UTN uW Translation Notes:

Exodus 16 General Notes

Structure and Formatting

This entire chapter is the story of the Israelites complaining about food and Yahweh providing food. Verses 22–30 introduce the Sabbath.

Special concepts in this chapter

Complaints

After complaining about the water, the Israelites complained that they had less food than in Egypt. This is intended to show their ungratefulness and their sinful view of Yahweh. (See: sin)

Prohibition against storing food

The people were not allowed to store the food, called manna, that Yahweh provided to them. This is because they were to trust in Yahweh to provide for their needs every day. (See: trust)

Sabbath

This is the first recorded celebration of the Sabbath rest. (See: sabbath)

Possible translation difficulties in this chapter

Bread as food

Yahweh speaks of the food that he will send as if it were bread. The manna he gave them was perhaps not literally bread. The Israelites would eat this food every day, just as they had eaten bread every day before this. Alternate translations: “food” or “food like bread” (See: bread and figs-metaphor)

Chronology

16:34–36 are written from a much later perspective. Translators will need to find a way to show that this portion gives background information from a much later point (at least 40 years).

Box of the Covenant

Related to the chronology issue, although the covenant has not yet been made, it is referenced in Exodus 16:34. This is probably an editorial comment made after these events. (See: covenant)

Wilderness of Sin

Sin is the name of a part of the Sinai Wilderness. It is the description of a place, and it has nothing to do with sinning. (See: translate-names)