Exodus 16:22 Wrote:It came to pass on the sixth day that they gathered a double portion of bread, two omers for [each] one, and all the princes of the community came and reported [it] to Moses.
So I guess I got the math wrong. If after 6 days, they gather 6X worth of bread (though they can't keep it more than a day), the Lord is not saying He will double it. He is saying only that on the 6th day He will allow the Israelites to gather double what they usually gather per day. I also interpreted Exodus 16:5 to mean God would provide double the bread, but from this passage it's only clear that the Israelites gathered double the bread. Given that they only have a limited amount of time to gather 1 omer each day (before the sun melts it), it would make sense that the Lord did in fact double the yield (then again, maybe God just saw to it that it was a cool day).
It's also unclear whether the Israelites are just carelessly breaking the 1 omer per day rule here (even though, unbeknownst to them, God permits it) or if they were told beforehand that on this day they were to gather double what they normally would gather. Exodus 16:5 only foretells what they would do on day 6, but not why. It makes sense to me, however, that Moses told them that gathering twice the amount was permitted. Furthermore, the next passage makes sense of this exception to the rule: it will be the 7th day (the Sabbath) and so it makes sense to gather double the yield and to save whatever they wish to leave over for the next day (this too being an exception to the rule, that of consuming the entire yield on the day it was gathered).
This passage also contains the first mention (that I recall) of "princes" of the community. Is this an accurate translation of the original Hebrew? Are there all of a sudden monarchical structures in the tribes of Israel?
Robert's response:
I believe your understanding is correct, that the amount provided for one weekday will be doubled on Friday; for they are not to go gathering on the Sabbath. Unlike other weekdays, on the Sabbath the extra amount will last two days - Friday and Saturday, instead of decaying by the end of one day.
Exodus 16:18 says:
Quote:Exodus 16:18:
18. [...] they measured [it] with an omer, and whoever gathered much did not have more, and whoever gathered little did not have less; each one according to his eating capacity, they gathered.
Translation extract source:
https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo...ter-16.htm
The "princes" of the community:
I believe this likely refers to the leaders to whom some powers had been delegated by Moses on the advice of his father-in-law Jethro:
Quote:'Jethro went on to suggest that Moses select from among the people able men, those that fear G-d, men of truth, who abhor profit, and appoint them as arbiters and judges.' [...]
Moses accepted and implemented Jethro’s plan, appointing captains of thousands, captains of hundreds, captains of fifties and captains of tens.'
Sources:
Exodus 18:21
https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo...ter-18.htm
https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_c...s-Plan.htm