Exodus 16:8
And Moses said, “When the LORD gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the LORD has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the LORD.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Moses reveals a crucial distinction: their grumbling isn't just about missing food, it’s an attack against God Himself. By highlighting "what are we?", he redirects their focus from their complaints against him and Aaron to the divine authority they're actually challenging.
The Israelites have just left the oasis of Elim and are now struggling in the wilderness of Sin, their food supplies running low. Driven by hunger and despair, they erupt in complaints against Moses and Aaron, even wishing they had died in Egypt rather than perish in this desert. In response, Moses clarifies that their grumbling isn't truly against him and Aaron, but a direct challenge to the Lord who brought them out.
Ever felt like complaining about your boss, your parents, or even the government? This verse flips that script, revealing who we're really talking to when we grumble.
Moses confronts the Israelites not just about their complaints, but about who they are complaining against. They're upset about hunger, but Moses points out that their complaints aren't just about Moses and Aaron. They are direct accusations against the LORD Himself.
Our Words Matter
When we grumble, it's easy to see the immediate cause – a difficult situation, a person who frustrates us. But Moses helps us see a deeper spiritual reality. Our discontent, our expressions of dissatisfaction, are heard by God. He is the ultimate provider, the sovereign Lord, and when we express frustration with His provision or His appointed leaders, we are, in essence, challenging Him.
Representing God
Moses and Aaron were acting as God's representatives. Their authority, their actions, stemmed directly from God's command. So, when the Israelites directed their anger and complaints at Moses and Aaron, it was a reflection of their heart towards God. This is a powerful reminder that when we disrespect or disregard those in authority whom God has placed over us, we are ultimately showing disrespect to God.
It might feel like your complaints disappear into thin air. But this passage reveals that God is not only listening but actively responding to every single one.
The verse states plainly, 'the LORD has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him.' This isn't just a passive observation; it's the reason God is about to act.
From Complaint to Provision
The Israelites are complaining about hunger, about a lack of meat and bread. Their grumbling is a direct expression of their dissatisfaction with their current circumstances and their lack of trust in God's ability to provide. God hears this discontent, and His response is not immediate punishment, but miraculous provision.
This moment of divine provision highlights the precariousness of the Israelites' early journey and their tendency to grumble. Moses reminds them that their complaints are not just against him and Aaron, but ultimately against the LORD himself.
c. 1446 BC
Israel Exits Egypt
The Israelites, led by Moses, escape slavery in Egypt after generations of bondage. They carry minimal provisions.
c. 1446 BC, second month after exodus
Journey to the Wilderness of Sin
About a month after leaving Egypt, the Israelites arrive in the Wilderness of Sin. Their food supplies from Egypt have been depleted.
c. 1446 BC, Wilderness of Sin— this verse
Israelites Grumble About Food
Facing hunger, the Israelites complain bitterly to Moses and Aaron, wishing they had died in Egypt with plenty of food. This grumbling is directed at Moses and Aaron, but signifies deeper discontent against God.
c. 1446 BC, Wilderness of Sin
God Promises Manna and Quail
The LORD hears their complaints and promises to provide food: quail in the evening and bread (manna) in the morning.
This passage mirrors the Israelites' grumbling in Exodus, specifically their longing for the 'food' of Egypt (meat and onions) and their complaint that their current situation is worse, highlighting a consistent pattern of discontent against God and His leaders.
Psalm 78:17-20The Psalmist recounts the event in Exodus, emphasizing the people's continued sinning and testing of God by grumbling. It shows how their lack of trust led them to question God's ability to provide, even after experiencing His power.
1 Corinthians 10:9-10The Apostle Paul directly references this event, warning the Corinthians against 'grumbling,' as the Israelites did, and reminds them that such complaints are ultimately against the Lord. This shows the enduring spiritual lesson of this incident.
John 6:30-31In the New Testament, the crowd asks Jesus for a sign, referencing the manna from heaven as a precedent. This echoes the Israelites' demand for tangible, immediate provision, showing a similar mindset of testing God's provision.
cambridgeExodus 16:8: "And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD."
8 . ‘An explanatory gloss of the compiler on vv. 6, 7’ (Di.). This shall be] i.e. Ye shall know and see what I have told you ( v. 6 f.).
calvinExodus 16:1-8: "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 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…
Moses reveals a crucial distinction: their grumbling isn't just about missing food, it’s an attack against God Himself. By highlighting "what are we?", he redirects their focus from their complaints against him and Aaron to the divine authority they're actually challenging.
The Israelites have just left the oasis of Elim and are now struggling in the wilderness of Sin, their food supplies running low. Driven by hunger and despair, they erupt in complaints against Moses and Aaron, even wishing they had died in Egypt rather than perish in this desert. In response, Moses clarifies that their grumbling isn't truly against him and Aaron, but a direct challenge to the Lord who brought them out.
The Israelites have just left the oasis of Elim and are now struggling in the wilderness of Sin, their food supplies running low. Driven by hunger and despair, they erupt in complaints against Moses and Aaron, even wishing they had died in Egypt rather than perish in this desert. In response, Moses clarifies that their grumbling isn't truly against him and Aaron, but a direct challenge to the Lord who brought them out.
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A Test and a Revelation
God's response – sending quail in the evening and manna in the morning – serves two purposes. First, it's a direct answer to their grumbling, demonstrating that He heard their complaints. Second, it's a test (as hinted at in other parts of chapter 16) to see if they will learn to trust and obey Him based on His provision. Their complaints, rather than leading to their demise, become the very catalyst for God's extraordinary demonstration of power and faithfulness.
c. 1446 BC, Wilderness of Sin
Manna and Quail Provided
The LORD sends quail in the evening and manna each morning, providing for the Israelites' needs in the wilderness.
"And Moses said, “When the LORD gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the LORD has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the…" — Moses reveals a crucial distinction: their grumbling isn't just about missing food, it’s an attack against God Himself. By highlighting "what are we?", he redirects their focus from their complaints…
