Shamuth (Exodus) — 16

Manhu and Quail from Shamaym 

1 Then the whole community of Yashar'AL set out from Alim and journeyed into the wilderness of Sin, between Alim and Mount Sinai. They arrived there on the fifteenth day of the second month, one month after leaving the land of Mitzraym. 

2 There too, the whole community of Yashar'AL complained about Musha and Aarun.

3 “If only 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH had killed us back in Mitzraym,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.”

4 Then 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar to Musha, “Look, I AM going to rain down food from Shamaym for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions. 

5 On the sixth day they will gather food and when they prepare it, there will be twice as much as usual.”

6 So Musha and Aaron said to all the people of Yashar'AL, “By evening you will realize it was 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH who brought you out of the land of Mitzraym. 

7 In the morning you will see the Kabad of  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, because 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has heard your complaints which are against Him, not against us. What have we done that you should complain about us?” 

8 Then Musha added, “𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will give you meat to eat in the evening and bread to satisfy you in the morning, for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has heard all your complaints against Him. What have we done? Yes your complaints are against 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, not against us.”

9 Then Musha said to Aarun, “Announce this to the entire community of Yashar'AL: ‘Present yourselves before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has heard your complaining.’” 

10 And as Aarun spoke to the whole community of Yashar'AL, they looked out toward the wilderness. There they could see the awesome Kabad of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH in the cloud.

11 Then 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar to Musha, 

12 “I have heard the Yasharalym’ complaints. Now tell them, ‘In the evening you will have meat to eat and in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know that I am 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH your 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH.

13 That evening vast numbers of quail flew in and covered the camp. And the next morning the area around the camp was wet with dew.

14 When the dew evaporated, a flaky substance as fine as frost blanketed the ground. 

15 The Yasharalym were puzzled when they saw it. “What is it?” they asked each other. They had no idea what it was. And Musha told them, “It is the food 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has given you to eat. 

16 These are 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH’s instructions: Each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quarts for each person in your tent.”

17 So the people of Yashar'AL did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. 

18 But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed.

19 Then Musha told them, “Do not keep any of it until morning.” 

20 But some of them did not listen and kept some of it until morning. But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. Musha was very angry with them.

21 After this the people gathered the food morning by morning, each family according to its need. And as the sun became hot, the flakes they had not picked up melted and disappeared. 

22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much as usual, four quarts for each person instead of two. Then all the leaders of the community came and asked Musha for an explanation. 

23 Musha told the Yasharalym, “This is what 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH commanded: Tomorrow will be a day of complete rest, a Qadash Shabbat day set apart for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. So bake or boil as much as you want today, and set aside what is left for tomorrow.”

24 So they put some aside until morning, just as Musha had commanded. And in the morning the leftover food was wholesome and good, without maggots or odor. 

25 Musha said, “Eat this food today, for today is a Shabbat day dedicated to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, There will be no food on the ground today. 

26 You may gather the food for six days, but the seventh day is the Shabbat. There will be no food on the ground that day.”

27 Some of the people went out anyway on the seventh day, but they found no food. 

28 So 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH asked Musha, “How long will these people refuse to obey my commands and instructions? 

29 They must realize that the Shabbat is  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH’s gift to you. That is why 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH gives you a two-day supply on the sixth day, so there will be enough for two days. On the Shabbat day you must each stay in your place. Do not go out to pick up food on the seventh day.” 

30 So the people did not gather any food on the seventh day.

31 The Yasharalym called the food manna. It was white like coriander seed and it tasted like honey wafers.

32 Then Musha said, “This is what 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has commanded: Fill a two-quart container with manna to preserve it for your descendants. Then later generations will be able to see the food I gave you in the wilderness when I set you free from Mitzraym.”

33 Musha said to Aarun, “Get a jar and fill it with two quarts of manna. Then put it in a sacred place before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH to preserve it for all future generations.” 

34 Aarun did just as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH had commanded Musha. He eventually placed it in the Ark of the Covenant in front of the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant. 

35 So the people of Yashar'AL ate manna for forty years until they arrived at the land where they would settle. They ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.

36 The container used to measure the manna was an omer, which was one-tenth of an ephah; it held about two quarts.