׃ 16 זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה לִקְטוּ מִמֶּנּוּ אִישׁ לְפִי אָכְלֹו עֹמֶר לַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת מִסְפַּר נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם אִישׁ לַאֲשֶׁר בְּאָהֳלֹו תִּקָּחוּ׃ 17 וַיַּעֲשׂוּ־כֵן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּלְקְטוּ הַמַּרְבֶּה וְהַמַּמְעִיט׃ 18 וַיָּמֹדּוּ בָעֹמֶר וְלֹא הֶעְדִּיף הַמַּרְבֶּה וְהַמַּמְעִיט לֹא הֶחְסִיר אִישׁ לְפִי־אָכְלֹו לָקָטוּ׃ 19 וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֲלֵהֶם אִישׁ אַל־יֹותֵר מִמֶּנּוּ עַד־בֹּקֶר׃ 20 וְלֹא־שָׁמְעוּ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּותִרוּ אֲנָשִׁים מִמֶּנּוּ עַד־בֹּקֶר וַיָּרֻם תֹּולָעִים וַיִּבְאַשׁ וַיִּקְצֹף עֲלֵהֶם מֹשֶׁה׃
16 This is what the LORD has commanded, "Gather of it every person as much as they should eat; you shall take an omer a piece according to the number of persons each of you has in your tent." 17 The children of Israel did so, and some gathered much and some little. 18 When they measured it with an omer, one who had gathered much had no excess, and one who had gathered little had no lack; every person gathered as much as they should eat. 19 Moses said to them, "Let no person leave any of it until morning." 20 But they did not listen to Moses, and some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul; and Moses was angry with them. [translation by www.kingjbible.com]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. Why did Moses instruct the Israelites not to keep the food overnight? Why did some disobey him? Were their concerns legitimate?
2. Are the same legitimate concerns at play with wasteful approaches to food storage today? Are there other less legitimate forces at play?
3. With 'food mountains' (http://ow.ly/5EtqK) in the West, how can we apply the message in this text to our current consumption of food?
Time Period: Biblical (early ancestors to 165 BCE)