and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against the LORD. For what are we, that you grumble against us?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Moses points out that their grumbling isn't just a complaint about leaders; it's directed at God himself, because Moses and Aaron are merely acting on His behalf. Their "glory of the Lord" will be revealed not in judgment, but through the very sustenance they so desperately need and have just complained about lacking.
and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against the LORD. For what are we, that you grumble against us?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Israelites, after leaving Egypt and passing through Elim, are now in the wilderness of Sin and their food supplies are running low. This leads the entire congregation to grumble, first against Moses and Aaron, wishing they had died in Egypt rather than be led into the desert to starve. In response to their complaints, God tells Moses that He will provide food from heaven, but first, the people will witness God's glory manifest in His response to their complaints, and Moses directly challenges the people, pointing out that their grumbling is ultimately against God, not just against him and Aaron.
When the Israelites complained about starvation in the wilderness, God didn't just send food. He showed up in a way that would make His presence undeniable.
The Israelites were in dire straits, facing starvation in the vast desert. Their immediate reaction? Grumbling against Moses and Aaron, wishing they'd stayed in Egypt. But God's response wasn't just about filling their stomachs. Moses tells them, 'in the morning, then you shall see the glory of the LORD.' This 'glory' wasn't a distant concept; it was God's manifest presence and power. It would be revealed through the miraculous provision of food – first the quails in the evening, and then the manna in the morning. It's a powerful reminder that God often uses our deepest needs and complaints as a stage to display His incredible faithfulness and power.
When the Israelites griped, Moses redirected their anger. He knew their real target wasn't him or Aaron, but the Lord Himself.
Moses’ question, 'What are we, that you grumble against us?' is a profound redirection. He’s saying, 'Look, we’re just His messengers, His instruments. Our actions are not our own; they are commanded by God.' Their grumbling wasn't a personal attack on Moses and Aaron's leadership, but a deep-seated rebellion against the God who had delivered them from Egypt. By pointing this out, Moses highlights the seriousness of their complaints. Complaining about God’s provision or His leadership is ultimately complaining against God Himself. It’s a call to recognize that our discontent often stems from a lack of trust in the One who is truly in control and has our best interests at heart.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
kabod · Hebrew Noun
A term referring to the heavy, dense, or impressive nature of God. It signifies His presence, authority, splendor, and the manifestation of His divine attributes to humanity.
lun · Hebrew Verb
To complain, murmur, or express dissatisfaction, often with a sense of rebellion or lack of trust in God's providence. It implies a heart of ingratitude and a questioning of God's leadership.
This moment reveals the stark reality of the Israelites' journey: even after witnessing God's incredible power, their immediate response to hardship is grumbling, demonstrating a deep need to learn trust and reliance on God's provision, not their own past comforts.
c. 1446 BC
Israel Departs Egypt
Following God's powerful deliverance from slavery, the Israelites begin their journey towards the Promised Land.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Journey to the Wilderness of Sin
About a month after leaving Egypt, the Israelites reach the desolate Wilderness of Sin, between Elim and Mount Sinai, and their food supplies begin to dwindle.
c. 1446 BC
Murmurings Begin
Facing hunger and hardship, the Israelites complain bitterly to Moses and Aaron, longing for the food they had in Egypt and questioning God's leadership.
c. 1446 BC
God Promises Provision
The Lord hears their complaints and promises Moses that He will provide food from heaven, first with quail in the evening and then bread (manna) in the morning, as a test of their obedience.
This passage echoes the sentiment of Exodus 16:7, where the Israelites' repeated grumbling and lack of faith are directly against the Lord, not just Moses and Aaron.
1 Corinthians 10:10Paul directly references the Israelites' grumbling in the wilderness, linking it to their testing of Christ and warning believers against following their example of rebellion against God's leaders.
Psalm 78:24This psalm recounts God's provision of manna, calling it 'grain of heaven,' which directly relates to the 'glory of the Lord' seen in Exodus 16:7 as His miraculous provision in response to their complaints.
Hebrews 1:3This verse describes Jesus as the 'radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being,' which sheds light on the concept of seeing God's 'glory' in Exodus 16:7, suggesting a potential Christophany.
John 6:31Jesus refers back to the manna in the wilderness when speaking about Himself as the 'true bread from heaven.' This highlights how the miraculous provision in Exodus was a foreshadowing of Christ, the ultimate glory of God.
clarkeExodus 16:7: "And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us?"
Ye shall see the glory of the Lord - Does it not appear that the glory of the Lord is here spoken of as something distinct from the Lord? for it is said He (the glory) heareth your murmurings against the Lord; though the Lord may be here put for himself, the antecedent instead of the relative. This passage may receive some…
bensonExodus 16:7: "And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us?"
Exodus 16:7-9 . Ye shall see the glory of the Lord — Either this glorious work of God in giving you bread from heaven, or rather the glorious appearance of God in the cloud, as is mentioned in Exodus 16:10 . Come near before the Lord — Before the cloudy pillar, where God was especially present.
Moses points out that their grumbling isn't just a complaint about leaders; it's directed at God himself, because Moses and Aaron are merely acting on His behalf. Their "glory of the Lord" will be revealed not in judgment, but through the very sustenance they so desperately need and have just complained about lacking.
The Israelites, after leaving Egypt and passing through Elim, are now in the wilderness of Sin and their food supplies are running low. This leads the entire congregation to grumble, first against Moses and Aaron, wishing they had died in Egypt rather than be led into the desert to starve. In response to their complaints, God tells Moses that He will provide food from heaven, but first, the people will witness God's glory manifest in His response to their complaints, and Moses directly challenges the people, pointing out that their grumbling is ultimately against God, not just against him and Aaron.
The Israelites, after leaving Egypt and passing through Elim, are now in the wilderness of Sin and their food supplies are running low. This leads the entire congregation to grumble, first against Moses and Aaron, wishing they had died in Egypt rather than be led into the desert to starve. In response to their complaints, God tells Moses that He will provide food from heaven, but first, the people will witness God's glory manifest in His response to their complaints, and Moses directly challenges the people, pointing out that their grumbling is ultimately against God, not just against him and Aaron.
"and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against the LORD. For what are we, that you grumble against us?”" — Moses points out that their grumbling isn't just a complaint about leaders; it's directed at God himself, because Moses and Aaron are merely acting on His behalf. Their "glory of the Lord" will be re…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026