Exodus 16 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

They set out from Elim, and the entire Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Sin — which is between Elim and Sinai — on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left Egypt.

In the desert, the entire Israelite community complained against Moses and Aaron.

The Israelites said to them, "If only Yahweh had killed us back in Egypt! At least there we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted. But you've brought us out into this desert to starve this whole crowd to death."

Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Look — I'm going to rain down food from the sky for you. The people will go out and gather just enough for each day. I'm going to test them with this to see whether they'll follow my instructions or not."

"On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on the other days."

So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, "By evening you'll know that it was Yahweh who brought you out of Egypt,

and by morning you'll see the visible glory of Yahweh, because he has heard your complaints against him. Who are we that you'd complain against us?"

Moses continued, "Yahweh will give you meat to eat in the evening and all the food you want in the morning, because Yahweh has heard the complaints you're directing at him. Who are we? Your complaints aren't really against us — they're against Yahweh."

Then Moses told Aaron, "Say to the entire Israelite community, 'Come into Yahweh's presence, because he has heard your complaints.'"

While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they turned toward the desert, and there it was — the visible glory of Yahweh appearing in the cloud.

Yahweh said to Moses,

"I've heard the Israelites' complaints. Tell them: 'At twilight you'll eat meat, and in the morning you'll be filled with food. Then you'll know that I am Yahweh your God.'"

That evening, quail came and covered the camp. And in the morning there was a layer of dew all around the camp.

When the dew evaporated, there on the surface of the desert were thin flakes, thin as frost on the ground.

When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, "What is it?" — because they didn't know what it was. Moses told them, "This is the food that Yahweh has given you to eat."

"Here is what Yahweh has commanded: 'Each person should gather as much as they need — about two quarts per person. Everyone should gather for the number of people in their tent.'"

The Israelites did as they were told. Some gathered more, some less.

But when they measured it out, the one who gathered a lot didn't have too much, and the one who gathered only a little didn't have too little. Each person had exactly what they needed.

Then Moses said to them, "No one should keep any of it until morning."

But some of them didn't listen to Moses. They kept part of it until morning, and it was full of maggots and stank. Moses was angry with them.

Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away.

On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much food — about four quarts per person. All the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses.

He told them, "This is what Yahweh has said: 'Tomorrow is a day of complete rest, a Sabbath set apart for Yahweh. Bake what you want to bake and cook what you want to cook. Whatever is left over, set aside and keep it until morning.'"

So they set it aside until morning, just as Moses commanded, and it didn't stink or get maggots in it.

Moses said, "Eat it today, because today is a Sabbath to Yahweh. You won't find any on the ground today.

You'll gather it for six days, but on the seventh day — the Sabbath — there won't be any."

Still, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they didn't find any.

Then Yahweh said to Moses, "How long will you people refuse to follow my commands and instructions?

Look — Yahweh has given you the Sabbath. That's why he gives you two days' worth of food on the sixth day. Everyone stay where you are on the seventh day. No one should go out."

So the people rested on the seventh day.

The people of Israel called the food "manna." It was white like coriander seed and tasted like honey wafers.

Moses said, "This is what Yahweh has commanded: 'Keep two quarts of it for future generations, so they can see the food I gave you to eat in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.'"

Moses told Aaron, "Take a jar and put two quarts of manna in it. Then place it in Yahweh's presence to be kept for future generations."

Just as Yahweh commanded Moses, Aaron placed it in front of the Testimony to be kept.

The Israelites ate manna for forty years — until they arrived at a land they could settle in. They ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.

(An omer is one-tenth of an ephah.)