EXPOSITION. Vers. 22--30.-THE GATHERING OF THE is a strong indication that the whole idea was SIXTH DAY. Wben the Israelites, having col- new, at any rate to those whom Moses was lected what seemed to them the usual quantity addressing.,, ~ake that which ye will bake, of manna on the sixth day, brought it home etc. "Do, i.e., "as you have done on other days-bake some and seethe some-but also and measured it, th~y fo•md the yield to be, not reserve a portion to be your food and suste- an omer a head for ea.eh member of the family, nance to-morrow." but two omers. The result was a surprise Ver. 24.-They laid it up. The great bulk and a difficulty. They could not consume of the Israelites obeyed Moses, and laid by a more than an omer a-piece. Wbat was to be portion (half?) of the manna gathered on the sixth day. On the morning of the seventh, done with the remainder? Was it to be de- this was found to be ,Perfectly good, and not stroyed, or kept ? If kept, would it not to have "bred worms' in the night. Either .. breed worms " ? To resolve their doubts, this was a miracle, or the corruption previously the elders brought the matter before Moses, noticed ( ver. 20) was miraculous. Vers. 25, 26.-And Moses said. The Sab- who replied-" This is that which the Lord bath being come, Moses explained fully the hath said." It is to be supposed that, in his reason for the order which he had given, and original announcement to the elders of God's generalized it. God required the Sabbath to purposes as to the manna, Moses had informed be " a day of holy rest "-no manna would fall on it, and therefore none could be them that the quantity would be double on the gathered - the produce of the sixth day's sixth day (ver. 5); but his sta.temen.t had not gathering would be found to suffice both for made any deep impression at the time, and the sixth day and the seventh. now they had forgotten it. So he recalls it Ver. 27.-There went out some of the to their recollection. " This is no strange people on the seventh day for to gather. There will always be some persons in a nation, thing-nothing that should have surprised or in a Church, who will refuse to believe you-it is only what God said would happen. God's ministers, and even God himself. They And the reason of it is, that to-morrow, the persuade themselves that they "know better" seventh day is, by God's ordinance, the rest of -it will not be as announced-it will be as the Holy Sabbath,"-or rather "a rest of a they wish it to he. More especially is this so where the idea of continuance comes in- holy Sabbath to the Lord." Wbether or no where some interruption of the ordinary conrse the Sabbath was a primeval institution, given of things is announced, which they deem un- t.o onr first pa.rents in Pe.radjse (Gen. ii. 3), likely or impossible. Compare Gen. x:ix. 14. may be doubted : at any rate, it had not been Ver. 28.-How long refuse ye to keep my maintained as an institution by the Hebrews commandments 1 Though Moses is addressed, it is the people who a.re blamed. Hence the during their sojourn in Egypt; and this was, plural verb, "refuse ye." Already there had pre.ctically, to them, the first promulgation of been one act of disobedience in connection it. (SeeHessey's Bampton LectureA, p.149.) with the manna (see ver. 20)-now there was Hence, in the original, it is not called " Uie another-when would such sinful folly come sabbath," as if e.lree.dy known, but "a sab- to an end 1 When would the people learn that they could gain nothing by disobedience ? bath,"~.e., a rest-until verse 29. It was " Jong" indeed before they were Ver. 22.-Thill ia that which the Lord he.th taught the lesson. said. Rather, " said," i.e., decle.red to me Ver. 29.-Bee, for that, etc. Rather, " See, wben he announced the manna. See verse 5. that." Consider that God bas given you ihe It has been supposed that Moses had not com- Sabbath, or the holy rest: and therefore it is municated the declaration to the elders; but that he gives you on the sixth day the food this seems lllllikely. The rest of the holy for two days-that the rest may not be inter- aabba.th. If th.ie translation were correct, the fered with. Abide ye every man in hia previous institution of the sabbath, and the pi.ace. One Jewish sect, the Masbothei, took knowledge of its obligation by the Hebrews, this command absolutely literally, and held would follow ; but the absence of the article that in whatsoever position a muu was a.t CH, XVI, 22_;_30.] THE IlOOK OF EXODUS. 53
the commencement of the Sabbath day, he Ver. 30.-So the people rested. Having was bound to retain it to the close. But found by experience that nothing was to be generally it WOB held that the "place" in- gained by seeking manna on the sabbath, and tended WOB the camp, which the Israelites received the severe rebuke of verse 28, the were forbidden to quit; and hence wOB derived people henceforth obeyed the new command- the idea of the "eabbath day's journey," which ment, and " rested on the sabbath day." Of was reckoned at eix stadia,---the supposed dis- the nature of the "rest" intended more will tance of the furthest bounds of the camp from be said in the comment on Ex. xx. 8-ll its centre.