On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much food—two omers per person—and all the leaders of the congregation came and reported this to Moses.
Parallel translations
- WEB On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one, and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
- KJV And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
- NKJV And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
- NASB Now on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses,
- NLT On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much as usual—four quarts for each person instead of two. Then all the leaders of the community came and asked Moses for an explanation.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
On the sixth day the people gathered a double portion, and the leaders reported it to Moses. God provided extra in advance of the Sabbath rest.
Overview
The double provision on the sixth day prepares Israel for the coming Sabbath, even before the command is fully explained. The leaders' report shows their puzzlement at this departure from the daily norm. God's gracious foresight ensures his people can rest without anxiety, embedding Sabbath rhythm into the gift of manna.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Exod 16:5Then on the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”
- Lev 25:22While you are sowing in the eighth year, you will be eating from the previous harvest, until the ninth year’s harvest comes in.
- Lev 25:12For it is a Jubilee; it shall be holy to you. You may eat only the crops taken directly from the field.
- Exod 34:31But Moses called out to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke to them.
- Exod 16:16This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Each one is to gather as much as he needs. You may take an omer for each person in your tent.’”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 16:22 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.