1 They journeyed from Elim, and the whole congregation of the Israelites came to the wilderness of Sin, between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they came out of the land of Egypt. 2 The whole congregation of the Israelites grumbled 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 pots of meat and ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to starve this whole assembly to death.”

4 The LORD said to Moses, “Look, I will rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion each day, so that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. 5 On the sixth day they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather each day.”

6 Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that the LORD 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 grumbling against the LORD. And what are we, that you grumble against us?” 8 Moses said, “The LORD will give you meat to eat in the evening and bread to satisfy you in the morning, for the LORD has heard the grumbling you direct against him. And what are we? Your grumbling is not against us, but against the LORD.” 9 Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling.’ ” 10 As Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they turned toward the wilderness, and the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.

11 The LORD said to Moses: 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’ ” 13 In the evening quail 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 something fine and flaky, 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 the LORD has given you to eat. 16 This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Gather some of it, each according to what he is to eat—about two quarts per person, according to how many of you there are. Each of you shall take for those in his tent.’ ” 17 The Israelites did so; some gathered much and some little. 18 When they measured it by the omer—about two quarts—the one who had gathered much had no excess, and the one who had gathered little had no lack. Each had gathered what he was to eat. 19 Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it until morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. Moses was angry with them. 21 They gathered it morning by morning, each according to what he was to eat. When the sun grew hot, it melted. 22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, about four quarts per person. All the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses. 23 He said to them, “This is what the LORD has said: ‘Tomorrow is a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and keep all that is left over for yourselves until morning.’ ” 24 They kept it until morning, just as Moses had commanded, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it. 25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD. Today you will not find it in the field. 26 For six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.” 27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none.

28 The LORD said to Moses, “How long will you all refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See, the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Let each remain where he is; let no one go out from his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day. 31 The house of Israel called it manna. It was like coriander seed and was white, and its taste was like wafers with honey. 32 Moses said, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Keep about two quarts of it for your generations, so that they may see the bread I fed you in the wilderness when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’ ” 33 Moses said to Aaron, “Take one jar and put about two quarts of manna in it, and place it before the LORD to be kept throughout your generations.” 34 As the LORD had commanded Moses, Aaron placed it before the Testimony, to be kept. 35 The Israelites ate manna for forty years, until they came to an inhabited land. They ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 36 An omer, about two quarts, is one-tenth of an ephah.