Clarke's Bible Commentary - Exodus 16:16
Verse 16. An omer for every man] I shall here once for all give a short account of the measures of capacity among the Hebrews. OMER, rm[ from the root amar, to press, squeeze, collect, and bind together; hence a sheaf of corn - a multitude of stalks pressed together. It is supposed that the omer, which contained about three quarts English, had its name from this circumstance; that it was the most contracted or the smallest measure of things dry known to the ancient Hebrews; for the bq kab, which was less, was not known till the reign of Jehoram, king of Israel, 2 Kings vi. 25. - Parkhurst.
The EPHAH, hpa or hpya eiphah, from hpa aphah, to bake, because this was probably the quantity which was baked at one time. According to Bishop Cumberland the ephah contained seven gallons, two quarts, and about half a pint, wine measure; and as the omer was the tenth part of the ephah, ver. 36, it must have contained about six pints English.
The KAB, bq is said to have contained about the sixth part of a seah, or three pints and one third English.
The HOMER, rmj chomer, mentioned Lev. xxvii. 16, was quite a different measure from that above, and is a different word in the Hebrew.
The chomer was the largest measure of capacity among the Hebrews, being equal to ten baths or ephahs, amounting to about seventy-five gallons, three pints, English. See Ezek. xlv. 11, 13, 14. Goodwin supposes that this measure derived its name from rmj chamor, an ass, being the ordinary load of that animal.
The BATH, tb , was the largest measure of capacity next to the homer, of which it was the tenth part. It was the same as the ephah, and consequently contained about seven gallons, two quarts, and half a pint, and is always used in Scripture as a measure of liquids.
The SEAH, has , was a measure of capacity for things dry, equal to about two gallons and a half English. See 2 Kings vii. 1, 16, 18.
The HIN, yh , according to Bishop Cumberland, was the one- sixth part of an ephah, and contained a little more than one gallon and two pints. See chap. xxix. 40.
The LOG, gl , was the smallest measure of capacity for liquids among the Hebrews: it contained about three quarters of a pint. See Lev. xiv. 10, 12.
Take ye - for them which are in his tents.] Some might have been confined in their tents through sickness or infirmity, and charity required that those who were in health should gather a portion for them. For though the psalmist says, Psa. cv. 37, There was not one feeble person among their tribes, this must refer principally to their healthy state when brought out of Egypt; for it appears that there were many infirm among them when attacked by the Amalekites. See note on "chap. xvii. 8".
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 13-21 - At evening the quails came up, and the people caught with ease as man as they needed. The manna came down in dew. They called it "Manna Manhu," which means, "What is this?" "It is a portion; it is that whic our God has allotted us, and we will take it, and be thankful." It wa pleasant food; it was wholesome food. The manna was rained from heaven it appeared, when the dew was gone, as a small round thing, as small a the hoar frost, like coriander seed, in colour like pearls. The mann fell only six days in the week, and in double quantity on the sixt day; it bred worms and became offensive if kept more than one day excepting on the sabbath. The people had never seen it before. It coul be ground in a mill, or beaten in a mortar, and was then made int cakes and baked. It continued the forty years the Israelites were in the wilderness, wherever they went, and ceased when they arrived i Canaan. All this shows how different it was from any thing foun before, or found now. They were to gather the manna every morning. We are hereby taught, 1. To be prudent and diligent in providing food for ourselves and our households; with quietness working, and eating ou own bread, not the bread of idleness or deceit. God's bounty leave room for man's duty; it did so even when manna was rained; they mus not eat till they have gathered. 2. To be content with enough. Thos that have most, have for themselves but food and raiment; those tha have least, generally have these; so that he who gathers much ha nothing over, and he who gathers little has no lack. There is not suc a disproportion between one and another in the enjoyment of the thing of this life, as in the mere possession of them. 3. To depend upo Providence: let them sleep quietly, though they have no bread in their tents, nor in all their camp, trusting that God, with the followin day, would bring them in their daily bread. It was surer and safer i God's storehouse than their own, and would come thence sweeter an fresher. See here the folly of hoarding. The manna laid up by some, wh thought themselves wiser, and better managers, than their neighbours and who would provide lest it should fail next day, bred worms, an became good for nothing. That will prove to be most wasted, which i covetously and distrustfully spared. Such riches are corrupted, Ja 5:2, 3. The same wisdom, power, and goodness that brought food dail from above for the Israelites in the wilderness, brings food yearly ou of the earth in the constant course of nature, and gives us all thing richly to enjoy.
Original Hebrew
זה 2088 הדבר 1697 אשׁר 834 צוה 6680 יהוה 3068 לקטו 3950 ממנו 4480 אישׁ 376 לפי 6310 אכלו 400 עמר 6016 לגלגלת 1538 מספר 4557 נפשׁתיכם 5315 אישׁ 376 לאשׁר 834 באהלו 168 תקחו׃ 3947
