Exodus 16:16-18 This is the thing which the LORD has commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man… We are hereby taught — 1. Prudence and diligence in providing food convenient for ourselves and our households; what God graciously gives we must industriously gather, with quietness working, and eating our own bread, not the bread either of idleness or deceit. God's bounty leaves room for man's duty. 2. Contentment and satisfaction with a sufficiency; they must gather, "every man according to his eating"; enough is as good as a feast, and more than enough is as bad as a surfeit. They that have most have for themselves but food and raiment and mirth; and they that have least generally have these; so that "he who gathers much," etc. There is not so great a disproportion between one and another, in the comforts and enjoyments of the things of this life, as there is in the property and possession of the things themselves. 3. Dependence upon Providence. "Let no man leave till morning" (ver. 19), but let them learn to go to bed and sleep quietly, though they have not a bit of bread in their tent, nor in all their camp, trusting that God, with the following day, will bring them their daily bread. It was surer and safer in God's storehouse than in their own, and would thence come to them sweeter and fresher. ( M. Henry, D. D..) Parallel Verses KJV: This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. |
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