Exodus 16:1-9

¹ They pulled up from Elim, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel entered the Sin desert, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left the land of Egypt. ² And the whole congregation of the sons of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, ³ and the people of Israel said to them, “If only[1] we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” ⁴ Then the LORD told Moses, “See, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people will go out and gather a day’s portion every day, so that I may test them, whether they will walk by my law or not. ⁵ On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” ⁶ So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, ⁷ and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against the LORD. Because what are we, that you grumble against us?” ⁸ And Moses said, “When the LORD gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to satisfy you, because the LORD has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him- what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the LORD.” ⁹ Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, ‘Approach the face of the LORD, for he has heard your complaining.'”

hunger games

Having successfully complained of bad water at Marah, the Israelites decided to keep up that game and complain about their lack of food. The LORD knew that they needed food, but he also wanted to teach them how to put their faith in him daily for meeting their needs. The manna six days a week was a good way of demonstration his watching over them. Moses and Aaron also explained that complaining about their hunger – as if it is their leaders’ fault – was not proper. Just like the waters of Marah, the hunger was a reminder that the walk out of Egypt was to be a walk into a closer relationship with their God.

LORD, may we always seek for answers to our needs in you, because you care for us, and want us to seek you.

[1] Lit. “Who would give” (us this) – an idiom that expects a negative reply. It was a Hebrew way of saying with contempt that no one can help. This question is contrasted with that in verse 7.