Exodus 16:4
New International Version
Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.

New Living Translation
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.

English Standard Version
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test whether or not they will follow My instructions.

King James Bible
Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

New King James Version
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.

New American Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, so that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction.

NASB 1995
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction.

NASB 1977
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My law.

Amplified Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will cause bread to rain from heaven for you; the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, so that I may test them [to determine] whether or not they will walk [obediently] in My instruction (law).

Christian Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. This way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. This way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow My instructions.

American Standard Version
Then said Jehovah unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And LORD JEHOVAH said to Moshe, “Behold, I rain for you bread from Heaven, and the people shall come out and they will gather food of the day in the daytime, because I shall test them if they are walking in my laws or not.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord said to Moses, Behold, I will rain bread upon you out of heaven: and the people shall go forth, and they shall gather their daily portion for the day, that I may try them whether they will walk in my law or not.

Contemporary English Version
The LORD said to Moses, "I will send bread down from heaven like rain. Tell the people to go out each day and gather only enough for that day. That's how I will see if they obey me.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord said to Moses: Behold I will rain bread from heaven for you: let the people go forth, and gather what is sufficient for every day: that I may prove them whether they will walk in my law, or not.

English Revised Version
Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD said to Moses, "I'm going to send you food from heaven like rain. Each day the people should go out and gather only what they need for that day. In this way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.

Good News Translation
The LORD said to Moses, "Now I am going to cause food to rain down from the sky for all of you. The people must go out every day and gather enough for that day. In this way I can test them to find out if they will follow my instructions.

International Standard Version
The LORD told Moses, "Listen very carefully! I'll cause food to rain down for you from heaven, and the people are to go out and gather each day's portion on that day. In this way I'll test them to demonstrate whether or not they'll live according to my instructions.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Then said the LORD unto Moses: 'Behold, I will cause to rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law, or not.

Literal Standard Version
And YHWH says to Moses, “Behold, I am raining bread from the heavens for you—and the people have gone out and gathered the matter of a day in its day—so that I try them whether they walk in My law or not;

Majority Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test whether or not they will follow My instructions.

New American Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses: I am going to rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion; thus will I test them, to see whether they follow my instructions or not.

NET Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, "I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people will go out and gather the amount for each day, so that I may test them. Will they will walk in my law or not?

New Revised Standard Version
Then the LORD said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.

New Heart English Bible
Then said the LORD to Moses, "Look, I will rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said the LORD to Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.

World English Bible
Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from the sky for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Lo, I am raining to you bread from the heavens -- and the people have gone out and gathered the matter of a day in its day -- so that I try them whether they walk in My law, or not;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Manna and Quail from Heaven
3“If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt!” they said. “There we sat by pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, but you have brought us into this desert to starve this whole assembly to death!” 4Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test whether or not they will follow My instructions. 5Then on the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”…

Cross References
John 6:31
Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"

1 Corinthians 10:3
They all ate the same spiritual food

Exodus 15:25
And Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log. And when he cast it into the waters, they were sweetened. There the LORD made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He tested them,

Exodus 16:15
When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. So Moses told them, "It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.

Deuteronomy 8:2
Remember that these forty years the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commandments.

Deuteronomy 8:16
He fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers had not known, in order to humble you and test you, so that in the end He might cause you to prosper.

Nehemiah 9:15
In their hunger You gave them bread from heaven; in their thirst You brought them water from the rock. You told them to go in and possess the land which You had sworn to give them.


Treasury of Scripture

Then said the LORD to Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

I will rain

Psalm 78:24,25
And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven…

Psalm 105:40
The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.

John 6:31,32
Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat…

a certain rate every day.

Nehemiah 11:23
For it was the king's commandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day.

Proverbs 30:8
Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

Matthew 6:11,32,33
Give us this day our daily bread…

prove them

Exodus 15:25
And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

Deuteronomy 8:2,16
And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no…

Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Jump to Previous
Bread Cause Day's Enough Follow Gather Heaven Instruction Instructions Law Moses Needs Portion Prove Rain Rate Sky Test Walk Way Whether
Jump to Next
Bread Cause Day's Enough Follow Gather Heaven Instruction Instructions Law Moses Needs Portion Prove Rain Rate Sky Test Walk Way Whether
Exodus 16
1. The Israelites come to Sin, and murmur for want of bread
4. God promises them bread and meat from heaven, and they are rebuked
13. Quail and manna are sent
16. The ordering of manna
25. It was not to be found on the Sabbath
32. An omer of it is preserved














(4) I will rain bread from heaven for you.--This first announcement at once suggests that the supply is to be supernatural. "Bread from heaven" was not simply "food out of the air" (Rosenmller), but a celestial, that is, a Divine supply of their daily needs.

A certain rate every day.--Heb., a day's meal each day--sufficient, that is, for the wants of himself and family for a day.

That I may prove them.--Human life is a probation. God proves and tries those most whom He takes to Himself for His "peculiar people," and the trial is often by means of positive precepts, which are especially

Calculated to test the presence or absence of a spirit of humble and unquestioning obedience. Our first parents were tested by a positive precept in Paradise; the family of Abraham were tested by a positive precept--circumcision on the eighth day; the Israelites were tested, both in the wilderness and afterwards throughout their career as a nation, by a number of positive precepts, whereof this concerning the manna was one. Christians are tested by positive precepts with respect to common worship, prayer, and sacraments--the object being in all cases to see whether men "will walk in God's law or no." Men are very apt to prefer their own inventions to the simple rule of following at once the letter and the spirit of God's commandments.

Verses 4-8. - THE PROMISE OF BREAD FROM HEAVEN. When men who are in real distress make complaint, even though the tone of their complaint be not such as it ought to be, God in his mercy is wont to have compassion upon them, to "hear their mummurings," etc., and grant them some relief. But the relief is seldom of the kind which they expect, or pray for. The Israelites wished for actual bread, made of wheaten or barley flour. God gave them, not such bread, but a substitute for it. And first, before giving it, be promised that it should be given. Thus expectation was aroused; faith was exercised; the supernatural character of the relief was indicated; the power and the goodness of God, were, both of them, shown forth. And with the promise was given a law. They were on each occasion to gather no more than would suffice for the day. Thus they would continually "live by faith," taking no thought for the morrow, but trusting all to God. Verse 4. - Bread from heaven. Compare Psalm 78:24; Nehemiah 9:15; John 6:31-51. The expression is of course not to be trader-stood literally. The substance was not actual bread, neither was it locally transferred from the distant region called "heaven" to the soil of the Sinaitic peninsula. But it was called "bread," because it was intended to serve instead of bread, as the main support of life during the sojourn of Israel in the wilderness; and it was said to be "from heaven," first, as descending on 'the ground out of the circumambient air; and secondly, as miraculously sent by him, whose seat is in heaven. The people shall gather a certain rate every day. Rather "a day's supply every day," such a quantity as shall seem to each man reasonably sufficient for himself and his family. That I may prove them. As in Paradise God coupled with his free gift of "every tree of the garden" the positive precept, "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat," - that he might prove our first parents, whether they would obey him or not - so now he "proved" the obedience of the Israelites by a definite, positive command - they were not to gather on ordinary days more than was sufficient for the day. All life is intended as a probation.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the LORD
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

said
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Moses,
מֹשֶׁ֔ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

“Behold,
הִנְנִ֨י (hin·nî)
Interjection | first person common singular
Strong's 2005: Lo! behold!

I will rain down
מַמְטִ֥יר (mam·ṭîr)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 4305: To rain

bread
לֶ֖חֶם (le·ḥem)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain

from
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

heaven
הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם (haš·šā·mā·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

for you.
לָכֶ֛ם (lā·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

Each day
י֣וֹם (yō·wm)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

the people
הָעָ֤ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

are to go out
וְיָצָ֨א (wə·yā·ṣā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

and gather
וְלָֽקְטוּ֙ (wə·lā·qə·ṭū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3950: To pick up, to gather, to glean

enough for that day.
דְּבַר־ (də·ḇar-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

In this way
לְמַ֧עַן (lə·ma·‘an)
Conjunction
Strong's 4616: Purpose -- intent

I will test
אֲנַסֶּ֛נּוּ (’ă·nas·sen·nū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5254: To test, to attempt

whether
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

or not
לֹֽא׃ (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

they will follow
הֲיֵלֵ֥ךְ (hă·yê·lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

My instructions.
בְּתוֹרָתִ֖י (bə·ṯō·w·rā·ṯî)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 8451: Direction, instruction, law


Links
Exodus 16:4 NIV
Exodus 16:4 NLT
Exodus 16:4 ESV
Exodus 16:4 NASB
Exodus 16:4 KJV

Exodus 16:4 BibleApps.com
Exodus 16:4 Biblia Paralela
Exodus 16:4 Chinese Bible
Exodus 16:4 French Bible
Exodus 16:4 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Exodus 16:4 Then said Yahweh to Moses Behold (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 16:3
Top of Page
Top of Page