12. "I have heard the people of Israel talking about how unhappy they are. Tell them, 'When the sun goes down, you will eat meat. In the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.' "
13. That evening quail came and covered the camp. In the morning the ground around the camp was covered with dew.
14. When the dew was gone, thin flakes appeared on the desert floor. They looked like frost on the ground.
15. The people of Israel saw the flakes. They asked each other, "What's that?" They didn't know what it was. Moses said to them, "It's the bread the Lord has given you to eat.
16. Here is what the Lord has commanded. He has said, 'Each one of you should gather as much as you need. Take two quarts for each person who lives in your tent.' "
17. The people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, and some gathered a little.
18. When they measured it out, those who gathered a lot didn't have too much. And those who gathered a little had enough. All of them gathered only what they needed.
19. Then Moses said to them, "Don't keep any of it until morning."
20. Some of them didn't pay any attention to Moses. They kept part of it until morning. But it was full of maggots and began to stink. So Moses became angry with them.
21. Each morning all of them gathered as much as they needed. But by the hottest time of the day, the thin flakes had melted away.
22. On the sixth day, the people gathered twice as much. It amounted to four quarts for each person. The leaders of the community came and reported that to Moses.
23. He said to them, "Here is what the Lord commanded. He said, 'Tomorrow will be a day of rest. It will be a holy Sabbath day. It will be set apart for the Lord. So bake what you want to bake. Boil what you want to boil. Save what is left. Keep it until morning.' "
24. So they saved it until morning, just as Moses commanded. It didn't stink or get maggots in it.
25. "Eat it today," Moses said. "Today is a Sabbath day in the Lord's honor. You won't find any flakes on the ground today.
26. Gather them for six days. But on the seventh day there won't be any. It's the Sabbath."
27. In spite of what Moses said, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather the flakes. But they didn't find any.