It's easy to overlook that this verse marks a full month since the Exodus, signaling that their initial provisions from Egypt were now depleted. This timing is crucial because it sets the stage for God's immediate provision of manna, highlighting His faithful care even as their human resources ran out.
They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After leaving the refreshing springs of Elim, the entire Israelite community traveled into the desolate Wilderness of Sin, exactly one month after their exodus from Egypt. This barren region, situated between their previous oasis and the distant Mount Sinai, marked a significant shift where their journey's provisions began to run out. This dire situation immediately precedes their first recorded instance of widespread complaint and rebellion against Moses and Aaron, setting the stage for God's miraculous provision of manna.
After leaving the refreshing springs of Elim, the Israelites entered a stark desert. This wasn't just a geographical shift; it was a spiritual one, setting the stage for a critical lesson about God's faithfulness.
The journey from Elim to the wilderness of Sin marks a significant transition for the Israelites. Elim, described as a place with twelve springs and seventy palm trees, represented abundance and rest. It was a place of refreshing, a reminder of God's ability to provide even in the harsh desert.
But their stay there was temporary. God led them onward into the 'wilderness of Sin.' This area, situated between Elim and Mount Sinai, was a vast, arid expanse. The very name 'Sin' (or 'Zin' in some traditions) evokes a sense of desolation and emptiness. It's here, after a month of travel since leaving Egypt, that their initial provisions would begin to run out.
This transition from a place of plenty to a place of apparent lack is deliberate. It's designed to move the people from relying on what they brought out of Egypt to depending on God's direct, daily provision. The wilderness isn't just a physical location; it's a spiritual training ground, testing their faith and obedience.
One month after their miraculous exodus, the Israelites' initial supplies were dwindling. This wasn't an oversight by Moses; it was God's carefully orchestrated plan to reveal His power.
Exodus 16:1 pinpoints a crucial time marker: 'on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt.' This means exactly one month had passed since they left Rameses on the fifteenth of the first month (Abib/Nisan).
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Commentators note that the Israelites likely brought a month's worth of provisions with them from Egypt. As this supply ran out, a sense of urgency and fear would have set in. This situation wasn't a failure of planning on their part, but a strategic move by God.
By allowing their provisions to be exhausted, God created a crisis that would compel the people to look beyond their own resources. It was the perfect moment for Him to demonstrate His covenant faithfulness and His power to provide miraculously. This prepares them for the upcoming events of receiving manna and quail, showing that their sustenance would come directly from Him, not from Egypt or their own stores.
Understand the original words
‘edah · Hebrew Noun
A large group of people gathered for a purpose, often used in the Old Testament to denote the covenant community of Israel set apart for God.
midbar · Hebrew Noun
A desolate, uncultivated, or deserted region; symbolically used in the Bible as a place of testing, dependency on God, and divine revelation.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites departed from Egypt on the 15th day of the first month (Nisan/Abib), marking the beginning of their journey and the end of their enslavement.
c. 1446 BC
Journey from Rameses to Elim
After crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites traveled through the Wilderness of Shur and encamped at Elim, an oasis with twelve springs and seventy palm trees. This journey took approximately one month.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Arrival at the Wilderness of Sin
Exactly one month after leaving Egypt, the entire congregation of Israel arrived at the Wilderness of Sin, a location situated between Elim and Mount Sinai.
c. 1446 BC
Murmurings and First Manna
In the Wilderness of Sin, the Israelites began to murmur against Moses and Aaron due to lack of food, prompting God to provide manna and quail.
c. 1446 BC
Journey to the Wilderness of Sin
The Israelites traveled from their encampment by the Red Sea to the Wilderness of Sin, a journey that brought them closer to Mount Sinai.
This passage lists the encampments of Israel, specifically mentioning their removal from Elim and encampment by the Red Sea before entering the wilderness of Sin, filling in a detail omitted in Exodus.
Psalm 78:24This psalm refers to God raining bread from heaven for His people, directly alluding to the manna that would be provided shortly after reaching the wilderness of Sin, highlighting God's provision.
1 Corinthians 10:3Paul references the manna as 'spiritual food,' connecting this event in the wilderness of Sin to deeper spiritual realities and the sustenance Christ provides.
John 6:31Jesus refers to the manna given in the wilderness as a sign and a precursor to the true bread from heaven (Himself), showing the ongoing significance of this event.
Exodus 17:1Immediately following their arrival in the wilderness of Sin, the Israelites move to the next location where they again face a crisis of thirst, demonstrating a pattern of testing and provision in the wilderness.
gillExodus 16:1: "And 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."
And they took their journey from Elim,.... And came again to the Red sea, as appears from Numbers 33:10 perhaps to some bay or creek of it, which ran up from it, and lay in their way, and where for a short time they encamped to look at it,…
clarkeExodus 16:1: "And 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."
The wilderness of Sin - This desert lies between Elim and Sinai, and from Elim, Dr. Shaw says, Mount Sinai can be seen distinctly. Mr. Ainsworth supposes that this wilderness had its name from a strong city of Egypt called Sin, near which…
It's easy to overlook that this verse marks a full month since the Exodus, signaling that their initial provisions from Egypt were now depleted. This timing is crucial because it sets the stage for God's immediate provision of manna, highlighting His faithful care even as their human resources ran out.
After leaving the refreshing springs of Elim, the entire Israelite community traveled into the desolate Wilderness of Sin, exactly one month after their exodus from Egypt. This barren region, situated between their previous oasis and the distant Mount Sinai, marked a significant shift where their journey's provisions began to run out. This dire situation immediately precedes their first recorded instance of widespread complaint and rebellion against Moses and Aaron, setting the stage for God's miraculous provision of manna.
After leaving the refreshing springs of Elim, the entire Israelite community traveled into the desolate Wilderness of Sin, exactly one month after their exodus from Egypt. This barren region, situated between their previous oasis and the distant Mount Sinai, marked a significant shift where their journey's provisions began to run out. This dire situation immediately precedes their first recorded instance of widespread complaint and rebellion against Moses and Aaron, setting the stage for God's miraculous provision of manna.
"They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt." — It's easy to overlook that this verse marks a full month since the Exodus, signaling that their initial provisions from Egypt were now depleted. This timing is crucial because it sets the stage for G…
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Last reviewed October 2026
