The Beginning: After leaving Egypt, the Israelites travel into the wilderness and soon face scarcity. Hungry and uncertain, they complain against Moses and Aaron, comparing their hardship to life in Egypt. The LORD responds by promising to provide food, testing whether the people will follow His instruction.
The Middle: God sends manna in the morning and quail in the evening, commanding the people to gather only what they need each day, with a double portion on the sixth day for the Sabbath. Some ignore the command—either hoarding manna or going out to gather on the Sabbath—and the results expose mistrust and disobedience. Later, at Rephidim, the people again quarrel because there is no water, questioning whether the LORD is truly among them. God instructs Moses to strike the rock at Horeb, and water flows for the people to drink.
The End: The manna becomes a daily provision throughout Israel’s wilderness years, and a portion is kept as a testimony for future generations. The place of the water miracle is named Massah (“testing”) and Meribah (“quarreling”) because the people tested the LORD and contended with their leaders. The immediate outcome is clear: God sustains His people in the wilderness while calling them to trust and obedience.
This story highlights God as the faithful covenant Lord who provides for His redeemed people in conditions they cannot solve on their own. The manna and the water reveal that life in the wilderness depends on God’s ongoing presence and word—not merely on past deliverance from Egypt. The “test” is not presented as God’s uncertainty about Israel, but as a means of forming a people who learn to live by His instruction and to honor His holy rhythms (including the Sabbath). The naming of Massah and Meribah underscores that unbelief can turn need into accusation, yet God’s mercy continues to sustain His people.
In the ancient Near East, wilderness travel required careful planning around water sources, since seasonal wadis and springs could fail unexpectedly. Exodus presents Israel’s survival not as the result of superior logistics, but as dependent on divine provision—especially striking in a region where water determined whether communities could remain in a place at all.
“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you.’” — Exodus 16:4
Answer the questions below. When you choose an option, you will see the result and an explanation.
1. What food did God provide in the morning during Israel’s wilderness journey?
2. Why was the place of the water miracle named Massah and Meribah?