The Lord Gives Israel Food Every Day
1The whole community of Israel started out from Elim. They came to the Desert of Sin. It was between Elim and Sinai. They arrived there on the 15th day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. 2In the desert the whole community told Moses and Aaron they weren’t happy with them. 3The Israelites said to them, “We wish the Lord had put us to death in Egypt. There we sat around pots of meat. We ate all the food we wanted. But you have brought us out into this desert. You must want this entire community to die of hunger.”
4Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people must go out each day. Have them gather enough bread for that day. Here is how I will test them. I will see if they will follow my directions. 5On the sixth day they must prepare what they bring in. On that day they must gather twice as much as on the other days.”
6So Moses and Aaron spoke to all the people of Israel. They said, “In the evening you will know that the Lord brought you out of Egypt. 7And in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord. He has heard you say you aren’t happy with him. Who are we? Why are you telling us you aren’t happy with us?” 8Moses also said, “You will know that the Lord has heard you speak against him. He will give you meat to eat in the evening. He’ll give you all the bread you want in the morning. But who are we? You aren’t speaking against us. You are speaking against the Lord.”
9Then Moses told Aaron, “Talk to the whole community of Israel. Say to them, ‘Come to the Lord. He has heard you speak against him.’ ”
10While Aaron was talking to the whole community of Israel, they looked toward the desert. There was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud!
11The Lord said to Moses, 12“I have heard the people of Israel talking about how unhappy they are. Tell them, ‘When the sun goes down, you will eat meat. In the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”
13That evening quail came and covered the camp. In the morning the ground around the camp was covered with dew. 14When the dew was gone, thin flakes appeared on the desert floor. They looked like frost on the ground. 15The people of Israel saw the flakes. They asked each other, “What’s that?” They didn’t know what it was.
Moses said to them, “It’s the bread the Lord has given you to eat. 16Here is what the Lord has commanded. He has said, ‘Everyone should gather as much as they need. Take three pounds for each person who lives in your tent.’ ”
17The people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, and some gathered a little. 18When they measured it out, the one who gathered a lot didn’t have too much. And the one who gathered a little had enough. Everyone gathered only what they needed.
19Then Moses said to them, “Don’t keep any of it until morning.”
20Some of them didn’t pay any attention to Moses. They kept part of it until morning. But it was full of maggots and began to stink. So Moses became angry with them.
21Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed. But by the hottest time of the day, the thin flakes had melted away. 22On the sixth day, the people gathered twice as much. It amounted to six pounds for each person. The leaders of the community came and reported that to Moses. 23He said to them, “Here is what the Lord commanded. He said, ‘Tomorrow will be a day of rest. It will be a holy Sabbath day. It will be set apart for the Lord. So bake what you want to bake. Boil what you want to boil. Save what is left. Keep it until morning.’ ”
24So they saved it until morning, just as Moses commanded. It didn’t stink or get maggots in it. 25“Eat it today,” Moses said. “Today is a Sabbath day to honor the Lord. You won’t find any flakes on the ground today. 26Gather them for six days. But on the seventh day there won’t be any. It’s the Sabbath day.”
27In spite of what Moses said, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather the flakes. But they didn’t find any. 28Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, “How long will all of you refuse to obey my commands and my teachings? 29Keep in mind that I have given you the Sabbath day. That is why on the sixth day I give you bread for two days. Everyone must stay where they are on the seventh day. No one can go out.” 30So the people rested on the seventh day.
31The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seeds. It tasted like wafers made with honey. 32Moses said, “Here is what the Lord has commanded. He has said, ‘Get three pounds of manna. Keep it for all time to come. Then those who live after you will see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert. I gave it to you when I brought you out of Egypt.’ ”
33So Moses said to Aaron, “Get a jar. Put three pounds of manna in it. Then place it in front of the Lord. Keep it there for all time to come.”
34Aaron did exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses. He put the manna with the tablets of the covenant law. He put it there so it would be kept for all time to come. 35The Israelites ate manna for 40 years. They ate it until they came to a land where people were living. They ate it until they reached the border of Canaan.
36The jar had three pounds of manna in it.
Mana Na Kware
116:1 Kut 17:1; Hes 33:11-12; Kut 6:6; 12:1-2Jumuiya yote ya Kiisraeli ikaondoka Elimu, wakafika Jangwa la Sini, lililokuwa kati ya Elimu na Sinai, siku ya kumi na tano ya mwezi wa pili baada ya kutoka Misri. 216:2 Kut 15:24; 14:11; 1Kor 10:10Huko jangwani hiyo jumuiya yote wakawanungʼunikia Mose na Aroni. 316:3 Kut 17:3; Hes 14:2; 20:3; 11:4, 34; Kum 12:20; Za 78:18; 106:14; Yer 44:12; Mwa 47:15Waisraeli wakawaambia, “Laiti tungelikufa kwa mkono wa Bwana huko Misri! Huko tuliketi tukizunguka masufuria ya nyama na tukala vyakula tulivyovitaka, lakini ninyi mmetuleta huku jangwani ili mpate kuua mkutano huu wote kwa njaa.”
416:4 Dan 8:3; Neh 9:15; Za 78:24; 105:40; Yn 6:31; Mwa 22:1Kisha Bwana akamwambia Mose, “Nitanyesha mikate kutoka mbinguni kwa ajili yenu. Watu watatoka kila siku na kukusanya kitakachowatosha kwa siku ile, kwa njia hii, nitawajaribu nione kama watafuata maelekezo yangu. 516:5 Law 25:21Siku ya sita watatayarisha kile waletacho ndani, nacho kitakuwa mara mbili kuliko ya kile walichokusanya kila siku.”
616:6 Kut 6:6Kwa hiyo Mose na Aroni wakawaambia Waisraeli wote, “Jioni mtajua kwamba Bwana ndiye aliwatoa Misri, 716:7 Kut 24:16; 29:43; 33:18-22; 40:34; Law 9:6; Hes 16:19; Kum 5:24; 1Fal 8:11; Za 63:2; Isa 6:3; 35:2; 40:5; 44:23; 66:18; Eze 1:28; 10:4; 43:5; Hab 2:14; Hag 2:7; Yn 11:40; Hes 11:1; 17:5; 16:11kisha asubuhi mtauona utukufu wa Bwana, kwa sababu amesikia manungʼuniko yenu dhidi yake. Sisi ni nani hata mtunungʼunikie?” 816:8 Hes 23:21; Kum 33:5; Amu 8:23; 1Sam 8:17; 12:12; Mt 10:40; Rum 13:2; 1The 4:8Pia Mose akasema, “Mtajua kuwa alikuwa Bwana wakati atakapowapa nyama mle ifikapo jioni na mikate yote mtakayohitaji asubuhi kwa sababu amesikia manungʼuniko yenu dhidi yake. Sisi ni nani? Hamnungʼuniki dhidi yetu, bali dhidi ya Bwana.”
9Kisha Mose akamwambia Aroni, “Iambie jumuiya yote ya Waisraeli kwamba, ‘Mje mbele zake Bwana, kwa maana amesikia manungʼuniko yenu.’ ”
1016:10 Yn 11:2; Kut 13:21; 40:34-35; 1Fal 8:10; 2Nya 7:1; Eze 10:4Aroni alipokuwa akizungumza na jumuiya yote ya Waisraeli, wakatazama kuelekea jangwani, na huko wakaona utukufu wa Bwana ukitokeza katika wingu.
11Bwana akamwambia Mose, 1216:12 Kut 6:2; 16:7; 20:2“Nimesikia manungʼuniko ya Waisraeli. Waambie, ‘Jioni mtakula nyama, na asubuhi mtashiba mikate. Ndipo mtajua ya kwamba Mimi ndimi Bwana Mungu wenu.’ ”
1316:13 Hes 11:31; Za 78:27-28; 105:40; 106:15; Hes 11:9Jioni ile kware wakaja wakaifunika kambi na asubuhi kulikuwa na tabaka la umande kuzunguka kambi. 1416:14 Hes 11:7-9; Kum 8:3, 16; Za 105:40Wakati umande ulipoondoka, vipande vidogo vidogo kama theluji vilionekana juu ya uso wa jangwa. 1516:15 Kum 8:16; Neh 9:20; Yn 6:31Waisraeli walipoona, wakaambiana, “Hiki ni nini?” Kwa kuwa hawakujua kilikuwa kitu gani.
Mose akawaambia, “Huu ndio mkate ambao Bwana amewapa mle. 16Hivi ndivyo Bwana alivyoamuru: ‘Kila mmoja akusanye kiasi anachohitaji. Chukueni pishi16:16 Pishi ni kipimo cha ujazo, kwa Kiebrania ni omeri, ambacho ni sawa na kilo mbili. moja kwa kila mtu mliye naye katika hema yenu.’ ”
17Waisraeli wakafanya kama walivyoambiwa, baadhi yao wakakusanya zaidi, wengine pungufu. 1816:18 2Kor 8:15Nao walipopima katika pishi, yule aliyekusanya zaidi hakuwa na ziada, wala aliyekusanya kidogo hakupungukiwa. Kila mmoja alikusanya kiasi alichohitaji.
1916:19 Kut 12:10; 23:18Kisha Mose akawaambia, “Mtu yeyote asibakize chochote mpaka asubuhi.”
2016:20 Kut 32:31Hata hivyo, wengine hawakuzingatia aliyosema Mose, wakahifadhi kiasi fulani mpaka asubuhi, lakini kile alichohifadhi kikajaa mabuu na kuanza kunuka. Kwa hiyo Mose akawakasirikia.
21Kila asubuhi, kila mmoja alikusanya kiasi alichohitaji na jua lilipokuwa kali, iliyeyuka. 2216:22 Kut 34:31Siku ya sita, wakakusanya mara mbili, kiasi cha pishi mbili kwa kila mtu, nao viongozi wa jumuiya wakaja kumwarifu Mose. 2316:23 Mwa 2:3; Kut 20:8; Kum 5:13-14Mose akawaambia, “Hivi ndivyo alivyoagiza Bwana: ‘Kesho itakuwa siku ya mapumziko, Sabato takatifu kwa Bwana. Kwa hiyo okeni kile mnachotaka kuoka na mchemshe kile mnachotaka kuchemsha. Hifadhini chochote kinachobaki na mkiweke mpaka asubuhi.’ ”
24Kwa hiyo wakavihifadhi mpaka asubuhi, kama Mose alivyoagiza, na havikunuka wala kuwa na mabuu. 25Mose akawaambia, “Kuleni leo, kwa sababu leo ni Sabato kwa Bwana. Hamtapata chochote juu ya nchi leo. 2616:26 Kut 20:9-10Kwa siku sita mtakusanya, lakini siku ya saba, yaani Sabato, hakutakuwepo chochote.”
27Hata hivyo, baadhi ya watu wakatoka kwenda kukusanya siku ya saba, lakini hawakupata chochote. 2816:28 Yos 9:14; Za 78:10; 106:13; 107:11; Yer 32:23; 2Fal 17:14Ndipo Bwana akamwambia Mose, “Je, mtaacha kushika maagizo na maelekezo yangu mpaka lini? 29Fahamuni kuwa Bwana amewapa ninyi Sabato, ndiyo sababu katika siku ya sita amewapa mikate ya siku mbili. Kila mmoja inampasa kukaa pale alipo katika siku ya saba. Hata mmoja haruhusiwi kutoka.” 30Kwa hiyo watu wakapumzika siku ya saba.
31Watu wa Israeli wakaita ile mikate mana16:31 Mana maana yake ni mkate kutoka mbinguni. Ilikuwa myeupe kama mbegu za mtama na ladha yake ilikuwa kama mkate mwembamba uliotengenezwa kwa asali. 32Mose akasema, “Hivi ndivyo alivyoagiza Bwana: ‘Chukueni pishi ya mana na kuhifadhi kwa ajili ya vizazi vijavyo ili vione mikate niliyowapa mle jangwani nilipowatoa katika nchi ya Misri.’ ”
3316:33 Ebr 9:4; Ufu 2:17Kwa hiyo Mose akamwambia Aroni, “Chukua gudulia na uweke pishi moja ya mana ndani yake. Kisha uweke mbele za Bwana ili kihifadhiwe kwa ajili ya vizazi vijavyo.”
3416:34 Kut 25:16, 21-22; 27:21; 31:18; 40:20; Law 16:13; Hes 1:50; 7:89; 10:11; 17:4; Kum 2:10; 1Fal 8:9; 2Nya 5:10Kama Bwana alivyomwagiza Mose, hatimaye Aroni alikuja kuihifadhi ndani ya Sanduku la Ushuhuda. 3516:35 Yn 6:31, 49; Hes 14:33; 33:38; Kum 1:3; 2:7; 8:2-4; Yos 5:6; Amu 3:11; Neh 9:21; Za 95:10; Amu 5:25; Yos 5:12Waisraeli wakala mana kwa miaka arobaini, mpaka walipofika katika nchi iliyokaliwa na watu; walikula mana hadi walipofika mpakani mwa Kanaani.
3616:36 Law 5:11; 6:20; Hes 5:15; 15:4; 28:5(Pishi moja ni sehemu ya kumi ya kipimo cha efa.16:36 Efa moja ni sawa na kilo 22.)
