1. The whole community of Israelites moved from Elim and came to the desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai. This was on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left Egypt.
2. In the desert the whole community complained about Moses and Aaron.
3. The Israelites said to them, “If only the Lord had let us die in Egypt! There we sat by our pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted! You brought us out into this desert to let us all starve to death!”
4. The Lord said to Moses, “I’m going to send you food from heaven like rain. Each day the people should go out and gather only what they need for that day. In this way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.
5. But on the sixth day when they prepare what they bring home, it should be twice as much as they gather on other days.”
6. So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt.
7. In the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard you complaining about him. Why are you complaining about us?”
8. Moses also said, “The Lord will give you meat to eat in the evening and all the food you want in the morning. The Lord has heard you complaining about him. Who are we? You’re not complaining about us but about the Lord.”
9. Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the whole community of Israelites, ‘Come into the Lord’s presence. He has heard you complaining.’ ”
10. While Aaron was speaking to the whole community of Israelites, they looked toward the desert. Suddenly, they saw the glory of the Lord in the ⌊column of⌋ smoke.
11. The Lord said to Moses,
12. “I’ve heard the Israelites complaining. Tell them, ‘At dusk you will eat meat, and in the morning you will eat all the food you want. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”
13. That evening quails came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.
14. When the dew was gone, the ground was covered with a thin layer of flakes like frost on the ground.
15. When the Israelites saw it, they asked each other, “What is this?” because they didn’t know what it was.Moses said to them, “It’s the food the Lord has given you to eat.
16. This is what the Lord has commanded: Each of you should gather as much as you can eat. Take two quarts for each person in your tent.”
17. So that is what the Israelites did. Some gathered more, some less.