Exodus 16:13-15

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 16:13-21

Now they begin to be provided for by the immediate hand of God. I. He makes them a feast, at night, of delicate fowl, feathered fowl (Ps. 78:27), therefore not locusts, as some think; quails, or pheasants, or some wild fowl, came up, and covered the camp, so tame that they might take up as many of them as they pleased. Note, God gives us of the good things of this life, not only for necessity, but for delight, that we may not only serve him, but serve him cheerfully. II. Next morning he rained... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 16:13

And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up ,.... From the coasts of Egypt, from the Red sea, over which they flew; and being evening, and weary with flying so long, lighted and settled where the Israelites encamped. Josephus F12 Antiqu. l. 3. c. 1. sect. 5. says, about the Arabian gulf there are more of this sort of birds than any other, which flying over the sea, and being weary, and coming nearer the ground than other birds, and lighting among the Hebrews, they took them... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 16:14

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 was nothing but a dew to be seen; when that was gone off through the force of the sun, then the manna appeared; which was but a "small thing", and very... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 16:15

And when the children of Israel saw it ,.... As they could not but observe it, it being spread over the face of the wilderness; and besides, as they were told, that in the morning they should have bread to the full, they were up early to look after it: they said one to another, it is manna ; not such as is known by that name now, which is only used in medicine; nor anything that was then known by any such name; but so they called it, because it was, as Jarchi says, a preparation of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 16:13

At even the quails came - שלו selav , from שלה salah , to be quiet, easy, or secure; and hence the quail, from their remarkably living at ease and plenty among the corn. "An amazing number of these birds," says Hasselquist, Travels, p. 209, "come to Egypt at this time, (March), for in this month the wheat ripens. They conceal themselves among the corn, but the Egyptians know that they are thieves, and when they imagine the field to be full of them they spread a net over the corn and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 16:14

Behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing - It appears that this small round thing fell with the dew, or rather the dew fell first, and this substance fell on it. The dew might have been intended to cool the ground, that the manna on its fall might not be dissolved; for we find from Exodus 16:21 , that the heat of the sun melted it. The ground therefore being sufficiently cooled by the dew, the manna lay unmelted long enough for the Israelites to collect a... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 16:15

They said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was - This is a most unfortunate translation, because it not only gives no sense, but it contradicts itself. The Hebrew הוא מן man hu , literally signifies, What is this? for, says the text, they wist not what it was, and therefore they could not give it a name. Moses immediately answers the question, and says, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. From Exodus 16:31 ; we learn that this substance was... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 16:13

Verse 13 13.And it came to pass. We shall afterwards see, that, when from weariness of the manna they began to desire meat, quails were again given them; but, while they were yet in their mouths, a terrible punishment was inflicted upon their gluttony. When here they had only complained of their want of food, God for once satiated them with flesh, that He might show them that He has in His hand all kinds and quantity of meats. Yet, it was His will that they should be content with one single... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 16:14

Verse 14 14.And when the dew that lay was gone up. The shape of the manna is here briefly described, viz., that it was like the dew condensed into small round grains. Its taste will be also mentioned elsewhere; but here it was sufficient to show, that this fecundity was not natural, but miraculously given to the clouds, so that they should daily rain manna. For as to the idle talk of certain profane persons, (176) that the manna falls naturally in certain countries, who would thus display the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 16:15

Verse 15 15.And when the children of Israel saw. The Israelites manifested some appearance of gratitude in calling the food given them from heaven, Man, (178) which name means “something prepared;” but if any prefer their opinion who expound it, “a part or portion,” I do not debate the matter, although the former is more correct. Yet, whichever you choose, by this word they confessed that they were dealt with bountifully, because God presented them with food without their having to labor for... read more

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