Exodus 16:26 Study Bible: Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day is the Sabbath. In it there shall be none."

◄ Exodus 16:26 ►

For six days you may gather, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, it will not be there."

For six days you may gather
This phrase refers to the instructions given to the Israelites regarding the collection of manna, the miraculous bread from heaven. The six-day workweek is rooted in the creation narrative (Genesis 1), where God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. This pattern establishes a rhythm of work and rest that is foundational to the Israelite community. The gathering of manna for six days symbolizes human responsibility and the provision of God, emphasizing the need for diligence and reliance on divine sustenance.

but on the seventh day, the Sabbath
The Sabbath is a day of rest instituted by God, first mentioned in Genesis 2:2-3, where God rested on the seventh day after creation. It is a sign of the covenant between God and Israel (Exodus 31:16-17) and serves as a reminder of God's rest and the liberation from Egyptian slavery (Deuteronomy 5:15). The Sabbath is a day set apart for rest and worship, highlighting the importance of spiritual renewal and trust in God's provision. It foreshadows the ultimate rest found in Christ (Hebrews 4:9-10), who offers spiritual rest to believers.

it will not be there.
This phrase underscores the miraculous nature of the manna and the importance of obedience to God's commands. The absence of manna on the Sabbath reinforces the need for preparation and trust in God's provision. It serves as a test of faith for the Israelites, teaching them to rely on God's instructions and to honor the sanctity of the Sabbath. This principle of divine provision and rest is echoed in the New Testament, where Jesus, the Bread of Life (John 6:35), fulfills the spiritual needs of humanity, offering eternal sustenance and rest.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, who conveyed God's instructions regarding the gathering of manna.

2. The Israelites
The people of God who were wandering in the wilderness and were provided with manna from heaven.

3. The Wilderness of Sin
The location where the Israelites were camped and where God provided manna.

4. Sabbath
The seventh day, a day of rest commanded by God, during which no manna would be provided.

5. Manna
The miraculous food provided by God to the Israelites in the wilderness.

Teaching Points

The Principle of Rest
God designed the Sabbath as a day of rest, reflecting His own rest after creation. This principle is vital for physical, mental, and spiritual renewal.

Obedience to God's Commands
The Israelites were instructed to gather manna for six days and rest on the seventh. This teaches the importance of obedience to God's commands, even when it requires trust and faith.

Provision and Dependence
God's provision of manna teaches us to rely on Him for our daily needs. The absence of manna on the Sabbath underscores the need to trust in God's provision and timing.

Sabbath as a Gift
The Sabbath is a gift from God, intended for our benefit. It is a time to cease from labor and focus on worship, family, and spiritual growth.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the command to gather manna for six days and rest on the seventh reflect God's design for work and rest in our lives today?

2. In what ways can we apply the principle of the Sabbath in a modern context, considering our busy lifestyles?

3. How does the provision of manna in the wilderness encourage us to trust in God's provision for our daily needs?

4. What are some practical ways we can ensure that we are observing a day of rest and worship in our weekly routine?

5. How does the concept of Sabbath rest in Exodus 16:26 connect to the spiritual rest offered through faith in Christ, as discussed in Hebrews 4:9-10?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Genesis 2:2-3
The concept of the Sabbath originates from the creation account, where God rested on the seventh day.

Deuteronomy 5:12-14
Reinforces the command to observe the Sabbath as a day of rest, linking it to the deliverance from Egypt.

Mark 2:27
Jesus teaches that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, emphasizing its purpose for rest and renewal.

Hebrews 4:9-10
Discusses the Sabbath rest as a symbol of the spiritual rest found in Christ.

Sermons

Manna for the Soul	H.T. Robjohns	Exodus 16:1-36
The Manna of the Body	H.T. Robjohns	Exodus 16:1-36
Divine Provision for Daily Need	J. Urquhart	Exodus 16:13-31
The Manna - Regulations for Type Gathering and Using of it	D. Young	Exodus 16:16-36
The Law of the Manna	J. Urquhart	Exodus 16:19-36
The Manna and the Sabbath	J. Orr	Exodus 16:22-30
A Lesson on Sabbath Keeping	A. M. Weston, D. D.	Exodus 16:23-26
Faithful to God's Command	Christian Herald	Exodus 16:23-26
Queen Victoria and the Sabbath	T. E. Ball.	Exodus 16:23-26
Sabbath Gains a Curse	Clarke, Adam	Exodus 16:23-26
The Day of Rest		Exodus 16:23-26
The Sabbath in Relation to Secular Toil	J. S. Exell, M. A.	Exodus 16:23-26
Training for Sabbath Observance	S. Robinson, D. D.	Exodus 16:23-26

People

Aaron, Ephah, Israelites, Moses

Places

Canaan, Elim, Sin Desert, Sinai

Topics

Gather, None, Sabbath, Seventh, Six

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Exodus 16:26

1653 numbers, 6-10

Exodus 16:1-30

8131 guidance, results

Library

The Bread of God
'Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law, or no. 5. And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. 6. And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt: …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

September the Twenty-Eighth the Daily Manna
"I will rain bread from heaven for you." --EXODUS xvi. 11-18. And this gracious provision is made for people who are complaining, and who are sighing for the flesh-pots of Egypt! Our Lord can be patient with the impatient: He can be "kind to the unthankful." If it were easy to drive the Lord away I should have succeeded long ago. I have murmured, I have sulked, I have turned Him out of my thoughts, and "He stands at the door and knocks!" I yearn for "the flesh-pots," "He sends me manna," "Was …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Dining with a Pharisee. Sabbath Healing and Three Lessons Suggested by the Event.
(Probably Peræa.) ^C Luke XIV. 1-24. ^c 1 And it came to pass, when he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching him. [The Pharisees were an unorganized party, hence their rulers were such not by office, but by influence. Those who were members of the Sanhedrin, or who were distinguished among the rabbis, might fitly be spoken of as rulers among them. The context favors the idea that Jesus was invited for the purpose of being …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Beauty and Glory of the Risen Body.
We have seen in the foregoing chapters that, in the Beatific Vision, the human soul sees, loves, and enjoys God, and that her essential happiness consists in that unfailing, blessed vision. But, although the blessedness she now enjoys is far greater than words can express, it is not yet integral or complete, and never will be, except when she is again clothed in her own body, beautified, and glorified after the likeness of her Saviour's body. However, although her happiness is not yet complete, you …
F. J. Boudreaux—The Happiness of Heaven

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
AND PROOF, THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'The Son of man is lord also of the Sabbath day.' London: Printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1685. EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. All our inquiries into divine commands are required to be made personally, solemnly, prayerful. To 'prove all things,' and 'hold fast' and obey 'that which is good,' is a precept, equally binding upon the clown, as it is upon the philosopher. Satisfied from our observations …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Tithing
There are few subjects on which the Lord's own people are more astray than on the subject of giving. They profess to take the Bible as their own rule of faith and practice, and yet in the matter of Christian finance, the vast majority have utterly ignored its plain teachings and have tried every substitute the carnal mind could devise; therefore it is no wonder that the majority of Christian enterprises in the world today are handicapped and crippled through the lack of funds. Is our giving to be …
Arthur W. Pink—Tithing

The Personality of Power.
A Personally Conducted Journey. Everyone enjoys the pleasure of travel; but nearly all shrink back from its tiresomeness and drudgery. The transportation companies are constantly scheming to overcome this disagreeable side for both pleasure and business travel. One of the popular ways of pleasure travel of late is by means of personally conducted tours. A party is formed, often by the railroad company, and is accompanied by a special agent to attend to all the business matters of the trip. A variation …
S.D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on Power

Epistle xvii. To Felix, Bishop of Messana.
To Felix, Bishop of Messana. To our most reverend brother, the Bishop Felix, Gregory, servant of the servants of God [246] . Our Head, which is Christ, to this end has willed us to be His members, that through His large charity and faithfulness He might make us one body in Himself, to whom it befits us so to cling that, since without Him we can do nothing, through Him we may be enabled to be what we are called. From the citadel of the Head let nothing divide us, lest, if we refuse to be His members, …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

How Subjects and Prelates are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 5.) Differently to be admonished are subjects and prelates: the former that subjection crush them not, the latter that superior place elate them not: the former that they fail not to fulfil what is commanded them, the latter that they command not more to be fulfilled than is just: the former that they submit humbly, the latter that they preside temperately. For this, which may be understood also figuratively, is said to the former, Children, obey your parents in the Lord: but to …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

1 to Pray is as it were to be on Speaking Terms with Me...
1. To pray is as it were to be on speaking terms with Me, and so by being in communion with and abiding in Me to become like Me. There is a kind of insect which feeds upon and lives among grass and green leaves and becomes like them in colour. Also the polar bear dwelling among the white snows has the same snowy whiteness, and the tiger of Bengal bears upon its skin the marks of the reeds among which it lives. So those, who by means of prayer abide in communion with Me partake, with the saints and …
Sadhu Sundar Singh—At The Master's Feet

Appendix viii. Rabbinic Traditions About Elijah, the Forerunner of the Messiah
To complete the evidence, presented in the text, as to the essential difference between the teaching of the ancient Synagogue about the Forerunner of the Messiah' and the history and mission of John the Baptist, as described in the New Testaments, we subjoin a full, though condensed, account of the earlier Rabbinic traditions about Elijah. Opinions differ as to the descent and birthplace of Elijah. According to some, he was from the land of Gilead (Bemid. R. 14), and of the tribe of Gad (Tanch. on …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Deity of the Holy Spirit.
In the preceding chapter we have seen clearly that the Holy Spirit is a Person. But what sort of a Person is He? Is He a finite person or an infinite person? Is He God? This question also is plainly answered in the Bible. There are in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments five distinct and decisive lines of proof of the Deity of the Holy Spirit. I. Each of the four distinctively Divine attributes is ascribed to the Holy Spirit. What are the distinctively Divine attributes? Eternity, omnipresence, …
R. A. Torrey—The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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