Exodus 16:1

Exodus 16:1 . Came into the wilderness of Sin — Not immediately, for there is another stage of their journey by the Red sea, mentioned Numbers 33:10 , (in which chapter, it appears, Moses designedly set down all their stations,) but omitted here, because nothing remarkable happened in it. This was a great wilderness between the Red sea and mount Sinai, different and far distant from that Zin mentioned Numbers 20:1 , which was near the land of Edom.

XVI. THE JOURNEY FROM ELIM.—THE MANNA GIVEN. (1) They took their journey from Elim. The stay at Elim was probably for some days. “Sin” was reached exactly one month after the departure from Egypt, yet there had been only five camping-places between Sin and Rameses, and one journey of three days through a wilderness (Exodus 15:22). Long rests are thus clearly indicated, and probably occurred at Ayun Musa, at Marah, and at Elim. The places named were the head-quarters of the camp on each occasion, but the entire host must have always covered a vast tract, and the flocks and herds must have been driven into all the neighbouring valleys where there was pasture. Wadys Useit, Ethal, and Tayibeh are likely to have been occupied at the same time with Wady Ghurundel. All the congregation . . . came unto the wilderness of Sin.—“All the congregation” could only be united in certain favourable positions, where there happened to be a large open space. Such an open space is offered by the tract now called El Markha, which extends from north to south a distance of twenty miles, and is from three to four miles wide in its more northern half. To reach this tract, the Israelites must have descended by Wady Useit or Wady Tayibeh to the coast near Ras Abu Zenimeh, and have then continued along the coast until they crossed the twenty-ninth parallel.

And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of {a} Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. (a) This is the eighth place in which they had camped, there is another place called Zin, which was the 33rd place in which they camped, and is also called Kadesh, Nu 33:36.

Verses 1-3. - THE FIRST MURMURING FOR FOOD. From Elim, or the fertile tract extending from Wady Ghurnndel to Wady Tayibeh, the Israelites, after a time, removed, and ca-camped (as we learn from Numbers 33:10 ) by the Red Sea, probably along the narrow coast tract extending from the mouth of Tayibeh to the entrance upon the broad plain of El Markha. Hence they entered upon "the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai" - a tract identified by some with the coast plain, El Markha, by others with the inland undulating region known at the present day as the Debbet-er-Ramleh It is difficult to decide between these two views. In favour of El Markha are: 1. The fact that the Egyptian settlements in the Sinaitic peninsula would thus be avoided, as they seem to have been, since no contest with Egyptians is recorded; 2. The descent of the quails, who, wearied with a long flight over the Red Sea, would naturally settle as soon as they reached the shore; 3. The greater openness and facility of the El Markha and Wady Feiran route, which is admitted by all; and 4. The suitability of the latter to the particulars of the narrative in ch. 18. In favour of the route by the Debbet-er-Ramleh are, 1. The fact that it is better watered at present than the other; 2. Its being somewhat less removed from the direct line between Wady Ghurundel and Sinai than El Markha; and 3.

A certain correspondency of sound or meaning between some of the present geographical names along this route and those of the Mosaic narrative. In "the wilderness of Sin" the Israelites for the first time found themselves in want of sufficient nourishment. They hall consumed the grain which they had brought with them out of Egypt; and though no doubt they had still considerable flocks and herds, yet they were unaccustomed to a mere milk and flesh diet, having in Egypt lived principally upon bread (ver. 3), fish ( Numbers 11:5 ), and vegetables ( ibid. ). They therefore "murmured," and accused Moses and Aaron of an intention to starve them. It is quite possible that many of the poorer sorts having brought with them no cattle, or lost their cattle by the way, and not being helped by their brethren, were in actual danger of starvation. Hence God was not angry, but "heard their murmurings" (ver. 9) patiently, and relieved them. Verse 1. - They journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation came . It has been noted (Cook) that the form of expression seems to imply that the Israelites proceeded in detachments from Elim, and were first assembled as a complete host when they reached the wilderness of Sin." This accords well with their numbers and with the character of the localities. They could only assemble all together when they reached some considerable plain . Between Elim and Sinai . This expression must be regarded as vague to some extent.

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. The journey from the station at Elim, or even from that on the Red Sea, could be performed in a day: at that time the route was kept in good condition by the Egyptians.

1 . the congregation ] P’s standing expression ( Exodus 12:3 ). So v. 2 &c. the wilderness of Sin ] Exodus 17:1 , Numbers 33:11-12 †. In Numbers 33:10 the people are said to have halted, between Elim and the wilderness of Sin, at the Red Sea . Accepting the oasis in W. Gharandel as Elim (on Exodus 15:27 ), the ‘Red Sea’ station can hardly have been anywhere but at or near the mouth of Wâdy Ṭaiyibeh,—perhaps in the littoral plain of el-Murkheiyeh, just beyond it. There is no passage along the coast from W. Gharandel to W. Ṭaiyibeh, the abrupt projecting cliffs of the lofty Jebel Ḥammam Far‘un (‘Mountain of Pharaoh’s Bath,’—1570 feet) effectually stopping it: the Israelites, if they came in this direction, must have retraced their steps up the W. Gharandel to the point where (see on Exodus 15:26 ) W. Hawwârah enters it ( Ordn. Surv. 75, 76), and then have turned to the right for 12 miles over the desert uplands at the back of J. Ḥammam Far‘un, till they arrived at the top of W. Shebeikeh (the ‘Wâdy of network’), by which they could descend, ‘through an amazing labyrinth of chalky hillocks and ridges,’ to the head of W. Ṭaiyibeh, and so pass straight down to the coast—in all 21 miles ( O.S. 156). In W. Ṭaiyibeh, a little above its mouth, there are a few brackish springs, with some stunted palms growing near them ( O.S. 81).

From the mouth of W. Ṭaiyibeh there are two principal routes to Jebel Serbâl and Jebel Mûsâ—one, the northern route , back up to the head of W. Ṭaiyibeh again (4 miles), then to the right along the W. Ḥamr (18 miles), to the long upland plain called Debbet er-Ramleh (the ‘Plain of sand’), and thence through a succession of mountain valleys to either J. Mûsâ or J. Serbâl; the other, the coast route , on to the broad flinty plain of el-Markhâ, and then, either leaving this plain on the E., up the Seiḥ Sidreh, and afterwards along the W. Mukatteb into the Wâdy Feiran, or else keeping along the coast for 7 miles beyond the SE. end of el-Markhâ, and there ascending the W. Feiran from its mouth,—in either case, the W. Feiran leading on to both Serbâl and J. Mûsâ. Knob., followed by Keil and Canon Cook, advocated the former of these routes, supposing the ‘wilderness of Sin’ to be the Debbet er-Ramleh. But, if the Israelites were already on the ‘Red Sea’ ( Numbers 33:10 ), at the mouth of W. Ṭaiyibeh or beyond, the latter is much the more natural route for them to have followed (so Rob. i. 73, 120; and the members of the Ordnance Survey Expedition): in this case el-Markhâ will be the wilderness of Sin. But it must be admitted that neither Debbet er-Ramleh nor el-Markhâ is at all naturally described, as a glance at the map will shew, as ‘between’ Elim and Sinai, at least if Elim be in the W. Gharandel.

CHAPTER 16 Ex 16:1-36. Murmurs for Want of Bread. 1. they took their journey from Elim—where they had remained several days. came unto the wilderness of Sin—It appears from Nu 32:1-42, that several stations are omitted in this historical notice of the journey. This passage represents the Israelites as advanced into the great plain, which, beginning near El-Murkah, extends with a greater or less breadth to almost the extremity of the peninsula. In its broadest part northward of Tur it is called El-Kaa, which is probably the desert of Sin [Robinson].The children of Israel sojourn in the wilderness of Sin, Exodus 16:1; murmur against Moses, Exodus 16:2,3. God promises to supply their wants with bread from heaven, Exodus 16:4; and directs about preparing this bread, Exodus 16:5. Moses reproves the people for murmuring, Exodus 16:7,8; appoints them to come before the Lord, Exodus 16:9. God’s glory appeareth in the cloud, Exodus 16:10. He sendeth quails, Exodus 16:13, and manna, Exodus 16:14,15. Every one gather a quantity, Exodus 16:16-18. The command about keeping it, Exodus 16:19, is disobeyed, Exodus 16:20. The time of gathering, Exodus 16:21. Their increasing the quantity on the sixth day, Exodus 16:22-24. The command concerning the sabbath, Exodus 16:25,26, disobeyed, Exodus 16:27; for which God is angry, Exodus 16:28. Moses’ s counsel, Exodus 16:29. They rest, Exodus 16:30. The name of the bread, Exodus 16:31.

The command concerning the preservation of the manna, Exodus 16:32,33. The time of the manna’s continuance, Exodus 16:35. BC 1491 They came not immediately to the wilderness of Sin; for there is another stage of theirs by the Red Sea, mentioned Numbers 33:10, (in which chapter Moses designed exactly to set down all their stations,) but omitted here, because nothing remarkable happened in it; and Moses in this place designed to record only the memorable passages. The wilderness of Sin was a great wilderness between the Red Sea and Mount Sinai, but differing from that Zin mentioned Numbers 20:1.