Exodus 16:27-30 Wrote:27 It came about that on the seventh day, [some] of the people went out to gather [manna], but they did not find [any]. 28 The Lord said to Moses, How long will you refuse to observe My commandments and My teachings? 29 See that the Lord has given you the Sabbath. Therefore, on the sixth day, He gives you bread for two days. Let each man remain in his place; let no man leave his place on the seventh day. 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
A little unclear what's happening in these passages (whether some of the Israelites went out on the Sabbath to collect bread or they did not), but it sounds like this is the order of events: 27 - some of the Israelites go out to gather bread on the Sabbath, finding none; 28 - the Lord (for some reason) blames Moses rather than the ones who went out to gather the bread; 29 - Moses rectifies the situation by telling the Israelites not to go out; 30 - the Israelites obey. Perhaps Moses' sin was that he didn't adequately instruct the Israelites on what to do on the Sabbath (just a guess), but the way the Lord phrased His criticism sounds more fitting for the Israelites who went out to gather bread on the Sabbath.
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Robert's response:
I do not experience your query. For me the verses are clear. Some tried to gather on the Sabbath.
Verses 23-26 seem clear:
Quote:Exodus 16:23:
23. [...] he said to them, That is what the Lord spoke, Tomorrow is a rest day, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake whatever you wish to bake, and cook whatever you wish to cook, and all the rest leave over to keep until morning. [...]
25. Moses said, Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field.
Quote:Rashi comments on verse 25 as follows:
And Moses said, “Eat it today, etc.”. In the morning, when they were accustomed to go out and gather, they came to ask, “Shall we go out or not?” He [Moses] said to them, “What you have in your possession eat.” In the evening, they came before him again and asked him whether they could go out. He said to them, “Today is the Sabbath.” He saw that they were concerned that perhaps the manna had ceased, and would no longer come down. [So] he said to them, “Today you will not find it.” What is the meaning of "today"? [This implies that] today you will not find it, but tomorrow you will find it. — [from Mechilta]
26. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day [which is the] Sabbath on it there will be none.
The people knew that the Sabbath was a day of rest with very strict restrictions against doing all sorts of things. Moses warned them they had a double portion of "Mon" from Friday and there would be no "Mon" in the fields on the Sabbath.
I believe the word "you" ('How long will you refuse to observe My commandments and My teachings?') here refers to the entire people, who must bear the sin of those who transgressed.