And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.

EXODUS 16:32KJV
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Exodus 16:32 (KJV)

What does Exodus 16:32 mean?

Exodus 16:32 describes Moses telling the Israelites to collect and keep an omer (a specific measure) of manna as God commanded, so future generations could see the bread God provided for them in the wilderness after leaving Egypt. This act was meant to serve as a lasting reminder of God’s provision during their journey.

In this verse, Moses is speaking to the people after God has given them manna to eat in the desert. The instruction is to preserve a portion of this bread-like food as a physical sign for their descendants. The verse highlights the importance of remembering how God sustained the Israelites after their escape from slavery in Egypt.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 16:32

  • אֹמֶר (omer): This word, transliterated as "omer," refers to a specific ancient measure of dry goods, roughly equivalent to about two quarts or two liters. The use of a precise measure emphasizes the concrete reality of the miracle and makes the remembrance tangible.
  • דּוֹר (dor): Translated as "generations," this word points to the long-term purpose of the command. The instruction is not just for those present but for their descendants, stressing the importance of collective memory.
  • מָצָה (lechem): The word translated as "bread" here refers to the manna, which was not ordinary bread but a unique food provided by God. Calling it "bread" connects it to daily sustenance and survival.

Why Exodus 16:32 matters

  • Exodus 16:32 clarifies that the preservation of manna was not just a historical curiosity but a command from God, meant to teach future generations about His care and provision.
  • The verse connects the physical act of saving manna to the broader story of the Exodus, reinforcing the idea that remembering God’s actions is central to Israel’s identity.
  • By specifying the amount and the purpose, the verse shows that God’s instructions were detailed and intentional, not random or symbolic only.

Where else these words appear

“omer” Hebrew H6016 · used in 14 verses

  • Exodus 16:16 This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.
  • Exodus 16:36 Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.
  • Leviticus 23:15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:

“Fill” Hebrew H4393 · used in 36 verses

  • Genesis 48:19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
  • 2 Samuel 8:2 And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.
  • Isaiah 31:4 For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.

“kept” Hebrew H4931 · used in 69 verses

  • Genesis 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
  • Numbers 9:19 And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not.
  • 1 Chronicles 26:12 Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men, having wards one against another, to minister in the house of the LORD.

“generations” Hebrew H1755 · used in 127 verses

  • Genesis 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
  • Numbers 15:23 Even all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the LORD commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations;
  • Psalms 85:5 Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?