Exodus 16:1-12 · Bible study
Exodus 16:1-12 Commentary: Manna, Murmuring, and the Glory of God
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore God's response to Israel's grumbling one month after the Exodus. A study on provision, testing, and revealing glory in the wilderness.
Research Summary
- Meaning: One month after the Exodus, God miraculously provides manna and quail in response to Israel’s grumbling, testing their obedience and revealing His glory.
- Key words: lûn (murmur/grumble), mamṭîr (rain down, Hiphil participle showing divine initiative), kābôd (glory, visible presence). The phrase “come near before the LORD” (qirbû lipnê YHWH) summons them to a theophany.
- Main debate: No major interpretive dispute; the debate is whether the double portion on the sixth day (v.5) presupposes the Sabbath command given later at Sinai, or whether God’s law includes a creation-week rhythm already known.
- Theological theme: God’s provision as revelation: He gives daily bread to teach dependence, and meets complaint with grace that points to His identity as Lord.
- Best use: Teaching on trusting God for daily needs, the nature of legitimate complaint vs. grumbling, and seeing God’s glory in ordinary provision.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
1On the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left the land of Egypt, the whole congregation of Israel set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai.
2And there in the desert they all grumbled against Moses and Aaron.
3“If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt!” they said. “There we sat by pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, but you have brought us into this desert to starve this whole assembly to death!”
4Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test whether or not they will follow My instructions.
5Then on the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”
6So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “This evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
7and in the morning you will see the LORD’s glory, because He has heard your grumbling against Him. For who are we that you should grumble against us?”
8And Moses added, “The LORD will give you meat to eat this evening and bread to fill you in the morning, for He has heard your grumbling against Him. Who are we? Your grumblings are not against us but against the LORD.”
9Then Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the whole congregation of Israel, ‘Come before the LORD, for He has heard your grumbling.’”
10And as Aaron was speaking to the whole congregation of Israel, they looked toward the desert, and there in a cloud the glory of the LORD appeared.
11Then the LORD said to Moses,
12“I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.’”
WEB World English Bible 2000
1They took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.
2The whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness;
3and the children of Israel said to them, “We wish that we had died by Yahweh’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots, when we ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
4Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from the sky for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.
5It shall come to pass on the sixth day, that they shall prepare that which they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.”
6Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “At evening, you shall know that Yahweh has brought you out from the land of Egypt.
7In the morning, you shall see Yahweh’s glory; because he hears your murmurings against Yahweh. Who are we, that you murmur against us?”
8Moses said, “Now Yahweh will give you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to satisfy you, because Yahweh hears your murmurings which you murmur against him. And who are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against Yahweh.”
9Moses said to Aaron, “Tell all the congregation of the children of Israel, ‘Come close to Yahweh, for he has heard your murmurings.’”
10As Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, Yahweh’s glory appeared in the cloud.
11Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
12“I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At evening you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am Yahweh your God.’”
KJV King James Version 1769
1And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.
2And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:
3And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
4Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
5And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
6And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt:
7And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the Lord; for that he heareth your murmurings against the Lord: and what are we, that ye murmur against us?
8And Moses said, This shall be, when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.
9And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the Lord: for he hath heard your murmurings.
10And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.
11And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
12I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
1And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.
2And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness:
3and the children of Israel said unto them, Would that we had died by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
4Then said Jehovah unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.
5And it shall come to pass on the sixth day, that they shall prepare that which they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
6And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that Jehovah hath brought you out from the land of Egypt;
7and in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of Jehovah; for that he heareth your murmurings against Jehovah: and what are we, that ye murmur against us?
8And Moses said, This shall be, when Jehovah shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that Jehovah heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against Jehovah.
9And Moses said unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before Jehovah; for he hath heard your murmurings.
10And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of Jehovah appeared in the cloud.
11And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
12I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread: and ye shall know that I am Jehovah your God.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
1And they journey from Elim, and all the company of the sons of Israel come in unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month of their going out from the land of Egypt.
2And all the company of the sons of Israel murmur against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness;
3and the sons of Israel say unto them, `Oh that we had died by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt, in our sitting by the flesh-pot, in our eating bread to satiety--for ye have brought us out unto this wilderness to put all this assembly to death with hunger.'
4And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Lo, I am raining to you bread from the heavens--and the people have gone out and gathered the matter of a day in its day--so that I try them whether they walk in My law, or not;
5and it hath been on the sixth day, that they have prepared that which they bring in, and it hath been double above that which they gather day by day.'
6And Moses saith--Aaron also--unto all the sons of Israel, `Evening--and ye have known that Jehovah hath brought you out from the land of Egypt;
7and morning--and ye have seen the honour of Jehovah, in His hearing your murmurings against Jehovah, and what are we, that ye murmur against us?'
8And Moses saith, `In Jehovah's giving to you in the evening flesh to eat, and bread in the morning to satiety--in Jehovah's hearing your murmurings, which ye are murmuring against Him, and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against Jehovah.'
9And Moses saith unto Aaron, `Say unto all the company of the sons of Israel, Come ye near before Jehovah, for He hath heard your murmurings;'
10and it cometh to pass, when Aaron is speaking unto all the company of the sons of Israel, that they turn towards the wilderness, and lo, the honour of Jehovah is seen in the cloud.
11And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
12`I have heard the murmurings of the sons of Israel; speak unto them, saying, Between the evenings ye eat flesh, and in the morning ye are satisfied with bread, and ye have known that I am Jehovah your God.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
1And they journeyed from Elim, and the whole assembly of the children of Israel came into the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure out of the land of Egypt.
2And the whole assembly of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness.
3And the children of Israel said to them, Would that we had died by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we ate bread to the full; for ye have brought us out into this wilderness, to kill this whole congregation with hunger!
4Then said Jehovah to Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather the daily need on its day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.
5And it shall come to pass on the sixth day, that they shall prepare what they have brought in; and it shall be twice as much as they shall gather daily.
6And Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, In the evening, then shall ye know that Jehovah has brought you out from the land of Egypt;
7and in the morning, then shall ye see the glory of Jehovah; for he has heard your murmurings against Jehovah; — and what are we, that ye murmur against us?
8And Moses said, When Jehovah gives you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for Jehovah hears your murmurings which ye murmur against him...and what [are] we? your murmurings are not against us, but against Jehovah.
9And Moses spoke to Aaron, Say to all the assembly of the children of Israel, Come near into the presence of Jehovah; for he has heard your murmurings.
10And it came to pass, when Aaron spoke to the whole assembly of the children of Israel, that they turned toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of Jehovah appeared in the cloud.
11And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
12I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak to them, saying, Between the two evenings ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah your God.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
1And they set forward from Elim, and all the multitude of the children of Israel came into the desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai: the fifteenth day of the second month, after they came out of the land of Egypt.
2And all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
3And the children of Israel said to them: Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat over the fleshpots, and ate bread to the full: Why have you brought us into this desert, that you might destroy all the multitude with famine?
4And the Lord said to Moses: Behold I will rain bread from heaven for you; let the people go forth, and gather what is sufficient for every day: that I may prove them whether they will walk in my law, or not.
5But the sixth day let them provide for to bring in: and let it be double to that they were wont to gather every day.
6And Moses and Aaron said to the children of Israel In the evening you shall know that the Lord hath brought you forth out of the land of Egypt:
7And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord: for he hath heard your murmuring against the Lord: but as for us, what are we, that you mutter against us?
8And Moses said: In the evening the Lord will give you flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full: for he hath heard your murmurings, with which you have murmured against him, for what are we? your murmuring is not against us, but against the Lord.
9Moses also said to Aaron: Say to the whole congregation of the children of Israel: Come before the Lord; for he hath heard your murmuring.
10And when Aaron spoke to all the assembly of the children of Israel, they looked towards the wilderness; and behold the glory of the Lord appeared in a cloud.
11And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
12I have heard the murmuring of the children of Israel, say to them: In the evening you shall eat flesh, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 16:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this passage marks a pivotal moment one month after the Exodus (Ex. 16:1). The people’s hunger is real, their provisions from Egypt have run out (Wesley; Keil & Delitzsch). Yet their response, captured by the Hebrew verb va-yillōnû (“they grumbled”), is not merely a physical complaint but a spiritual failure. Clarke calls it evidence of a “degraded state of mind”; Calvin notes that Moses says the whole congregation murmured, though the universal term admits exceptions. The text shows the grumbling is ultimately directed at God, not just Moses and Aaron (v.8). God answers not with judgment but with astonishing provision: bread from heaven (manna) and meat in the evening (quail). He also gives a test, gathering a daily portion, with a double portion on the sixth day (v.4, 5), to see if the people will walk in His law. The glory of the Lord appears in the cloud (v.10), confirming that God hears and responds. The central message is clear: God provides for His people even in their failure, while calling them to trust and obey.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God heard the people’s complaint about hunger and responded with miraculous provision of manna and quail, using the daily gathering to test their obedience and reveal that He is the LORD their God.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The date's significance | The 15th day of the second month marks exactly one month since the Exodus, meaning their provisions from Egypt had run out. | Some (Wesley, Calvin) see the date as simply chronological; others (Cambridge Bible) link it to the preparation for the Sabbath instruction that follows in v.5. |
| The nature of the test | God tests whether they will walk in His law by giving daily bread and a double portion on the sixth day. | Some traditions (Reformed) see this as a moral test of obedience; others (Wesleyan) emphasize it as a lesson of dependence. The term 'law' (torah) may refer to the specific instructions about gathering or to broader divine teaching. |
| Interpretation of 'flesh-pots' and bread | The people remember abundant food in Egypt, contrasting with their current hunger. | Catholic and some Protestant readings note the literal memory of good food, while some (e.g., spiritualising interpretations) see it as a metaphor for worldly security versus trust in God. |
| Sabbath observance implicit in the double portion? | The provision of double manna on the sixth day points to a day of rest. | Some argue the Sabbath was already known from creation; others say this is the first institution of the Sabbath principle before the formal giving at Sinai. Both views seek to be faithful to the narrative. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Exodus 16:1 places the Israelites at the wilderness of Sin, a dry, sandy tract between Elim and Sinai, likely the modern area of Debbet er Ramleh (Barnes). They arrive on the fifteenth day of the second month, exactly one month after leaving Egypt (Ex. 12:2). This date is not accidental: it marks the point when the bread they brought from Egypt would be exhausted (Wesley; Keil & Delitzsch). The people had been well fed in Egypt; Barnes notes that “the servile labors to which they had been subjected did not involve privations.” They remember sitting by “flesh-pots” and eating bread to the full, a memory that intensifies their present anxiety.
The Hebrew verb for grumbling, lûn, appears repeatedly in this passage (vv.2,7,8,9,12), forming a thematic thread. In the ancient Near East, complaining against leaders was often seen as complaining against the deity who appointed them. Moses and Aaron deflect the accusation: “What are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against Yahweh” (v.8). The phrase “come close before Yahweh” (v.9) summons the people to a theophany, a visible encounter with divine glory. The cloud that appears (v.10) recalls the pillar of cloud that led them (Ex. 13:21), linking provision with guidance.
Culturally, the wilderness journey served as a training ground. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown note that “the grand object of their being led into the wilderness was that they might receive a religious training directly under the eye of God.” The scarcity of food set the stage for the first lesson: dependence on daily bread from heaven.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this passage. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, with minor variations in spelling of place names (Sin/Sinai). The main textual observation is the repeated word for “murmuring” (telunnah), which appears in both singular and plural forms seamlessly.
Reception History
From the early church onward, Exodus 16 was read as a type of Christ, the true bread from heaven. John 6 explicitly recalls this event: Jesus calls Himself the bread of life that came down from heaven (John 6:32, 35). The manna became a foundational image for the Eucharist, spiritual food for the journey. Medieval commentators (e.g., Gregory the Great) saw in the daily gathering a discipline of trusting God for grace sufficient for each day. The Reformers (Luther, Calvin) emphasised the testing aspect: God proves His people not to trip them but to teach them reliance on His Word. In more recent tradition, the passage is often used in preaching about worry and provision (Matthew 6:31, 33). The phrase “bread from heaven” appears in many hymns sung across Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Hunger reveals the heart (vv.1, 3). The shortage of food exposes not only physical need but spiritual distrust. The people’s memory of Egypt is distorted; they forget slavery and remember only full stomachs.
- God provides before they ask (vv.4, 8). Before Moses can even pray (Gill suggests he prayed), God promises bread and meat. The provision is generous, but it comes with a test, a daily rhythm of trust.
- Glory meets grumbling (vv.9, 12). When Aaron calls the people to draw near, the glory of the Lord appears in the cloud. God’s answer to complaint is not rebuke but revelation: “You will know that I am the LORD your God.”
Five-point outline
- A precise date: one month out of Egypt (v.1). The timing shows God’s intentional training.
- The sound of grumbling: misplaced anger (vv.2, 3). The people attack Moses and Aaron, but their real target is God.
- God’s counteroffer: bread from heaven (vv.4, 5). A daily gift that requires daily dependence.
- Moses’ deflection: “Who are we?” (vv.6, 8). The leaders model humility, shifting focus to the true Provider.
- The appearing glory: God’s presence in the cloud (vv.9, 12). The provision is also a revelation: “I am the LORD your God.”
Illustration hooks
- A family runs out of groceries a week before payday. The anxiety is real, but so is the opportunity to trust God’s provision and maybe receive help from unexpected sources.
- In an office where workers constantly complain about management, a wise supervisor says, “Your frustration isn’t with me; it’s with the policies and the system above us.” Like Moses, they deflect criticism upward.
- A student receives a daily assignment from a teacher, just enough for one day. The discipline of not cramming or skipping teaches steady work, mirroring the lesson of the manna.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Was the Israelites’ complaint unfair? They were genuinely hungry. Why does God call it sin?
- What does it mean for us to “test” God when we complain? Or is God testing us through scarcity?
- If God already knew they would fail the test, why give it at all? What do we learn from that?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows a community in crisis. Their hunger is legitimate; their grumbling reveals a deeper issue of trust. As you discuss, notice both the complaint and God’s surprising response, not punishment but provision with a purpose.
Discussion questions
- Read Exodus 16:1, 3. Why does the writer include the exact date? How does this help us understand the people’s situation?
- Look at the Hebrew word lûn (“to grumble”) used six times in these verses. What does the repetition tell you about the seriousness of their complaint?
- In v.3, the people say they wish they had died in Egypt. Why do they idealise their slavery? When do we do the same, long for a familiar difficulty rather than trust God in an unknown one?
- God says He will “test them” through the daily gathering (v.4). What kind of test is this? Is it a pass/fail exam or a lesson in relationship?
- Moses and Aaron repeatedly redirect the complaint: “Your murmurings are not against us, but against Yahweh” (v.8). How does this change the way we think about our own complaints against leaders or circumstances?
- The glory of the Lord appears in the cloud when Aaron calls the people to draw near (v.9, 10). What is the connection between their drawing near and God’s response? What does “drawing near” look like for you?
- In v.12 God says, “Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.” What does this teach about God’s goal in providing for us? Is it merely to meet physical needs, or something deeper?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 15:27 | They came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. They encamped there by the waters. |
| Exodus 17:1 | All the congregation of the children of Israel traveled from the wilderness of Sin, starting according to Yahweh’s commandment, and encamped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. |
| Numbers 33:10 | They traveled from Elim, and encamped by the Red Sea. |
| Numbers 33:12 | They traveled from the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah. |
| Ezekiel 30:15 | I will pour my wrath on Sin, the stronghold of Egypt. I will cut off the multitude of No. |
| Ezekiel 30:16 | I will set a fire in Egypt Sin will be in great anguish. No will be broken up. Memphis will have adversaries in the daytime. |
| Genesis 19:4 | But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter. |
| Exodus 14:11 | They said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us out of Egypt? |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin highlights the people's perverse response to hunger: instead of praying to the God who had fed their ancestors, they erupted in insolent rebellion. He stresses that God's gift of manna was both a test of obedience and a revelation of His glory, exposing their ingratitude even as He provided for their need.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary focuses on the exact geography of Israel's route from Elim to the wilderness of Sin, weighing two possible paths along the coast or through the desert. It also highlights that the promise of bread alone appears in one source, while the promise of flesh comes only in the other.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill distinguishes the manna as bread from the lower heavens, prepared by angels, from the true bread that came from the highest heaven, Jesus Christ. He stresses that God used this daily provision to test Israel’s obedience and trust, responding to their murmuring with remarkable kindness rather than judgment.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that while the Israelites' murmuring was ungrateful and unreasonable, their struggle is understandable: they had always walked by sight, and now faced a dire desert with only an unseen God's promises. The same difficulty in walking by faith persists for believers today, even with clearer revelation, so their example serves as a warning rather than grounds for self-righteousness.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch draw a sharp distinction: the glory of the Lord that the people would "see" did not consist in the cloud appearance but in their experience of the miraculous gifts of flesh and bread. The flash of light from the cloud served to awaken fear and remind them of their rebellion, while also demonstrating that God can glorify Himself by providing richly even in a barren desert.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads the wilderness journey as a human prelude to the divine lawgiving, with the episodes at Rephidim establishing Israel's twofold relation to the nations. Amalek represents hostile heathenism that must be opposed eternally, while Jethro shows heathen wisdom that can be gratefully accepted. Together they form a typological preparation for the theocracy at Sinai.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights the absurdity of murmurers: discontent magnifies the past and vilifies the present without regard to truth. God provided bread from heaven to test whether Israel would trust Him, and the glory of the Lord revealed His power as their God.