Exodus 16:23 · Bible study
Exodus 16:23 Commentary: Manna and the First Sabbath Command
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine the first explicit mention of Sabbath in the Bible, the double portion of manna, and the debate over whether the day of rest came from creation or here.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The double portion of manna on the sixth day reveals the Sabbath as a day of holy rest, teaching Israel to depend on God’s provision.
- Key words: Shabbathon (rest), shabbat (Sabbath), qodesh (holiness), mishmeret (keeping/guard).
- Main debate: Was the Sabbath known from creation (Genesis 2) or first instituted here for Israel?
- Theological theme: God’s provision precedes His command, and rest is an act of trust, not idleness.
- Best use: Teaching on Sabbath origins, God’s care in the wilderness, and the relationship between work and rest.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
He told them, “This is what the LORD has said: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake, and boil what you want to boil. Then set aside whatever remains and keep it until morning.’”
WEB World English Bible 2000
He said to them, “This is that which Yahweh has spoken, ‘Tomorrow is a solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to Yahweh. Bake that which you want to bake, and boil that which you want to boil; and all that remains over lay up for yourselves to be kept until the morning.’”
KJV King James Version 1769
And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And he said unto them, This is that which Jehovah hath spoken, To-morrow is a solemn rest, a holy sabbath unto Jehovah: bake that which ye will bake, and boil that which ye will boil; and all that remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And he saith unto them, `It is that which Jehovah hath spoken of ; a rest--a holy sabbath to Jehovah-- is to-morrow; that which ye bake, bake; and that which ye boil, boil; and all that is over, let rest for yourselves in charge till the morning.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And he said to them, This is what Jehovah has said: To-morrow is the rest, the holy sabbath, of Jehovah: bake what ye will bake, and cook what ye will cook; and lay up for yourselves all that remains over, to be kept for the morning.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And he said to them: This is what the Lord hath spoken: To morrow is the rest of the sabbath sanctified to the Lord. Whatsoever work is to be done, do it; and the meats that are to be dressed, dress them; and whatsoever shall remain, lay it up until the morning.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y él les dijo: Esto es lo que ha dicho Jehová: Mañana es el santo sábado, el reposo de Jehová: lo que hubiereis de cocer, cocedlo hoy, y lo que hubiereis de cocinar, cocinadlo; y todo lo que os sobrare, guardadlo para mañana.
E ele lhes disse: Isto é o que o SENHOR disse: Amanhã é o repouso, o santo sábado do SENHOR; o que houverdes de assar, assai-o hoje, e o que houverdes de cozinhar, cozinhai-o; e tudo o que vos sobrar, guardai-o para amanhã.
Et Moïse leur dit: C’ est ce que l’ Éternel a ordonné. Demain est le jour du repos, le sabbat consacré à l’ Éternel; faites cuire ce que vous avez à faire cuire, faites bouillir ce que vous avez à faire bouillir, et mettez en réserve jusqu’ au matin tout ce qui restera.
Und er sprach zu ihnen: Das ist's, was der HERR gesagt hat: Morgen ist der Sabbat der heiligen Ruhe des HERRN; was ihr backen wollt, das backt, und was ihr kochen wollt, das kocht; was aber übrig ist, das lasset bleiben, daß es behalten werde bis morgen.
Hij dan zeide tot hen: Dit is het, dat de HEERE gesproken heeft: Morgen is de rust, de heilige sabbat des HEEREN! wat gij bakken zoudt, bakt dat, en ziedt, wat gij zieden zoudt; en al wat over blijft, legt het op voor u in bewaring tot den morgen.
Ed egli disse loro: “Questo è quello che ha detto l’Eterno: Domani è un giorno solenne di riposo: un sabato sacro all’Eterno; fate cuocere oggi quel che avete da cuocere e fate bollire quel che avete da bollire; e tutto quel che vi avanza, riponetelo e serbatelo fino a domani”.
Który im rzekł: Toć jest, co mówił Pan: Odpocznienie sabbatu świętego Panu jutro będzie; co macie piec, pieczcie, a co macie warzyć, warzcie, a cokolwiek zbędzie, zostawcie sobie, a zachowajcie do jutra.
И [Моисей] сказал им: вот что сказал Господь: завтра покой, святая суббота Господня; что надобно печь, пеките, и что надобно варить, варите сегодня, а что останется, отложите и сберегите до утра.
摩西對他們 說：「耶和華 這樣 說：『明天 是聖 安息日，是向耶和華 守的聖安息日。 你們要烤 的 就烤了， 要煮 的 就煮了， 所 剩下的 都留 到 早晨。』」
And he said, This is what the Lord has said, Tomorrow is a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord: what has to be cooked may be cooked; and what is over, put on one side to be kept till the morning.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 16:23
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 on the basic narrative: God provided a double portion of manna on the sixth day, and Moses interpreted this as a sign that the seventh day was to be a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to Yahweh. The Hebrew terms carry weight here. The word שַׁבָּתוֹן (shabbathon) is an abstract noun meaning “cessation” or “rest,” paired with שַׁבַּת (shabbat), the technical term for the day itself. The Cambridge Bible notes that “shabbathon” appears as a technical term in Priestly literature, used for festivals and the sabbatical year (Leviticus 23:24; 25:4). Barnes and Matthew Henry both highlight that the instructions to bake and boil on the sixth day, then store the remainder, presuppose a day on which no gathering would occur.
The commentators diverge sharply, however, on whether the Sabbath was already known or was being introduced for the first time. Clarke, Wesley, and Matthew Henry argue from Genesis 2:2-3 that the Sabbath was established at creation and here merely reaffirmed. Gill and Keil & Delitzsch counter that the text presents the Sabbath as new to Israel, a practical institution through the manna that would later be codified at Sinai. All agree that this event taught Israel to trust God’s provision and to honor a day of rest.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Pre‑creation Sabbath: Genesis 2:2-3 and the fact that the double portion presupposes knowledge of the seventh day; Matthew Henry, Wesley, Clarke.
- First institution for Israel: The text presents this as new information to the people; no mention of Sabbath prior in Exodus; Gill, Keil & Delitzsch.
What is clear: The manna miracle established the principle that God provides for rest, and that the seventh day is set apart as holy to Yahweh, regardless of whether the Sabbath was newly revealed or renewed.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Origin of the Sabbath | The seventh day is set apart as a day of rest and holiness to Yahweh, and the manna event demonstrates that God provides for this rest. | Some Christians (e.g., Matthew Henry, Wesley) hold that the Sabbath was instituted at creation (Genesis 2:2, 3) and here reaffirmed. Others (e.g., Gill, Keil) argue that this is the first time the Sabbath is revealed to Israel, with its codification coming later at Sinai. |
| Nature of the manna | The manna was a supernatural provision from God, distinct from natural products like tamarisk manna. | Barnes emphasizes that it could be ground, baked, and boiled like grain, while natural manna melts and cannot be processed that way. All agree the manna was miraculous, but some focus on its continuity with natural phenomena, others on its wholly unique character. |
| Purpose of the double portion | The double portion on the sixth day was meant to provide for the Sabbath so that no gathering work was needed. | Some see it primarily as a test of obedience (would the people trust God’s command?), while others emphasize it as a gracious provision that teaches the rhythm of work and rest. |
| Role of the rulers | The rulers of the congregation came to Moses about the double portion, indicating they did not initially understand its meaning. | The Cambridge Bible sees this as a narrative device highlighting the newness of the Sabbath; Matthew Henry suggests the rulers’ surprise shows the Sabbath was not yet formally commanded but the principle was known. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The setting is the Wilderness of Sin, roughly a month after the Exodus (Exodus 16:1). The people are hungry, and God provides manna, bread from heaven. Each morning, enough falls for that day; on the sixth day, a double portion appears. The rulers are surprised and report to Moses, who then gives the explanation recorded in verse 23. This is the first time the word “Sabbath” appears in the biblical narrative, though the concept of a seventh-day rest is found in the creation account (Genesis 2:2-3).
The manna itself was unlike any natural substance. Barnes points out that ordinary manna (from tamarisk trees) cannot be ground or baked like grain, but the biblical manna had the properties of bread: it could be ground, baked, and boiled. This supernatural provision kept the people alive for forty years.
Culturally, Israel had just come from Egypt, where forced labor presumably did not allow for a weekly rest. Keil & Delitzsch argue that “the Israelites were not acquainted with any sabbatical observance at that time.” The double portion on the sixth day functioned as a practical lesson: God provided enough on the previous day so that no work would be needed on the seventh. Moses’ command to “bake that which you want to bake, and boil that which you want to boil” indicates that food preparation was permitted on the sixth day, but the day itself was not yet understood as a total cessation from all cooking (the law against kindling a fire on the Sabbath came later, Exodus 35:3).
The event thus served both as a test of obedience (would the people trust God’s word?) and as a revelation of God’s care. It established a rhythm of six days of labor followed by a day of rest, a pattern that would become central to Israel’s identity.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts. A minor translation difference appears in the WEB and BSB rendering “solemn rest” versus the KJV “rest of the holy sabbath,” reflecting different ways to translate the construct chain shabbat shabbathon qodesh, but the underlying Hebrew is consistent.
Reception History
This verse has been central to the Christian debate about the origin of the Sabbath. Early church fathers such as Irenaeus and Augustine pointed to Genesis 2 as the institution of the seventh day, and they saw the manna episode as a confirmation of that order. In the Reformation, Matthew Henry and Wesley used Exodus 16:23 to argue that the Sabbath predated Sinai and was a creation ordinance, binding on all people. Baptists and critical scholars, including John Gill and later Keil & Delitzsch, read the passage as the first actual institution of the Sabbath for Israel, a ceremonial law not necessarily binding on Christians. The verse has also been cited in liturgical traditions to support the idea of preparing for worship by completing daily work in advance.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God Provides Before He Commands. The double portion comes before the command to rest. Grace precedes law. The people received abundance before they were told how to use it.
- Rest Requires Trust. The people had to believe that the manna would keep overnight and that enough would come on the sixth day. To rest is to say, “God will provide tomorrow.”
- The Sabbath Is a Sign of Dependence. This day was not about idleness but about acknowledging that life comes from God, not from human labor.
Five-point outline
- The surprise of the rulers, even the leaders did not understand the double portion at first.
- Moses’ explanation, he connects the abundance to the coming Sabbath.
- The preparation command, bake and boil in advance; rest follows preparation.
- Supernatural preservation, the leftover manna does not spoil, confirming God’s word.
- The enduring pattern, this event lays a foundation for the Sabbath commandment at Sinai.
Illustration hooks
- A family that sets aside the next day’s dinner the night before, trusting they won’t need a last‑minute grocery run.
- A farmer who does not go to the field on Sunday, believing the crops will still be there Monday.
- A freelance worker who deliberately leaves one day empty on the calendar, discovering that the world keeps turning without their effort.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this passage mean the Sabbath started here, or was it observed from creation? How should that affect our view of Sunday?
- If God commands rest, does that mean work is bad? How do we distinguish rest from laziness?
- What does this story teach about trusting God with our time and our provision?
Leading a Discussion
This passage comes at a moment of testing. God has given manna, but the people must learn to receive it on His terms. The double portion on the sixth day is a gift, and it also asks for trust: will they believe that God will provide tomorrow if they stop today? The Sabbath is not just a rule; it is an invitation to depend on God.
Discussion questions
- Read Exodus 16:22-23. What surprises the rulers about the double portion? What does this suggest about their understanding of the coming day?
- Why does Moses mention the Sabbath here? What does he want the people to understand about the seventh day?
- Compare this passage with Genesis 2:2-3. How does the manna story connect to the creation account?
- The people are told to bake and boil on the sixth day. Why do you think this mattered? What would it mean to prepare for rest?
- Some commentators argue the Sabbath was known from the beginning; others see it as introduced here. What evidence in the text supports each view?
- How does this event test the people’s trust in God? In what areas of your life do you find it hard to trust that God will provide if you rest?
- What would it look like for your small group to practice a Sabbath rhythm together this week?
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)
| Genesis 2:2 | On the seventh day God finished his work which he had done; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done. |
| Genesis 2:3 | God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work of creation which he had done. |
| Exodus 20:8 | “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. |
| Exodus 20:11 | for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy. |
| Exodus 23:12 | “Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant, and the alien may be refreshed. |
| Exodus 31:15 | Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to Yahweh. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall surely be put to death. |
| Exodus 35:2 | ‘Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of solemn rest to Yahweh: whoever does any work in it shall be put to death. |
| Exodus 35:3 | You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations on the Sabbath day.’” |
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
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke argues that the Sabbath was not first instituted here; it was already known from creation. The command is renewed because the Israelites might have thought wilderness life exempted them. He sees this as part of the Sabbath's consistent importance, later enshrined in the Ten Commandments.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the manna from heaven differed fundamentally from ordinary natural manna. While natural manna is used like honey and melts under moderate heat, the biblical manna could be ground, baked, and boiled like grain, giving it the nutritive properties of bread.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes that the Hebrew term translated "solemn rest" actually means a cessation or resting, with no inherent idea of solemnity. This phrase is a technical expression in the Priestly writings, used to intensify the idea of complete rest from work on the sabbath and other holy days.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes that this instruction about gathering a double portion of manna came directly from God. It establishes the Sabbath rest as a divine command delivered before the formal giving of the law, with practical directions to prepare food in advance so the day could be kept holy.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that this is the first time the Sabbath is formally announced to Israel; Moses had not yet revealed it. The instructions allow them to prepare manna as they wish that day, but to keep leftovers for the next day. No law against cooking on the Sabbath had yet been given.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argue that the manna miracle marks the first time the Israelites encountered a Sabbath observance. The double portion on the sixth day introduced the concept of sacred rest practically, and only later did the Decalogue turn it into a formal law. They distinguish between rest as an abstract concept and the concrete seventh-day institution.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry argues that this passage proves the Sabbath was known long before the law at Sinai. If it had been newly introduced, Moses would have needed to explain the double portion on the sixth day, but the people understood at once — evidence that the seventh day rest had been established from the beginning.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley argues that the Sabbath was not first given at Sinai but existed from creation. He points to Exodus 16 as proof, since the people instinctively gathered a double portion on the sixth day before Moses explained it was for the Sabbath. This shows the practice was already well known.