Exodus 16:14-15
And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
What's often missed is that the manna appeared after the dew evaporated, suggesting it was shielded or preserved by that morning moisture. This detail hints at God's careful provision, ensuring this miraculous food remained pure and ready for the Israelites to gather, a subtle but powerful sign of His protection in the desolate wilderness.
Fresh off their complaints about food, the Israelites are about to witness God's direct provision. After promising them meat in the evening and bread in the morning, God sends a swarm of quail, and then, as the morning dew evaporates, the land is covered with a fine, flaky substance that will sustain them for forty years. This miraculous food, later called manna, appears daily and is described as small and white, like frost on the ground.
The Israelites were starving and desperate. Then, something appeared on the ground. But this wasn't just a meal; it was a message.
The appearance of manna wasn't merely a solution to hunger; it was a direct demonstration of God's power and faithfulness, especially after the people's grumbling.
A Divine Provision
God heard their complaints (Exodus 16:12) and responded not with punishment, but with provision. This shows God's incredible mercy, even towards those who doubt Him.
A Sign of His Presence
Calvin notes that the glory of the Lord appeared towards the wilderness as this provision came. It was a tangible sign that God was with them, even in their desolate circumstances. It served as a constant reminder that their sustenance came directly from Him, not from their own efforts.
Some might look at the description of manna and think it was just a natural occurrence. But the details reveal a miraculous uniqueness.
While natural substances resemble manna, the manna described in Exodus was fundamentally different and unequivocally miraculous.
Unlike Natural Occurrences
Commentaries point out that natural substances likened to manna are seasonal, found only in specific locations, and insufficient to sustain a multitude for forty years. The biblical manna, however, appeared daily, everywhere the Israelites camped, and served as their primary food source for decades.
Miraculous Qualities
Its consistent daily appearance, its unique properties (like spoiling after one day unless gathered on the Sabbath), and its cessation only upon entering the Promised Land all point to a miraculous creation, not a natural phenomenon. As Ellicott states, it was 'altogether sui generis' – in a class by itself.
Understand the original words
midbar · Hebrew Noun
An uncultivated, desolate place outside of human habitation where God tested, sustained, and shaped His people in dependence upon Him.
This verse captures a pivotal moment where God, in response to His people's complaints and disbelief in the harsh wilderness, miraculously provides sustenance, demonstrating His faithful care amidst their unfaithfulness.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites, led by Moses, escape slavery in Egypt after a series of plagues and the parting of the Red Sea.
c. 1446 BC
Journey into the Wilderness of Sin
Following their departure from Egypt, the Israelites wander through the desert regions, facing challenges of survival.
c. 1446 BC
Complaints about Lack of Food
The Israelites begin to murmur and complain to Moses and Aaron about the lack of food, expressing a desire to return to Egypt.
c. 1446 BC
God Promises Bread and Flesh
In response to the people's complaints, God announces through Moses that He will provide both meat in the evening and bread in the morning.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
calvinExodus 16:9-18: "And 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."
I 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 he filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God.
Audivi murmurationes filiorum Israel: alloquere eos, dicendo, Inter vesperas comedetis carnem, et mane saturabimini pane…
gillExodus 16:14: "And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground."
And when the dew that lay was gone up,.... Exhaled by the sun upon the rising of it: behold, upon the face of the wilderness; upon the surface of it, all around the camp of Israel: there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground; which is what is in the next verse called "manna". Before the sun rose there…
What's often missed is that the manna appeared after the dew evaporated, suggesting it was shielded or preserved by that morning moisture. This detail hints at God's careful provision, ensuring this miraculous food remained pure and ready for the Israelites to gather, a subtle but powerful sign of His protection in the desolate wilderness.
Fresh off their complaints about food, the Israelites are about to witness God's direct provision. After promising them meat in the evening and bread in the morning, God sends a swarm of quail, and then, as the morning dew evaporates, the land is covered with a fine, flaky substance that will sustain them for forty years. This miraculous food, later called manna, appears daily and is described as small and white, like frost on the ground.
Fresh off their complaints about food, the Israelites are about to witness God's direct provision. After promising them meat in the evening and bread in the morning, God sends a swarm of quail, and then, as the morning dew evaporates, the land is covered with a fine, flaky substance that will sustain them for forty years. This miraculous food, later called manna, appears daily and is described as small and white, like frost on the ground.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Exodus 16:14-15 is available in the Sola app.
Arrival of Quail and Manna
In the evening, quail cover the camp, and in the morning, a fine, flake-like substance appears on the ground with the dew.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites Collect Manna
The Israelites gather the mysterious substance, which Moses identifies as the bread God has provided, and learn how to collect and prepare it.
"And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And M…" — What's often missed is that the manna appeared after the dew evaporated, suggesting it was shielded or preserved by that morning moisture. This detail hints at God's careful provision, ensuring thi…
