The Meaning of Exodus 16:8 Explained

Exodus 16:8

KJV: And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.

YLT: And Moses saith, 'In Jehovah's giving to you in the evening flesh to eat, and bread in the morning to satiety -- in Jehovah's hearing your murmurings, which ye are murmuring against Him, and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against Jehovah.'

Darby: And Moses said, When Jehovah gives you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for Jehovah hears your murmurings which ye murmur against him ... and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against Jehovah.

ASV: And Moses said, This shall be , when Jehovah shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that Jehovah heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Moses  said,  [This shall be], when the LORD  shall give  you in the evening  flesh  to eat,  and in the morning  bread  to the full;  for that the LORD  heareth  your murmurings  which ye murmur  against him: and what [are] we?  your murmurings  [are] not against us, but against the LORD. 

What does Exodus 16:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 16:1-12 - Murmuring For Food Rebuked
Moses made a double promise to the Israelites in God's name. In the evening they were to have flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full. But before these gifts could be received, notice must be taken of their conduct toward the two brothers, whose authority had been impugned by the events of the morning. Hence the appearance of the divine glory in the cloud, Exodus 16:10. After this a vast flight of quails, a migratory bird which often crosses the Red Sea at this very spot, fell to the ground in the near neighborhood of the Hebrew camp, and lay there in an exhausted condition, which allowed of their being captured by the hand. How striking are those words: "The Lord heareth your murmurings!" We should remember them, when next we are tempted to doubt God's love and to complain of His dealings with us. Let God's faithful servants take courage; He will vindicate them. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 16

1  The Israelites come to Sin, and murmur for want of bread
4  God promises them bread and meat from heaven, and they are rebuked
13  Quail and manna are sent
16  The ordering of manna
25  It was not to be found on the Sabbath
32  An omer of it is preserved

What do the individual words in Exodus 16:8 mean?

And said Moses [This shall be seen] when gives Yahweh you in the evening meat to eat and bread in the morning to the full for hears - your complaints which you make against Him And [are] we what not [are] against us Your complaints but against Yahweh
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֗ה בְּתֵ֣ת יְהוָה֩ לָכֶ֨ם בָּעֶ֜רֶב בָּשָׂ֣ר לֶאֱכֹ֗ל וְלֶ֤חֶם בַּבֹּ֙קֶר֙ לִשְׂבֹּ֔עַ בִּשְׁמֹ֤עַ אֶת־ תְּלֻנֹּ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־ אַתֶּ֥ם מַלִּינִ֖ם עָלָ֑יו וְנַ֣חְנוּ ؟ מָ֔ה לֹא־ עָלֵ֥ינוּ תְלֻנֹּתֵיכֶ֖ם כִּ֥י עַל־ יְהוָֽה

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מֹשֶׁ֗ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
בְּתֵ֣ת  [This  shall  be  seen]  when  gives 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
יְהוָה֩  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בָּעֶ֜רֶב  in  the  evening 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֶרֶב  
Sense: evening, night, sunset.
בָּשָׂ֣ר  meat 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּשָׂר  
Sense: flesh.
לֶאֱכֹ֗ל  to  eat 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
וְלֶ֤חֶם  and  bread 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
בַּבֹּ֙קֶר֙  in  the  morning 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּקֶר 
Sense: morning, break of day.
לִשְׂבֹּ֔עַ  to  the  full 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׂבַע  
Sense: to be satisfied, be sated, be fulfilled, be surfeited.
בִּשְׁמֹ֤עַ  for  hears 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
תְּלֻנֹּ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם  your  complaints 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: תְּלֻנּׄות  
Sense: murmuring.
מַלִּינִ֖ם  make 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural
Root: תְּלֻנּׄות  
Sense: murmuring.
עָלָ֑יו  against  Him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
וְנַ֣חְנוּ  And  [are]  we 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, first person common plural
Root: נַחְנוּ  
Sense: we.
עָלֵ֥ינוּ  [are]  against  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
תְלֻנֹּתֵיכֶ֖ם  Your  complaints 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: תְּלֻנּׄות  
Sense: murmuring.
עַל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.