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The covenant people leave the pleasant, coastal area around Elim to begin the long journey through the wilderness. It will take longer than anyone expects.

As soon as they got to the desert of Sin, the entire community of Israelites complained to Moses and Aaron.

Israelites: It would have been better if we had died by the hand of the Eternal in Egypt. At least we had plenty to eat and drink, for our pots were stuffed with meat and we had as much bread as we wanted. But now you have brought the entire community out to the desert to starve us to death.

Eternal One (to Moses): Look! I will cause bread to rain down from heaven for you,[a] and the people will go out and gather a helping of it each day. I will test them to see if they are willing to live by My instructions.

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Footnotes

  1. 16:4 John 6:31

In the desert the whole community grumbled(A) against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!(B) There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food(C) we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”(D)

Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven(E) for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test(F) them and see whether they will follow my instructions.

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