a daily spiritual exercise designed to strip away self-reliance and embed profound trust in the one who said, "I am the LORD your God."
Exodus 16 16 Commentary
Exodus 16:16 is central to understanding God's nature as Provider and Teacher during Israel's wilderness wanderings. By commanding a precise, daily measure of manna ("an omer for each person, according to the number... in his tent"), God meticulously laid out rules to cultivate vital spiritual disciplines: daily dependence, obedience, and trust. This provision prevented both scarcity and excessive accumulation, training the Israelites to rely solely on God's fresh grace each day, rather than on their own efforts to hoard or self-sustain. The equal allocation of manna fostered communal equity and interdependence, demonstrating that God's desire was for all to be nourished. More profoundly, the manna, though a physical sustenance, pointed to a deeper spiritual reality, prefiguring Christ as the "bread of life," a perfect and complete provision for eternal life. It highlighted that true sustenance comes from God's hand, whether it is physical nourishment in the desert or spiritual nourishment for the soul.