Albert Barnes

Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the waters.

“Elim - The valley of Gharandel, two hours’ journey south of Huwara. Twelve wells - Read springs; the Hebrew denotes natural sources. These springs may have been perennial when a richer vegetation clothed the adjacent heights.”

On the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left the land of Egypt, the whole congregation of Israel set out from Elim and came to the Desert…

“The the wilderness of Sin - The desert tract, called Debbet er Ramleh, extend nearly across the peninsula from the Wady Nasb in a south-easterly direction, between the limestone district of Et Tih and the granite of Sinai.”

“If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt!” they said.

“By the hand of the Lord - This evidently refers to the plagues, especially the last, in Egypt: the death which befell the Egyptians appeared to the people preferable to the sufferings of famine. Flesh pots, and ...”

That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.

“Quails - This bird migrates in immense numbers in spring from the south: it is nowhere more common than in the neighborhood of the Red Sea. In this passage we read of a single flight so dense that it covered the encampment.”

When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.

“It is manna - “Man” or “man-hut,” i. e. white manna, was the name under which the substance was known to the Egyptians, and therefore to the Israelites.”

So the Israelites did this. Some gathered more, and some less.

“Some more, some less - It is evidently implied that the people were in part at least disobedient and failed in this first trial.”

He told them, “This is what the LORD has said: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD.

“Tomorrow ... - Or, Tomorrow is a rest, a Sabbath holy to Yahweh: i. e. tomorrow must be a day of rest, observed strictly as a Sabbath, or festal rest, holy to Jehovah. Bake ...”

“Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. Today you will not find anything in the field.

“Eat that today - The practical observance of the Sabbath was thus formally instituted before the giving of the law.”

Yet on the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they did not find anything.

“There went out some of the people - This was an act of willful disobedience. It is remarkable, being the first violation of the express command, that it was not visited by a signal chastisement: the rest and peace of the “holy Sabbath” were not…”

Then the LORD said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep My commandments and instructions?

“How long - The reference to Exo 16:4 is obvious. The prohibition involved a trial of faith, in which as usual the people were found wanting. Every miracle formed some part, so to speak, of an educational process.”

Understand that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day He will give you bread for two days.

“Abide ye every man in his place - The expression in Hebrew is unique and seems almost to enjoin a position of complete repose: “in his place” is literally under himself, as the Oriental sits with his legs drawn up under him.”

Now the house of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey.

“manna - It was not indeed the common manna, as they then seem to have believed, but the properties which are noted in this passage are common to it and the natural product: in size, form and color it resembled the seed of the white…”

So Moses told Aaron, “Take a jar and fill it with an omer of manna. Then place it before the LORD to be preserved for the generations to come.”

“A pot - The word here used occurs in no other passage. It corresponds in form and use to the Egyptian for a casket or vase in which oblations were presented.”

The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land where they could settle; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.

“Did eat manna forty years - This does not necessarily imply that the Israelites were fed exclusively on manna, or that the supply was continuous during forty years: but that whenever it might be needed, owing to the total or partial failure of other food…”

Then the whole congregation of Israel left the Desert of Sin, moving from place to place as the LORD commanded.

“According to their journeys - The Israelites rested at two stations before they reached Rephidim, namely, Dophkah and Alush Num 33:12-14. Dophkah was in the Wady Sih, a day’s journey from the Wady Nasb.”

So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites.

“Joshua - This is the first mention of the great follower and successor of Moses. He died at the age of 110, some 65 years after this transaction.”

When Moses’ hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it.

“Until the going down of the sun - The length of this first great battle indicates the strength and obstinacy of the assailants.”

And Moses built an altar and named it The LORD Is My Banner.

“Jehovah-nissi - See the margin, “Jehovah my banner.” As a proper name the Hebrew word is rightly preserved.”

Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, along with Moses’ wife and sons, came to him in the desert, where he was encamped at the mountain of God.

“The wilderness - i. e., according to the view which seems on the whole most probable, the plain near the northern summit of Horeb, the mountain of God.”

Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for He did this when they treated Israel with arrogance.”

“Greater than all gods - See Exo 15:11. The words simply indicate a conviction of the incomparable might and majesty of Yahweh. For in ... above them - i. e.”

The next day Moses took his seat to judge the people, and they stood around him from morning until evening.

“From the morning unto the evening - It may be assumed as at least probable that numerous cases of difficulty arose out of the division of the spoil of the Amalekites Exo 17:13, and causes would have accumulated during the journey from Elim.”

Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their causes to Him.

“Counsel - Jethro draws the distinction between the functions of the legislator and the judge. To God-ward - Literally, “before God,” standing between them and God, both as His minister or representative and also as the representative of the people, their agent, so to speak…”

Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain.

“Able men - The qualifications are remarkably complete, ability, piety, truthfulness, and unselfishness. From Deu 1:13, it appears that Moses left the selection of the persons to the people, an example followed by the Apostles; see Act 6:3. Rulers of thousands ...”

If you follow this advice and God so directs you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people can go home in peace.”

“To their place - i. e. to Canaan, which is thus recognized by Jethro as the appointed and true home of Israel. Compare Num 10:29-30.”

In the third month, on the same day of the month that the Israelites had left the land of Egypt, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai.

“The wilderness ... the desert of Sinai - If the mount from which the law was delivered be the rock of Ras Safsafeh, then the spacious plain of Er Rahah would be the “desert” of Sinai (see Exo 5:17).”