Exodus 16:16
ESV
This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’"
NIV
This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’ "
NASB
This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone gather as much as he will eat; you shall take an omer apiece according to the number of people each of you has in his tent.’?'
CSB
This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather as much of it as each person needs to eat. You may take two quarts per individual, according to the number of people each of you has in his tent.’"
NLT
These are the Lord’s instructions: Each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quarts for each person in your tent.'
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.
NKJV
This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.’ ”
What does Exodus 16:16 mean?
Israel was concerned about food as they traveled into the wilderness (Exodus 16:1–3). The Lord promised to provide (Exodus 16:6–7, 12). He has begun to bring a strange, white, fine, flaky substance to them each morning (Exodus 16:14; Deuteronomy 8:3). The people respond by saying, "what is that?" and eventually call the material this: using the Hebrew questioning word mān to name the substance "manna" (Exodus 16:31).The people are instructed to collect a set amount of manna for each person. This is defined using a measure which only appears in this chapter. The omer was probably about one-half gallon, or two liters. It is later defined as a tenth of an ephah (Exodus 16:36). When collection is done, and the portions are measured out (Exodus 16:22), each household has precisely the right amount to take home (Exodus 16:17–18). However, they are not to stockpile it (Exodus 16:19). Keeping manna in reserve is impossible (Exodus 16:20). Instead, the people are to depend on God to provide every day.
