Esodo 16:35 Commento

This chapter gives us an account of the victualling of the camp of Israel. I. Their complaint for want of bread (Exo 16:1-3). II. The notice God gave them beforehand of the provision he intended to make for them (Exo 16:4-12). III. The sending of the manna (Exo 16:13-15). IV. The laws and orders concerning the manna. 1. That they should gather it daily for their daily bread (Exo 16:16-21). 2. That they should gather a double portion on the sixth day (Exo 16:22-26). 3. That they should expect none on the seventh day (Exo 16:27-31). 4. That they should preserve a pot of it for a memorial (Exo 16:32, etc.).

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 16 This chapter begins with an account of the journeying of the children of Israel from Elim to the wilderness of Sin, where they murmured for want of bread, Exo 16:1, when the Lord told Moses that he would rain bread from heaven for them, which Moses informed them of; and withal, that the Lord took notice of their murmurings, Exo 16:4 which promise the Lord fulfilled; and a description of the bread, and the name of it, are given, Exo 16:13, and some instructions are delivered out concerning the quantity of it to be gathered, Exo 16:16, the time of gathering and keeping it, Exo 16:19, the gathering a double quantity on the sixth day for that and the seventh day, with the reason of it, Exo 16:22 and a further description of it, Exo 16:31, and an order to preserve an omer of it in a pot, to be kept for generations to come, that it might be seen by them, Exo 16:32, and the chapter is concluded with observing, that this bread was ate by the Israelites forty years, even till they came to the borders of the land of Canaan, and the quantity they ate every day is observed what it was, Exo 16:35.

Let us also see if we are able to find Quadragesima’s mystical number somewhere else in the Scriptures. We read that holy Moses fed the children of Israel with heavenly manna in the desert for the space of forty years. Good is the number, then, which always opens heaven. Good is the number, I say, by which Noah’s righteousness is preserved and the children of Israel are fed. For this reason let us also observe this number so that the heavens might be opened to us in order that the rain of spiritual grace might fall upon us and the manna of the spiritual sacraments refresh us. For, after the fashion of our fathers, by this observance of Quadragesima we are both made righteous and nourished: we are made righteous by the washing [of baptism] and nourished by the sacraments [of bread and wine].

The Israelites journey from Elim, and come to the wilderness of Sin, Exo 16:1. They murmur for lack of bread, Exo 16:2, Exo 16:3. God promises to rain bread from heaven for them, Exo 16:4, of which they were to collect a double portion on the sixth day, Exo 16:5. A miraculous supply of flesh in the evening and bread in the morning, promised, Exo 16:6-9. The glory of the Lord appears in the cloud, Exo 16:10. Flesh and bread promised as a proof of God's care over them, Exo 16:11, Exo 16:12. Quails come and cover the whole camp, Exo 16:13. And a dew fell which left a small round substance on the ground, which Moses tells them was the bread which God had sent, Exo 16:14, Exo 16:15. Directions for gathering it, Exo 16:16. The Israelites gather each an omer, Exo 16:17, Exo 16:18. They are directed to leave none of it till the next day, Exo 16:19; which some neglecting, it become putrid, Exo 16:20. They gather it every morning, because it melted when the sun waxed hot, Exo 16:21. Each person gathers two omers on the sixth day, Exo 16:22. Moses commands them to keep the seventh as a Sabbath to the Lord, Exo 16:23. What was laid up for the Sabbath did not putrefy, Exo 16:24. Nothing of it fell on that day, hence the strict observance of the Sabbath was enjoined, Exo 16:25-30. The Israelites name the substance that fell with the dew manna; its appearance and taste described, Exo 16:31. An omer of the manna is commanded to be laid up for a memorial of Jehovah's kindness, Exo 16:32-34. The manna now sent continued daily for the space of forty years, Exo 16:35. How much an omer contained, Exo 16:36.

The children of Israel did eat manna forty years - From this verse it has been supposed that the book of Exodus was not written till after the miracle of the manna had ceased. But these words might have been added by Ezra, who under the direction of the Divine Spirit collected and digested the different inspired books, adding such supplementary, explanatory, and connecting sentences, as were deemed proper to complete and arrange the whole of the sacred canon. For previously to his time, according to the universal testimony of the Jews, all the books of the Old Testament were found in an unconnected and dispersed state.

MURMURS FOR WANT OF BREAD. (Exo. 16:1-36) they took their journey from Elim--where they had remained several days. came unto the wilderness of Sin--It appears from Num. 32:1-42, that several stations are omitted in this historical notice of the journey. This passage represents the Israelites as advanced into the great plain, which, beginning near El-Murkah, extends with a greater or less breadth to almost the extremity of the peninsula. In its broadest part northward of Tur it is called El-Kaa, which is probably the desert of Sin [ROBINSON].