Exodus 16 20

Exodus 16:20 kjv

Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.

Exodus 16:20 nkjv

Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.

Exodus 16:20 niv

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 16:20 esv

But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.

Exodus 16:20 nlt

But some of them didn't listen and kept some of it until morning. But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. Moses was very angry with them.

Exodus 16 verses

Exodus 16 20 Meaning

Exodus 16:20 details the immediate, negative consequences faced by those Israelites who, contrary to God’s explicit instructions given through Moses, attempted to hoard the manna provided daily in the wilderness. Their disobedience resulted in the manna becoming putrid with worms and a foul stench, thereby demonstrating the direct and unpleasant outcome of defying God’s command and mistrusting His daily provision. This incident highlights the people’s lack of faith and the gravity of their actions in God's eyes, provoking Moses' righteous anger.

Exodus 16 20 Context

Exodus chapter 16 describes God's miraculous provision of manna and quail to the Israelites in the wilderness of Sin, shortly after their exodus from Egypt. This event follows the bitter waters of Marah and serves as a crucial test of their obedience and trust in God's daily provision. God's specific command for manna collection was: gather only enough for one day, except on the sixth day when they were to gather double for the Sabbath (Exod 16:4-5, 16:16-19). This setup was designed to cultivate a daily reliance on God and establish the principle of the Sabbath. Verse 20 directly narrates the swift consequence for those who defied this simple yet fundamental command, showcasing a prevalent lack of faith and inclination towards self-sufficiency or greed, rather than trusting God's consistent faithfulness. This episode also acts as a divine object lesson against hoarding and anxious concern for the future, highlighting the necessity of trusting God for daily sustenance. It subtly pushes back against human-centric ideas of self-reliance, demonstrating God's sovereign control over provision.

Exodus 16 20 Word analysis

• But (וַיְקַשּׁׂוּ wa-yiqshiyu - actually, the verse starts with "וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ") The literal Hebrew reads "and not they heard" or "and they did not listen." The English "But" emphasizes the contrast with the preceding divine instruction (Exod 16:19: "let no one leave any of it till morning"). It highlights direct opposition.
• they did not listen (וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ wə-lōʾ šāməʿū): "Did not listen" here goes beyond mere hearing to include a deliberate act of disobedience. The Hebrew verb shama (שָׁמַע) often means "to hear and obey." Therefore, this phrase denotes a rebellious refusal to comply with God's clear instruction. It reveals a fundamental lack of faith and a direct challenge to divine authority mediated through Moses.
• to Moses (אֶל-מֹשֶׁה ʾel Mōše): Indicates that the disobedience was directed against God's appointed leader, which indirectly, or directly, means disobeying God Himself. Moses was the divine mouthpiece, and disregarding his words was disregarding God's words.
• and some of them (וַיּוֹתִרוּ מֵהֶם wa-yyōṯirū mēhem - a partial group, "some of them left over"): This phrasing implies not everyone disobeyed, but enough did to provoke consequences and demonstrate a widespread propensity towards faithlessness. The actions of "some" impacted the community as a whole, highlighting the problem of sin within the camp.
• left part of it (וַיּוֹתִרוּ wa-yyōṯirū - "they left over"): From the root yatar (יָתַר), meaning "to remain" or "to leave over." This directly contravened the instruction "Let no one leave any of it till morning" (Exod 16:19). It signifies an attempt to stockpile, born of anxiety or lack of trust in God’s sustained daily provision.
• until morning (עַד-בֹּקֶר ʿaḏ-bōqer): This specifies the exact timeframe within which the manna was meant to be consumed. The stated limit emphasizes God's requirement for immediate dependence, day-by-day.
• and it bred worms (וַיָּלָת תּוֹלָעִים wa-yālat tôlāʿîm): tola'im (תּוֹלָעִים) specifically refers to maggots or grubs, which appear quickly in decaying matter. The verb yalat means "to come forth, bring forth," indicating an instantaneous emergence. This was a miraculous, yet repulsive, sign of God's judgment, directly showing the manna's sacredness and His abhorrence of disobedience.
• and stank (וַיִּבְאַשׁ wa-yyiḇʾaš): From the root ba'ash (בָּאַשׁ), meaning "to stink," "to become foul." The stench, alongside the worms, provided an undeniable and viscerally repulsive evidence of the consequences of their action, preventing any benefit from the hoarded food. It symbolized spiritual decay and defilement.
• and Moses was angry with them (וַיִּחַר-לוֹ מֹשֶׁה wa-yyiḥar-lô Mōšeh - lit. "and Moses's anger burned to him/on them"): The Hebrew yichar (יִחַר), usually referring to anger that is "hot" or "burning." Moses' anger here is not a loss of temper, but righteous indignation that reflects God's own displeasure at the people’s stubborn and faithless defiance. It underscored the seriousness of their sin in violating a direct divine command and doubting God’s unfailing provision.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "But they did not listen to Moses": This phrase introduces the central act of rebellion. It underscores the rejection of divine authority. "Listening to Moses" was tantamount to "listening to God," revealing a deep spiritual issue of unbelief and distrust rather than mere practical disobedience.
• "and some of them left part of it until morning": This explains how they disobeyed, specifying the direct action that violated God's explicit command. It was a conscious decision to operate by their own understanding (perhaps, fearing scarcity) rather than relying on God's word, highlighting anxiety and lack of faith.
• "and it bred worms and stank": This phrase delivers the immediate, supernatural, and loathsome consequence. The instantaneous putrefaction of the manna demonstrated God's direct involvement in judging their disobedience. The physical manifestation (worms and stench) was a sensory confirmation of their error, making the futility of their hoarding utterly undeniable and disgusting.
• "and Moses was angry with them": This shows the human (yet divinely inspired) response to their transgression. Moses’ anger signified the gravity of their sin, aligning his reaction with God’s own righteous indignation. It indicated the betrayal of trust and direct violation of the covenant instructions for life in the wilderness.

Exodus 16 20 Bonus section

The instantaneous putrefaction of the manna here stands in stark contrast to the portion collected on the sixth day for the Sabbath, which did not breed worms or stink (Exod 16:24). This provides undeniable evidence of God's miraculous intervention, distinguishing His holy purpose for the Sabbath from the consequences of everyday disobedience. The scene emphasizes God’s active participation in the physical realities of His people's lives, blessing obedience and bringing clear, sensory judgment upon rebellion. This also highlights a pattern where God gives a specific, often counter-intuitive, instruction (e.g., daily collection, no storing), which then becomes a test of faith and the basis for immediate reward or judgment, showing that faithfulness to His exact word matters profoundly.

Exodus 16 20 Commentary

Exodus 16:20 powerfully illustrates God’s expectation of daily dependence and the swift, tangible consequences of direct disobedience to His specific commands. The incident with the manna was designed by God not merely as a provision, but as a test to "humble" Israel and teach them dependence "on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord" (Deut 8:3). When some of them hoarded the manna, they effectively declared a lack of faith in God’s ability or willingness to provide for them tomorrow. The result—maggots and stench—was a divinely engineered physical consequence, instantly transforming what was intended for sustenance into repulsive corruption. This highlights that God’s gifts, when treated with suspicion and disobedience, can become curses. Moses’ anger reflects God's own displeasure at their unfaithfulness. This episode serves as an enduring lesson on the futility and destructive nature of anxiety-driven self-sufficiency in defiance of divine commands, advocating instead for simple trust in God's daily grace.