Exodus 16, 17 Commentary by Mark Dunagan

The Book Of Exodus Chapters 16-17 I. Chapter 16: 16:1 The name “Sin” in this context has nothing to do with “sin” (i.e. evil), but rather is related to the term “Sinai”, and may mean bramble-bush. “Another view is that this name, and the name Sinai were derived from the moon-god Sin, who was worshipped in the Sinai peninsula” (Gispen p. 155). According to Numbers 33:10 the next stopping place on the journey southward was the Red Sea, i.e. Gulf of Suez. They arrived in this wilderness region one month after coming out of bondage (13:3-4). This month was later called Iyyar.

“The Desert of Sin is an area in the west-central region of the peninsula. Here the main route moves inland five to ten miles for about the next seventy-five miles until it rejoins the coast….This may be where they camped by the sea (Numbers 30:10-11)” (Walton & Matthews, p. 103).

“There are numerous opinions as to the location of this particular desert area.

The encampment located in Dophkah (Numbers 33:12) may be of some help in identifying this area. According to G.E. Wright the name means ‘smeltery’ and probably refers to the Egyptian mining center at Serabit el-Khadem. This would place the wilderness of Sin to the south and east of Elim” (Davis p. 188).

16:2 By this time the food supplies that the Israelites had brought with them were exhausted. Once again, instead of praying to God, the Israelites immediately grumble and complain against the leadership being provided by Moses and Aaron.

16:3 Points To Note: 1. Only one month after being liberated from 400 years of slavery, all of a sudden life in Egypt has become “idealized”. “Slaves do not eat much meat, yet here the ‘meat cauldron’ looms large in their memories” (Cole p. 130).

Large pots filled with meat, we might say, “meat by the bucketload”.

Hardship can often cause us to “idealize” the sinful past or a particular sin

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that seems the only hope for some relief. In one short month this is the third time that the people have complained (14:12; 15:24). 3. Obviously, slaves didn’t have all the food they wanted. But how often do we exaggerate or idealize our former life of bondage to sin? How often do we only remember the ‘good days?’ 4. In addition, they immediately accuse Moses and Aaron of the worst possible motives, as if they had deliberately set out to kill them.

5. They still had their livestock, but they seemed very reluctant to slaughter their flocks for food. 6. Note the patience of God! “It is a wonder that God did not rain fire and brimstone on them, instead of raining manna upon them” (Fields p. 343).

But are we really that different from these people? How quick are apt to complain about setbacks in our own lives? At what level of discomfort or stress are we ready to abandon God? How quick are we in criticizing the elders?

Carefully note that these people thought they were completely justified in their complaints (1 Corinthians 10:1-12). They thought they were standing on safe ground. They probably thought that being one of God’s people meant that they should of never had any discomfort, that is, if God was really taking care of them, then all their needs should be supplied all the time, and they should never have to wait for anything!

This generation is a great example the mindset that can’t wait for God to meet one’s needs. They always gave up, and gave into unbelieving thoughts, just before God was going to act on their behalf. How many blessings in life will we miss because we couldn’t wait or weren’t willing to find contentment with being on God’s time schedule?

16:4-5 The manna or bread from heaven, in addition to feeding the people, was a test. “Would they gather just enough for each day at the start of every day?

Or would they hoard it on some days because they did not completely trust God to provide more on subsequent days? Would they gather twice as much on the sixth day, when once they had learned that any excess collected on other days spoiled after one day? Would they rest on the seventh day, or go out searching for bread (Deut. 8:3,16)” (Fields p. 344).

God brought a nation of 2 million plus through a desert region, for the precise purpose of trying to convince these people that even in the toughest circumstances, they could trust Him! 16:6-8 It surely had taken a long time for some Israelites to realize that they were truly out of Egypt, and that the Lord had delivered them! How many professed Christians have the same problem? How many haven’t realized or woken up to the fact that God has spared them from eternal misery! Moses also reminds the people that their complaining was really against God, “what are we, 2

that you grumble against us?” “Israel said, ‘Moses, you brought us out of Egypt to kill us.’ Moses said, ‘You shall know that the Lord brought you out.’ The exodus was not an event that had happened by chance. The Lord was not some incompetent deity.” (Fields p. 345).

The “glory of the Lord” in the context, includes His splendor seen in the cloud that suddenly appeared hovering over the desert (16:10). But it also included God’s omnipotence in providing quail that evening (16:13) and manna the next morning. All of these miracles were proof that God had taken their grumblings personally! “The Lord provided this meat and bread not because it was His gracious pleasure to do so, but because He had heard the grumbling against Him. He answered the challenge directed against His representatives” (Gispen p. 159).

16:9-12 God is doing everything He can to help the Israelites place their confidence and trust in Him, and those He has appointed to be His spokesmen.

Point To Note: Lest we feel sorry for ourselves that we weren’t born during the age of miracles, let us be impressed that the miraculous doesn’t make much of an impact upon the lives of self-centered people. If the Word of God doesn’t change us---then seeing a miracle wouldn’t really change anything in us (Luke 16:30-31).

16:13 In the spring of each year quails migrate in great numbers from the interior of Africa and Arabia, across the Sinai peninsula and into southern Europe. The occurrence of quail in Sinai wasn’t usual, the miracle consisted in the precise timing of their arrival and also remember, we are talking about enough quail in a very concentrated area to feed 2 million hungry people!

When exhausted, the quail are too weary to take off again, and can easily be caught. The birds were viewed as a delicacy by the Egyptians when dried in the sun. Be impressed that God understands nutrition, and that people need some meat or protein in their diet. The problem was that the Israelites refused to trust God and allow Him to provide for their needs. “The attempt on the part of some commentators to explain the word quails as meaning flying fish or locusts is decidedly inadequate and in conflict with the information provided in Psalm 78:27 which makes it clear that feathered fowls were meant” (Davis p. 193).

Remember, in addition to being eaten immediately, much of the quail meat could have been dried, and used in the days and weeks to come.

“What Is It?”

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16:13-15 At this point we are given a description of what will be called “manna”.

Such appeared every morning, except the seventh day after the dew evaporated (Numbers 11:9). It is described as “a fine flake-like thing” (16:14). “fine, flakelike fragments on the ground, as small as the crystals of hoarfrost (while frost)” (Fields p. 347). The name “manna” appears to come from the initial reaction of the Israelites, when they said, “What is it?”

Points To Note” 1.

According to 16:31, manna was like coriander seed (a strong-smelling seed about the size of a peppercorn), was white in color and tasted like wafers with honey. Numbers 11:8 adds, that it was the color of bdellium (a fragrant and transparent resin, resembling wax), and also contained a hint of fresh oil in flavor. 2. Various attempts have been made to remove all the miraculous elements from the appearing of the manna. One view is that the manna was nothing more than a secretion from the tamarisk tree.

Another, is that the manna is a certain lichen which grows on rocks in the region. But such theories conflict with the following facts: a. The enormous volume of manna produced every day. Secretions of all the trees in Sinai could never have produced such a mass of food. One writer calculates that at one omer a head daily, Israel would have collected twelve million pints, or nine million pounds daily, and over a million tons were gathered annually! b. The fact that the manna was provided year round for forty years. Secretions from trees only occur during brief seasons in some years. c. The fact that the manna suddenly appeared on a certain day, continued for 40 years and then just as suddenly ceased forever. d. The fact that the manna didn’t appear on the seventh day! e. The fact that the manna could be boiled in cooking, but melted in the heat of the sun (16:21,23). F. Maybe most importantly, the fact that Jesus claimed that it was a miraculous act on the part of God (John 6:31-32). G. Apart from the miraculous, the entire lesson is meaningless. Davis notes, “The manna was not only used to help in sustaining the Israelites during the forty-year period of wandering, but it served as a very vivid lesson to the children of Israel. According to verse 33 an omer of this material was to be gathered up and placed in a pot which would be set before the Lord. The purpose of this was to remind future generations of the faithfulness of God in providing for His people (cf. Deut. 8:3)” (p. 193). In addition, “Just as manna was a refreshment and a great blessing to the hungry bodies of the ancient Israelites, so the Lord Jesus, the Bread of Life, fulfills all the hungers, desires and aspirations of the starving soul in this age” (Davis p. 193).

We should also remember that manna wasn’t the only food that the Israelites had. Some foods would be provided by the desert and their flocks and herds.

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Deut. 2:6 records an attempt to buy food from the Edomites. No doubt other tribes in the region were similarly approached.

16:16 An omer is about two quarts. This may seem like a lot per person per day, but the manna might have been rather fluffy.

16:17-18 “The way the manna supply in each home equalized out certainly hints at some degree of miraculous control of the matter….Their food supply, like their clothing (Deut. 29:5), was always adequate for the needs” (Fields pp. 350351).

16:19-20 God’s instructions are very clear, and yet there are always those who refuse to believe. Evidently, some of the people were attempting to “stock up” so they didn’t have to depend upon God for their daily bread. God was trying to teach them that they were to live in a situation wherein they had to depend on God every day for that day’s needs. We need a similar faith (Matthew 6:33-34).

Carefully note that some supposed physical need never takes precedence over obedience to God. 16:21 God’s daily program with the manna meant that if one was going to eat that day, then one had to get up and gather it in the morning.

16:22-26 From these passages some have attempted to demonstrate that the Sabbath Day had been in force since the beginning of Creation, and is an eternal ordinance, one to which Christians must also submit. But Nehemiah 9:13-14 makes it clear that the Sabbath Day as a mandatory day of rest wasn’t made known until Mount Sinai. In addition to this: 1. Such instructions revolved around gathering the manna. Rather, God is preparing the people for the more comprehensive command concerning the Sabbath that will be given in Exodus 20:8-11. 2. It seems clear from this chapter, that this was something new to the Israelites, and that they were not acquainted with any Sabbath observance previous to this time.

16:27-30 In spite of another set of clear instructions, some refuse to accept what was being spoken through Moses. Again, it appears that the attempt on their part is to hoard the manna, get themselves into a position where they could have a stockpile, so they didn’t have to get up early, gather it everyday, or depend upon God for their daily food. Like these Israelites, there are people today who are trying their best to become independent of God. These people sure look ridiculous! God is giving them a day off, a day to rest, a break, and they refuse it! So much for the idea that God is trying to make our lives miserable or that His commands are too restrictive (1 John 5:3).

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Point To Note: “God was angry because of the people’s disobedience. He said to Moses, “How long refuse ye (plural) to keep my commandments?” Deut. 3:26 says, ‘Jehovah was angry with me (Moses) for your sakes”. Moses was not personally guilty of any wrongdoing. But the principle of collective guilt is quite frequently found in the Scriptures. When one member of a people (or church) sins, the whole body shares it guilt and punishment in some degree. Compare Joshua 7:1” (Fields p.

353).

16:31 “manna”-“man hu”, which appears to have the meaning, “what’s-its-name”, or “what is it?”.

16:32-34 Hebrews 9:4 says that the manna was kept in a golden pot, which was placed in the ark of the covenant in the days of come. These verses anticipate the construction of the ark and the tabernacle.

16:35-36 Another verse which informs us that the Bible is a complete unit of books. It isn’t just a bunch of sayings or religious books which have been jumbled together. The description of an omer may be for the benefit of nonJewish readers, or such a measure may have been an uncommon unit of measure. Once again we see the miraculous nature of the manna. The Lord continued to supply manna until the nation came to Gilgal, where they began to eat the products of the land (Joshua 5:12). The manna in the ark was a perpetual reminder of God’s loyalty to His people in supplying their needs, and that human grumbling is inexcusable.

II. Chapter 17: This chapter records two additional provisions by God for His people: water (17) and victory in battle (8-16). God was once again attempting to prove to this generation that they could completely depend upon Him. 17:1 “by stages”-which means that Israel would journey and then camp at various places. The phrase refers to significant stopovers or encampments.

Numbers 33:12-13 names two of these stages, Dophka and Alush. These lay between the wilderness of Sin and Rephidim. From this verse we are also told that God was giving the directions, “by the command of the Lord”. Two routes

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could have been taken from the wilderness of Sin to Rephidim, both are about 110 miles in length.

“Rephidim”-(REF uh dim): This site has been identified with two places.

The first is Wadi Feiran which leads up to Mount Sinai, about 10 miles to the north. Others have identified it with Wadi Refayid, which lies some 15 miles NW of Sinai.

17:2-3 Once again, the people manifest a great lack of confidence in God. He was miraculously giving them manna---now would such a God allow them to die of thirst? The verse also reveals that the Israelites still possessed their herds and flocks. They assign to Moses the worst possible motive. Even accusing him of secretly planning to kill them and their children! The word “quarreled” in verse 2 suggests more than grumbling, rather it denotes a verbal argument or dispute.

The lesson of the manna and quail had quickly been forgotten.

“Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?”-Note the humility of Moses. He considered himself powerless (the power to provide such things did not reside within him). Only the Lord could provide such water. “but to ask Him to do so in such a spirit of discontent and doubt amounted to ‘testing’….Testing as used here means to invoke the Lord’s power, not in faith, but with challenge and irreverence” (Gispen p. 165). “Murmuring is an attitude that God is insufficient in difficulties” (Smith p. 294).

Points To Note: 1.

We can be just as guilty of “testing” God. Especially when we say such things as, “Why did God allow this to happen?” and “Why doesn’t God do something?” Unfortunately, people often get the idea that it is perfectly fine to question God or express any complaint that we have about His governing of this world or our lives, especially if we aren’t feeling good.

2. Once again, these people thought that they had a case, they thought that being thirsty, suffering a little bit gave them the “right” to complain.

3. Other passages endorse the historical accuracy and reality of this event (Deut. 6:16). 4. “Previous deliverances of the Israelites from Egypt and at the Sea, and at Marah should have produced in them a habit of trusting God in every emergency….Surely Moses’ leadership was by then thoroughly vindicated, Sadly, they were still ruled by an evil heart of unbelief (Heb. 3:12)” (Fields p. 363). And this generation never grew out of such unbelief! 40 years later at Kadesh-Barnea, they murmured for water once again (Numbers 20:2-3).

Psalm 78:18 reads, “And in their heart they put God to the test by asking food according to their desire”. The verse suggests that they didn’t really need what 7

at times they were demanding. They might not have been as hungry and thirsty as they claimed, or they started panicking when their provisions started to get low or run out. Clearly, God wasn’t abusing these people or intentionally trying to see how long they could go without food or water, God wasn’t confining them to a diet that kept them right above the point of starvation.

17:4 Stoning was the last stage of rejection of a leader in Israel (1 Samuel 30:6; 1 Kings 12:18). Jesus (John 10:31), Stephen and Paul all faced stoning at the hands of those who professed themselves to be God’s people.

17:5 Apparently Moses was to take with him the elders of Israel, so they could act as witnesses to the people of the reality of this miracle. “What follows is, to Israel’s shame and Moses’ encouragement, a reminder of the first plague: Moses had to take the staff with which he struck the Nile” (Gispen p. 166).

17:6 Horeb is a term used interchangeably with Sinai, but probably refers to the entire plateau or mountain range, in which Sinai was a particular peak. God said that He would stand before Moses there on the rock, making it clear that God was intervening and that God Himself would point out the precise location.

Some see this as meaning that the pillar of cloud would descend on the exact location. Some try to argue that Moses accidentally struck a rock and due to the closeness of the water to the surface discovered the answer to his problem. But such an explanation fails to respect the text, in which God points out to Moses which rock to strike. This was God’s plan, and not something that Moses had thought of, for he was at his wits end. Once again, other passages endorse the historical accuracy of this event (Psalm 78:15-16; 1 Corinthians 10:4). Paul points out that the real source of the water was Christ, who was with the Israelites in the wilderness and was providing for their needs. “Some have suggested that he struck a thin layer of limestone rock that covered a vein of water. The problem with this view is that the rocks in that area are granite, not limestone” (Smith p. 295). In addition, this isn’t a small stream, rather it contains enough water to quench the thirst of over 2 million people and all their animals. A thin layer of limestone couldn’t have been holding back an entire river of water. Please note that when God gives, He gives abundantly!

17:7 “Massah”-(MASS uh) which means “testing”. “Meribah”-(MEHR ih bah), which means “contention, rebellion, strife”. (Psalm 95:8; 81:7). We should be impressed that Hebrews 3:8-11 “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts”, is taken from this incident in Exodus chapter 17. God knows that we can also test Him, that we can refuse to believe or allow ourselves to question the accuracy of His word, or His care.

“Is the Lord among us, or not?”-It appears that the people were constantly demanding miracles, and an abundance of physical blessings, or they wouldn’t 8

believe that God was with Him. Are we like them? Do we immediately question our faith when some need isn’t being met in accordance with our time schedule?

Are we ready to abandon God at the moment something goes wrong? Are we demanding an abundance of perks and blessings before we will serve God? How many professed members are quick to say the same thing when: Something bad happens, when the church doesn’t seem to be growing fast enough, etc….How many times have you heard people say, “If God was really on our side then…..”

The Battle With Amalek 17:8 “Amalek”-(AM uh leck): “Roaming the deserts of northern Sinai was a vicious fighting people known as the Amalekites. They were descendants of Esau’s grandson after whom they had been named (Genesis 36:12). The Amalekites were undoubtedly attempting to protect their own territory as well as gaining control of the oasis area which had now been occupied by the Israelites” (Davis p. 195). In addition, they may have greedily wanted this new source of water.

17:9 “Joshua”-This is the first time that Joshua is mentioned and he is probably around 45 years old at this time. His name was actually Hoshea but was later changed to Jehoshua (Numbers 13:16). The former name means “savior”, the latter means, “Jehovah is Savior”. Throughout the years in the wilderness he is viewed as Moses’ personal assistant (Exod. 24:13; 32:17; 33:11; Josh. 1:1).

Points To Note: 1.

One is immediately impressed with Joshua’s promptness, obedience and willingness to serve. “Without question or objection he organized a relatively untrained and unseasoned soldiers of Israel and fought the Amalekites” (Davis p. 196). 2. From other passages, it appears that the Amalekites liked to “strike and run”. They were deliberately preying upon the stragglers who were weary and worn out from traveling (Deut. 25:1719). No doubt this is one reason why God determined to exterminate them (1 Samuel 15:1ff). They deliberately preyed upon the old, weak and tired among the Israelites. “As Israel passed through the wadies (valleys) on the way to Mt.Sinai, they got strung out into a column perhaps ten miles long. Amalek smote the stragglers at the rear of the column when they were weary and faint” (Smith p. 367). 3. While the battle was in progress, Moses promised Joshua that he would undergird his efforts with intercession on a nearby hill.

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17:10 “Hur”-(her). A man by this name is named in Exodus 31:2 as the grandfather of Bezalel, a builder of the tabernacle. But we aren’t sure if these are one and the same man. Josephus (Ant. III, ii, 4) says that Hur was the husband of Miriam. But we don’t know if this tradition is true or false.

17:11-13 Evidently, the lifting up of the hands was associated with Moses praying to God. “The weariness that soon comes when we try to hold our arms up-lifted for long periods is familiar to all” (Fields p. 369). Aaron and Hur quickly found a stone so Moses could sit down, and they helped hold Moses’ hands until the battle was won. Note the combination between Divine assistance and human cooperation or free will. The battle wouldn’t be won without the power of God, and yet Joshua and the Israelites still had to fight with all their might.

Apparently, Israel was able to draw out the Amalekites into the open for a massive battle, in contrast to their hyena-like attacks. The word “overwhelmed” in 17:13 means, “mowed down” or “strike without mercy”. Evidently, many Amalekites were killed in this battle. The expression “with the edge of the sword”, often refers to a great slaughter of the enemy (Josh. 6:21; 8:24; Num. 21:24).

Point To Note: The lesson to Israel was clear. Without continued dependence upon God and supplication to Him, they would have never won this battle. They had to learn that without God, they could do nothing. Combat alone, military weapons alone, were not sufficient.

17:14 The prophecy of Amalek’s future annihilation was also given in Numbers 24:20 and Deut. 25:17-19. About 400 years after this event, this prophecy would be fulfilled (1 Samuel 15:1ff). But Saul didn’t carry out this command fully, and in the time of King Hezekiah (728-696 B.C.) we read that the remnant of the Amalekites in one region were smitten (1 Chron. 4:41-43). After this reference they are never heard from again.

Points To Note: 1.

This information is being gathered into a book. Other verses in the Law tell us that Moses was also recording other information (Numbers 33:2; Exodus 24:4; 34:27). God is telling us, that these events were not recorded centuries later by someone relying upon their fallible memory or hearsay evidence. 2. Be impressed that some of God’s threats may take centuries to be fulfilled. So just because you see a sinner supposedly getting away with something today, don’t assume that God will never act. 3. In addition, Joshua was to be told this story often, for he needed to remember it’s lesson. He would be the general in charge of 10

taking the land of Canaan, he needed to learn the lesson that military might alone would not give Israel the land. Rather, absolute trust in God would be necessary. If they had faith in God, they would win, but if they depended upon their own might or an alliance with another country, they would lose!

17:15 “The Lord Is My Banner”-“All of Israel needed to realize that they fought under the banner of their God” (Smith p. 296). In the Egyptian army the divisions were named for various gods, and the standards (poles with some sort of inscription, emblem or flag) would identify the division by means of some representation of the god. In contrast, all the Israelites were to fight under the banner of the one true God. Points To Note: 1. Verse 16 makes it clear that God doesn’t sit idly on His throne, but actively has a hand in ruling this world. And He will continually pursue Amalek. One year from this point, the Amalekites will join forces with the Canannites at Kadesh Barnea, against Israel (Numbers 14:45). 2. Israel will also fight against them during the time of the Judges (6:33), and the United Kingdom period (1 Samuel 14:48; 15:1; 27:8; 30:17-18; 2 Samuel 8:12).

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