Exodus 16:2-15

Exodus 16:2-15 (NRSV)

² The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. ³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

⁴ 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. ⁵ On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.” ⁶ So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, ⁷ and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?” ⁸ And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.”

⁹ Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’ ” ¹⁰ And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. ¹¹ The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ¹² “I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”

¹³ In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. ¹⁴ When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. ¹⁵ When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 

Exodus 16:2-15 relates the story of the complaint of hunger by the Hebrew people in the wilderness and the response of the Lord to provide food. Few of us like those who complain. A wise person stays away from them. However, this biblical incident brings to mind a joke that is popular in my circles. A young Catholic priest decided to enter a monastery. He joined one particularly strict sect. The head monk told him, at his indoctrination, that they had to commit themselves to total silence. They could not speak one word at all. However, every ten years, they would have the opportunity to speak two words. After 10 years of total silence, the head monk indicated it was now time for him to speak his two words. The monk said, "Bed hard!" He then resumed his silent study and work. Another 10 years passed and the head monk again indicated it was time for him to speak his two words. The monk said, "Food bad!" He then resumed his silent study and work. Another 10 years passed and the head monk again indicated it was time for him to speak his two words. The monk said, "I quit!" The head monk shook his head and said, "I knew this was coming. You've done nothing but complain for the past 30 years!"

Verses 2-3 are from the P document. They provide an itinerary notice that stresses the leadership provided by the Lord. The wilderness was a dangerous and hostile place, in contrast to the civilized and safe place for which they longed. The note localizes the gift of quail and manna to a specific place, heading south along the coast of the Gulf of Suez on the western side of the Sinai Peninsula. The complaint is a reminder of the famous saying of Napoleon, “An army marches on its stomach.” Members of the army customarily complain about rations. The Hebrew word translated as complain is lun a rare word in the Bible. They also complained in 14:11 and 15:24. This complaint focuses on the lack of food after their rushed departure from Egypt. Their journey began with the Passover meal. If we look upon them as an army, the point of their continuing meals was not luxury or variety. The menu is going to be expedient and sometimes sparse. Yet, God promised to provide a steady supply chain for the march. The concern of Lord is that they have what they need to keep moving toward the larger objective of fulfilling their mission. Yet, their complaint is rhetorical. They refer to how wonderful it was to eat from the fleshpots in Egypt and have their fill of bread. Clearly, this was not true. “Fleshpots” has its only occurrence in this passage. It refers to large communal cooking pots in which they boiled sacrificial meat and from which they fed groups of people. They speared the meat, in large chunks, out of the cooking liquid and distributed it by heads of households, after which the women and children, along with some of the men, drank the broth. As slaves, the Egyptians would have given the Hebrews basic sustenance, but the minimum of provisions. They make their slavery past look good in order to justify the complaint they offer today. Yet, the complaint they offer is that Moses and Aaron have brought them into the wilderness to kill them. Again, they go to rhetorical extreme. Such rhetorical extremes points to the desperation they felt. I also find it typical of those who make a habit of complaining. They tend to exaggerate. I knew one pastor whose church he presently led was always awful, but the church he came from was wonderful and the church to which he appointed next was wonderful. In verses 4-5, from the J document, we now see that the story of the manna is also a test of the newly established people of the Lord. The Lord promises to rain bread from heaven. They are to gather enough bread from heaven for each day. This command would require discipline, for our naturally tendency is to get more than enough. Given the critical nature of this journey, they are to leave bread for others. Further, the Lord will allow them to gather more on the sixth day so that they will not need to work on the Sabbath. Such commands are part of the test of whether these people can obey the Lord. The nature of the test is similar to that of Deuteronomy 8:2-3, where the test of their hearts was to humble them through their hunger, and then the Lord fed them manna to teach them their reliance upon the Lord. They were to learn that we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. In verses 6-13a, returning to the P document, we learn that in the morning, they will see the glory of the Lord, a reminder that they are recipients of the deliberate care of their divine patron. Moses and Aaron remind them that while they think they complain against them as human leaders, they are actually complaining against the Lord. They are to draw near to the Lord, similar to entry into the sanctuary. They will eat of quail and bread. At that point, they will know the Lord is their God. In the evening, quail covered the camp, thus fulfilling the divine promise. In verses 13b-15, returning to the J document, we find the fulfillment of the promise of food. The “flaky substance” evoked the question, (man hu) “What is it?” Moses identifies it as the bread the Lord has given them to eat.  We can see that the welfare of the Israelites is not coincidental or accidental. Rather, the Lord deliberately cares for the newly formed people of the Lord.

We can all understand the concern for hunger. However, we have seen that complaint is often a way of exaggerating in our minds in order to justify the complaint. The corrective is to see the way in which good is present in your situation and relationships. Yes, one may need help. The Lord saw that need behind the complaint and provided for that need. We need to learn to see the Lord as present in the situation and relationships we now have and trust that the Lord will indeed provide, likely in ways we do not expect.