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◄ Exodus 16:4►

New International Version
Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.

New Living Translation
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven 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.

English Standard Version
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven 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.

Berean Standard Bible
Then 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.

King James Bible
Then 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.

New King James Version
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.

New American Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, so that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction.

NASB 1995
Then the LORD said to 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 test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction.

NASB 1977
Then the LORD said to 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 test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Yahweh said to 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 test them, whether or not they will walk in My law.

Amplified Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will cause bread to rain from heaven for you; the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, so that I may test them [to determine] whether or not they will walk [obediently] in My instruction (law).

Christian Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. This way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. This way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow My instructions.

American Standard Version
Then 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.

Contemporary English Version
The LORD said to Moses, "I will send bread down from heaven like rain. Tell the people to go out each day and gather only enough for that day. That's how I will see if they obey me.

English Revised Version
Then said the LORD 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 no.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD said to Moses, "I'm going to send you food from heaven like rain. Each day the people should go out and gather only what they need for that day. In this way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.

Good News Translation
The LORD said to Moses, "Now 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.

International Standard Version
The LORD told Moses, "Listen very carefully! I'll cause food to rain down for you from heaven, and the people are to go out and gather each day's portion on that day. In this way I'll test them to demonstrate whether or not they'll live according to my instructions.

NET Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, "I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people will go out and gather the amount for each day, so that I may test them. Will they will walk in my law or not?

New Heart English Bible
Then said the LORD to Moses, "Look, 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 test them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said the LORD to 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 not.

Majority Text Translations

Majority Standard Bible
Then 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.

World English Bible
Then 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.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And YHWH says to Moses, “Behold, I am raining bread from the heavens for you—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;

Young's Literal Translation
And 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;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jehovah will say to Moses, Behold me raining for you bread from the heavens; and the people shall go forth and shall gather the word of a day in its day, so that I shall try them, whether they will go in my law or not.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And 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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then the Lord said to Moses: “Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Let the people go out and collect what is sufficient for each day, so that I may test them, as to whether or not they will walk in my law.

New American Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses: I am going to rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion; thus will I test them, to see whether they follow my instructions or not.

New Revised Standard Version
Then the LORD said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather sufficient food, day by day, for I will prove them, whether they will keep my laws or not.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And LORD JEHOVAH said to Moshe, “Behold, I rain for you bread from Heaven, and the people shall come out and they will gather food of the day in the daytime, because I shall test them if they are walking in my laws or not.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
Then said the LORD unto Moses: 'Behold, I will cause to 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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord said to Moses, Behold, Iwill rain bread upon you out of heaven: and the people shall go forth, and they shall gather their daily portion for the day, that I may try them whether they will walk in my law or not.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Manna and Quail from Heaven
…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.”…

Berean Standard Bible ·Download

Cross References

John 6:31-35
Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” / Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. / For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” ...

Deuteronomy 8:3
He humbled you, and in your hunger He gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had known, so that you might understand that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Matthew 4:4
But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Nehemiah 9:20
You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths, and You gave them water for their thirst.

Psalm 78:23-25
Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of the heavens. / He rained down manna for them to eat; He gave them grain from heaven. / Man ate the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance.

John 6:49-51
Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. / This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. / I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.”

Numbers 11:7-9
Now the manna resembled coriander seed, and its appearance was like that of gum resin. / The people walked around and gathered it, ground it on a handmill or crushed it in a mortar, then boiled it in a cooking pot or shaped it into cakes. It tasted like pastry baked with fine oil. / When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall with it.

Psalm 105:40
They asked, and He brought quail and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.

1 Corinthians 10:3
They all ate the same spiritual food

John 6:58
This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your fathers, who ate the manna and died, the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

Deuteronomy 8:16
He fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers had not known, in order to humble you and test you, so that in the end He might cause you to prosper.

John 6:32
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.

Nehemiah 9:15
In their hunger You gave them bread from heaven; in their thirst You brought them water from the rock. You told them to go in and possess the land that You had sworn to give them.

Revelation 2:17
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone inscribed with a new name, known only to the one who receives it.

Psalm 78:24
He rained down manna for them to eat; He gave them grain from heaven.

Treasury of Scripture

Then said the LORD to 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.

I will rain

Psalm 78:24,25
And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven…

Psalm 105:40
The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.

John 6:31,32
Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat…

a certain rate every day.

Nehemiah 11:23
Forit was the king's commandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day.

Proverbs 30:8
Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

Matthew 6:11,32,33
Give us this day our daily bread…

prove them

Exodus 15:25
And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree,which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

Deuteronomy 8:2,16
And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee,and to prove thee, to know whatwas in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no…

Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served thatwere on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

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Exodus 16

1.The Israelites come to Sin, and murmur for want of bread
4.God promises them bread and meat from heaven, and they are rebuked
13.Quail and manna are sent
16.The ordering of manna
25.It was not to be found on the Sabbath
32.An omer of it is preserved

Study Bible

Book ◦ Chapter

Then the LORD said to Moses
This phrase indicates direct communication from God to Moses, highlighting Moses' role as a mediator between God and the Israelites. It underscores the personal relationship and direct guidance God provided to Moses, a theme consistent throughout the Pentateuch. This divine communication is foundational for the leadership and prophetic role Moses plays in the narrative of the Exodus.

Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you
The promise of "bread from heaven" refers to the manna that God provided for the Israelites during their wilderness journey. This miraculous provision is a testament to God's care and sustenance. The phrase "rain down" suggests abundance and divine origin, contrasting with earthly provision. Manna is later referenced in the New Testament as a type of Christ, the true "bread of life" (John 6:31-35), symbolizing spiritual nourishment and God's provision through Jesus.

Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day
This instruction emphasizes daily dependence on God, teaching the Israelites to trust in His provision. It reflects the principle of daily reliance on God, akin to the Lord's Prayer's request for "daily bread" (Matthew 6:11). The daily gathering also prevented hoarding, fostering a community reliant on God's faithfulness rather than human effort.

In this way I will test whether or not they will follow My instructions
The provision of manna served as a test of obedience and faith for the Israelites. This testing is a recurring theme in the wilderness narrative, where God uses circumstances to reveal the hearts of His people (Deuteronomy 8:2). It underscores the importance of obedience to God's commands as a demonstration of faith and trust in His promises. The test also foreshadows the broader covenant relationship between God and Israel, where obedience is a key component of their identity as God's chosen people.

Persons / Places / Events

1.The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who provides for His people and tests their obedience.

2.Moses
The leader of the Israelites, through whom God communicates His instructions.

3.The Israelites
The people of God, recently delivered from Egypt, who are learning to trust and obey God in the wilderness.

4.The Wilderness of Sin
The location where the Israelites are journeying and where God provides manna.

5.Manna
The miraculous bread from heaven that God provides to sustain the Israelites.

Teaching Points

God's Provision
God is faithful to provide for our needs, often in unexpected ways. Just as He provided manna for the Israelites, He provides for us today.

Daily Dependence
The instruction to gather manna daily teaches us to rely on God each day, trusting Him for our daily needs rather than hoarding resources.

Obedience and Testing
God's provision often comes with instructions that test our obedience. Our willingness to follow His commands reveals our trust in Him.

Spiritual Nourishment
Beyond physical sustenance, God desires to nourish us spiritually. We are called to seek His Word and presence daily.

Faith in God's Timing
The Israelites had to trust God's timing and provision, learning patience and faith as they awaited His daily supply.

Bible Study Questions and Answers

1.What is the meaning of Exodus 16:4?

2.How does Exodus 16:4 illustrate God's provision and testing of faith?

3.What does "rain down bread from heaven" teach about God's miraculous provision?

4.How can we apply the principle of daily dependence on God in our lives?

5.How does Exodus 16:4 connect with Jesus as the "bread of life" in John 6?

6.What lessons about obedience can we learn from God's instructions in Exodus 16:4?

7.How does Exodus 16:4 demonstrate God's provision and testing of faith?

8.What is the significance of manna in Exodus 16:4?

9.How does Exodus 16:4 relate to the concept of daily reliance on God?

10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Exodus 16?

11.How could a vast encampment described in Numbers 2 feasibly survive in the Sinai Desert with limited resources?

12.How can the miraculous appearance of manna every day (Exodus 16:4–5) be reconciled with natural laws or scientific explanations?

13.Why did Israelites' journey to the Promised Land take 40 years?

14.Why is there no explicit mention of manna outside the biblical text, considering its supposed forty-year prevalence (Exodus 16)?

What Does Exodus 16:4 Mean

Then the LORD said to Moses

- The initiative comes from the LORD, underscoring His sovereign leadership over Israel (Exodus 3:7-10;Psalm 105:39-41).

- God addresses Moses personally, reminding readers that divine guidance flows through the mediator He appoints (Exodus 4:15-16;Numbers 12:6-8).

- The statement occurs after grumbling in the wilderness (Exodus 16:2-3), showing that God responds to need even when faith is weak.

Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you

- “Rain down” presents a literal, supernatural provision—manna—illustrating God’s power to supply in impossible settings (Nehemiah 9:15;Psalm 78:24-25).

- “Bread from heaven” foreshadows Christ, the true Bread of Life, who explicitly links Himself to this event (John 6:31-35, 48-51).

- Grace precedes obedience: God gives before He asks, highlighting His character of undeserved kindness (Romans 5:8).

Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day

- Daily gathering fosters continual dependence, echoing “give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11).

- The portion control discourages hoarding, teaching trust in God’s ongoing faithfulness (Proverbs 30:8-9;Lamentations 3:22-23).

- Sabbatical rhythm develops as the sixth-day double portion anticipates rest (Exodus 16:22-30;Exodus 20:8-11).

In this way I will test whether or not they will follow My instructions

- The test is relational, revealing hearts rather than informing God (Deuteronomy 8:2-3;James 1:2-4).

- Obedience to simple commands becomes rehearsal for the covenant law to follow at Sinai (Exodus 19:5-6).

- Failure by some to heed the limits (Exodus 16:19-20, 27-28) illustrates how disobedience spoils God’s gifts, while compliance brings rest and provision.

summary

Exodus 16:4 records God’s gracious promise to supply literal manna, a miracle designed to meet Israel’s physical hunger, cultivate daily trust, and expose the true state of their hearts. The verse points ahead to Christ as the ultimate Bread from heaven and reminds believers today that God still provides, instructs, and tests for our good and His glory.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4)I will rain bread from heaven for you.--This first announcement at once suggests that the supply is to be supernatural. "Bread from heaven" was not simply "food out of the air" (Rosenmller), but a celestial, that is, a Divine supply of their daily needs.

A certain rate every day.--Heb.,a day's meal each day--sufficient, that is, for the wants of himself and family for a day.

That I may prove them.--Human life is a probation. God proves and tries thosemostwhom He takes to Himself for His "peculiar people," and the trial is often by means of positive precepts, which are especially

Calculated to test the presence or absence of a spirit of humble and unquestioning obedience. Our first parents were tested by a positive precept in Paradise; the family of Abraham were tested by a positive precept--circumcision on the eighth day; the Israelites were tested, both in the wilderness and afterwards throughout their career as a nation, by a number of positive precepts, whereof this concerning the manna was one. Christians are tested by positive precepts with respect to common worship, prayer, and sacraments--the object being in all cases to see whether men "will walk in God's law or no." Men are very apt to prefer their own inventions to the simple rule of following at once the letter and the spirit of God's commandments.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 4-8. - THE PROMISE OF BREAD FROM HEAVEN. When men who are in real distress make complaint, even though the tone of their complaint be not such as it ought to be, God in his mercy is wont to have compassion upon them, to "hear their mummurings," etc., and grant them some relief. But the relief is seldom of the kind which they expect, or pray for. The Israelites wished for actual bread, made of wheaten or barley flour. God gave them, not such bread, but a substitute for it. And first, before giving it, be promised that it should be given. Thus expectation was aroused; faith was exercised; the supernatural character of the relief was indicated; the power and the goodness of God, were, both of them, shown forth. And with the promise was given a law. They were on each occasion to gather no more than would suffice for the day. Thus they would continually "live by faith," taking no thought for the morrow, but trusting all to God.Verse 4. -Bread from heaven. ComparePsalm 78:24;Nehemiah 9:15;John 6:31-51. The expression is of course not to be trader-stood literally. The substance was not actual bread, neither was it locally transferred from the distant region called "heaven" to the soil of the Sinaitic peninsula. But it was called "bread," because it was intended to serve instead of bread, as the main support of life during the sojourn of Israel in the wilderness; and it was said to be "from heaven," first, as descending on 'the ground out of the circumambient air; and secondly, as miraculously sent by him, whose seat is in heaven.The people shall gather a certain rate every day. Rather "a day's supply every day," such a quantity as shall seem to each man reasonably sufficient for himself and his family.That Imay prove them. As in Paradise God coupled with his free gift of "every tree of the garden" the positive precept, "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat," - that he might prove our first parents, whether they would obey him or not - so now he "proved" the obedience of the Israelites by a definite, positive command - they were not to gather on ordinary days more than was sufficient for the day. All life is intended as a probation.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Then the LORD
יְהוָה֙(Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068:LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

said
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר(way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559:To utter, say

to
אֶל־(’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413:Near, with, among, to

Moses,
מֹשֶׁ֔ה(mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872:Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

“Behold,
הִנְנִ֨י(hin·nî)
Interjection | first person common singular
Strong's 2005:Lo! behold!

I will rain down
מַמְטִ֥יר(mam·ṭîr)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 4305:To rain

bread
לֶ֖חֶם(le·ḥem)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3899:Food, bread, grain

from
מִן־(min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4480:A part of, from, out of

heaven
הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם(haš·šā·mā·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064:Heaven, sky

for you.
לָכֶ֛ם(lā·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

Each day
י֣וֹם(yō·wm)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117:A day

the people
הָעָ֤ם(hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971:A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

are to go out
וְיָצָ֨א(wə·yā·ṣā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318:To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

and gather
וְלָֽקְטוּ֙(wə·lā·qə·ṭū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3950:To pick up, to gather, to glean

enough for that day.
דְּבַר־(də·ḇar-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1697:A word, a matter, thing, a cause

In this way
לְמַ֧עַן(lə·ma·‘an)
Conjunction
Strong's 4616:Purpose -- intent

I will test
אֲנַסֶּ֛נּוּ(’ă·nas·sen·nū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5254:To test, to attempt

whether
אִם־(’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518:Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

or not
לֹֽא׃(lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, no

they will follow
הֲיֵלֵ֥ךְ(hă·yê·lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1980:To go, come, walk

My instructions.
בְּתוֹרָתִ֖י(bə·ṯō·w·rā·ṯî)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 8451:Direction, instruction, law

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OT Law: Exodus 16:4 Then said Yahweh to Moses Behold (Exo. Ex)