1 The whole congregation of Israelites moved from Elim to the desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai. This was on the fifteenth day of the second month after they left Egypt.
2 The entire congregation complained about Moses and Aaron in the desert.
3 The Israelites said to them: »If only Jehovah had allowed us die in Egypt! There we sat by our pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted! You brought us out into this desert to let us all starve to death!«
4 Jehovah said to Moses: »I am going to cause food to rain down from the sky for all of you. The people must go out every day and gather enough for that day. In this way I can test them to find out if they will follow my instructions.
5 »They are to bring in twice as much as usual and prepare it on the sixth day.«
6 Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites: »This evening you will know that it was Jehovah who brought you out of Egypt.
7 »In the morning you will see the glory of Jehovahs presence. He hears your complaints against him. But what are we that you complain against us?«
8 Moses said: »This will happen when Jehovah gives you meat to eat in the evening, and bread to eat in the morning. Jehovah hears your complaints against him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against Jehovah.«
9 Moses said to Aaron: »Say to all the congregation of the sons of Israel: Come near before Jehovah for he has heard your complaints.«
10 Aaron was speaking to them, when everyone looked out toward the desert and saw the bright glory of Jehovah in a cloud.
11 Jehovah said to Moses:
12 »I have heard my people complain. I said to them: Each evening you will have meat and each morning they will have more than enough bread. Then you will know that I am Jehovah their God.«
13 That evening many quails came and landed everywhere in the camp, and the next morning dew covered the ground.
14 After the dew had gone, the desert was covered with thin flakes that looked like frost.
15 When the children of Israel saw, they said to one another: »What is this?« For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them: »This is the bread Jehovah has given you to eat.«
16 This is what Jehovah has commanded: »Each man should gather according to what he can eat. You shall take two quarts for each person in your tent.«
17 The sons of Israel did this. Some gathered much and some little.
18 They measured it. Those who gathered much did not have too much. Some who gathered less did not have too little. Each had gathered just what he needed.
19 Moses said: »No one is to keep any of it for tomorrow.«
20 Some of them did not listen to Moses and saved part of it. The next morning it was full of worms and smelled rotten. Moses was angry with them.
21 Every morning each one gathered as much as he needed. When the sun grew hot, what was left on the ground melted.
22 The sixth day they gathered twice as much food, four quarts for each person. All the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses about it. (Mark 15:42)
23 Moses said: »Jehovah has commanded that tomorrow is a holy day of rest, dedicated to God. Bake today what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Whatever is left should be put aside and kept for tomorrow.«
24 They kept what was left until the next day as Moses commanded. It did not spoil or get worms in it.
25 Moses said: »Eat this today, because today is the Sabbath, a day of rest dedicated to Jehovah. You will not find any food outside the camp.
26 »You shall gather it for six days. But on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there shall be none.«
27 Some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather. They did not find any.
28 Jehovah spoke to Moses: »How long do you refuse to keep my commandments and my instructions?
29 »Jehovah has given you the Sabbath. He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day. Remain every man in his place! Let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.«
30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
31 The house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white in color. It tasted like wafers made with honey.
32 Moses said: »This is what Jehovah has commanded: Let two quarts of it be kept throughout your generations. Then they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.«
33 Moses said to Aaron: »Take a jar, and put two quarts of manna in it. Place it before Jehovah, to be kept throughout your generations.«
34 Aaron placed it before the Testimony, to be kept just as Jehovah commanded Moses.
35 The children of Israel ate the manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land. They ate the manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.
36 The standard dry measure used in Moses day equaled twenty quarts.