Exodus 16:4

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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.

Complete Jewish Bible:

ADONAI said to Moshe, "Here, I will cause bread to rain down from heaven for you. The people are to go out and gather a day's ration every day. By this I will test whether they will observe my Torah 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.

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.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Then said{H559} the LORD{H3068} unto Moses{H4872}, Behold, I will rain{H4305} bread{H3899} from heaven{H8064} for you; and the people{H5971} shall go out{H3318} and gather{H3950} a certain rate{H1697} every day{H3117}{H3117}, that I may prove{H5254} them, whether they will walk{H3212} in my law{H8451}, or no.

Cross-References (KJV):

Psalms 78:24

  • And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.

Psalms 78:25

  • Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.

1 Corinthians 10:3

  • And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

Deuteronomy 8:2

  • 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 what [was] in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

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,

Psalms 105:40

  • [The people] asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.

Deuteronomy 8:16

  • Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;

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Commentary for Exodus 16:4

**Exodus 16:4 Summary:**

**Themes:**
- Divine Providence: God's promise to provide sustenance for the Israelites.
- Testing and Obedience: The condition of God's provision is tied to the Israelites' obedience to His law.
- Daily Dependence: The instruction to gather only enough manna for each day teaches reliance on God's daily provision.

**Historical Context:**
This verse is set during the Israelites' journey through the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt. Having escaped slavery, they are traveling towards the Promised Land. In the wilderness, they face the challenge of finding food and water, expressing their hunger and dissatisfaction to Moses and Aaron. Exodus 16:4 is part of God's response to this situation, where He promises to miraculously provide bread (manna) from heaven. This provision is not only a means of physical sustenance but also a test of the people's faith and obedience to God's commands. The manna would appear every morning, and the Israelites were instructed to collect only what they needed for that day, teaching them to trust in God's ongoing care and to follow His laws. This event serves as a foundational story illustrating God's faithfulness and the importance of obedience in the covenant relationship between God and His people.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

  1. Strong's Number: H559
    There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אָמַר
    Transliteration: ʼâmar
    Pronunciation: aw-mar'
    Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
  2. Strong's Number: H3068
    There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יְהֹוָה
    Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
    Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
    Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
  3. Strong's Number: H4872
    There are 704 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: מֹשֶׁה
    Transliteration: Môsheh
    Pronunciation: mo-sheh'
    Description: from מָשָׁה; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver; Moses.
  4. Strong's Number: H4305
    There are 14 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: מָטַר
    Transliteration: mâṭar
    Pronunciation: maw-tar'
    Description: a primitive root; to rain; (cause to) rain (upon).
  5. Strong's Number: H3899
    There are 277 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: לֶחֶם
    Transliteration: lechem
    Pronunciation: lekh'-em
    Description: from לָחַם; See also בֵּית לְעַפְרָה; food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it); (shew-) bread, [idiom] eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals.
  6. Strong's Number: H8064
    There are 395 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שָׁמַיִם
    Transliteration: shâmayim
    Pronunciation: shaw-mah'-yim
    Description: dual of an unused singular שָׁמֶה; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve); air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s).
  7. Strong's Number: H5971
    There are 1654 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: עַם
    Transliteration: ʻam
    Pronunciation: am
    Description: from עָמַם; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock; folk, men, nation, people.
  8. Strong's Number: H3318
    There are 992 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָצָא
    Transliteration: yâtsâʼ
    Pronunciation: yaw-tsaw'
    Description: a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.; [idiom] after, appear, [idiom] assuredly, bear out, [idiom] begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), [phrase] be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, [idiom] scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, [idiom] still, [idiom] surely, take forth (out), at any time, [idiom] to (and fro), utter.
  9. Strong's Number: H3950
    There are 34 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: לָקַט
    Transliteration: lâqaṭ
    Pronunciation: law-kat'
    Description: a primitive root; properly, to pick up, i.e. (generally) to gather; specifically, to glean; gather (up), glean.
  10. Strong's Number: H1697
    There are 1290 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: דָּבָר
    Transliteration: dâbâr
    Pronunciation: daw-baw'
    Description: from דָבַר; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause; act, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dearth, decree, deed, [idiom] disease, due, duty, effect, [phrase] eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-) ness, [phrase] glory, [phrase] harm, hurt, [phrase] iniquity, [phrase] judgment, language, [phrase] lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, [idiom] ought, [idiom] parts, [phrase] pertaining, [phrase] please, portion, [phrase] power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, [idiom] (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, [phrase] sign, [phrase] so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, [phrase] song, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, task, [phrase] that, [idiom] there done, thing (concerning), thought, [phrase] thus, tidings, what(-soever), [phrase] wherewith, which, word, work.
  11. Strong's Number: H3117
    There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יוֹם
    Transliteration: yôwm
    Pronunciation: yome
    Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger.
  12. Strong's Number: H5254
    There are 34 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: נָסָה
    Transliteration: nâçâh
    Pronunciation: naw-saw'
    Description: a primitive root; to test; by implication, to attempt; adventure, assay, prove, tempt, try.
  13. Strong's Number: H3212
    There are 938 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָלַךְ
    Transliteration: yâlak
    Pronunciation: yaw-lak'
    Description: a primitive root (compare הָלַךְ); to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses); [idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue, cause to run, spread, take away (-journey), vanish, (cause to) walk(-ing), wax, [idiom] be weak.
  14. Strong's Number: H8451
    There are 213 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: תּוֹרָה
    Transliteration: tôwrâh
    Pronunciation: to-raw'
    Description: or תֹּרָה; from יָרָה; a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch; law.