He said to them means that Moses spoke to the leaders. This is what the LORD has commanded is ambiguous. Literally it says “That [or, This] is what Yahweh spoke [or, commanded].” To what does This refer? Does it point backward to what Yahweh had told Moses in verse 5, or to the double supply of manna in verse 22? The word huʾ, here translated as This, usually points back to something already mentioned. It is not the same word used in verse 16 (zeh), which usually points forward. Translator’s Old Testament has “This is what the LORD said would happen,” and New American Bible has “That is what the LORD prescribed.” In this verse, however, it is more likely that the word This points forward to the words that follow.

Most translations use a colon after commanded, even though punctuation marks are not heard when the text is read orally. The colon can substitute for the embedded quotes, although Revised Standard Version uses single quote marks here. Contemporary English Version has a slightly different model: “he told them that the LORD had said, ‘Tomorrow….’ ” The word for commanded (diber) may also be translated as “said” (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible), and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh even has “meant.” Furthermore, the words that follow may be understood as Yahweh’s words, or as Moses’ words, or as both. (See verse 24). Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, and New International Version consider them to be Yahweh’s words, as is seen by the single quotes within double quotes. Good News Translation‘s use of indirect speech suggests that Yahweh’s words include only the first clause, and that the command in 23b to “bake” and “boil” are Moses’ words. Contemporary English Version considers the rest of the verse to be Yahweh’s words, as in Revised Standard Version and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh.

Tomorrow refers to the seventh day. A day of solemn rest is a special form of the word for sabbath (shabbathon), meaning “sabbath observance” or “sabbatical.” Both words are derived from the verb meaning to stop or cease, in this case, to stop working. (A footnote explaining sabbath is possible, but see the comment at verse 25.) New Jerusalem Bible has “a day of complete rest.” Another way to express this is “Tomorrow you must rest completely” or “Tomorrow you may not work at all.”

A holy sabbath uses the usual form for sabbath (shabbat) along with the word for holy, or “sacred” (New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). Holy here means “set apart for” or “belonging to.” Another possible model is “Tomorrow is a day when you must rest completely. It is set apart [or, dedicated] to honor Yahweh.” However, some translators will wish to transliterate the word Sabbath and say “Tomorrow is the Sabbath. It is a day dedicated in honor of me.” To the LORD means to or for Yahweh, so the idea is “dedicated to the LORD” (Translator’s Old Testament), “dedicated to him” (Good News Translation), or “in honor of me” (Contemporary English Version).

The following are translation models showing the various options discussed above:

• Moses said to them, “This is what the LORD said, ‘Tomorrow is the Sabbath. It is set apart to honor me, so you must rest completely.’ ”

• Moses said to them, “The LORD has commanded that you must do no work at all tomorrow. It is the Sabbath, a day dedicated to honor him.”

• Moses told them that Yahweh had said, “Tomorrow is a day when you must rest completely. It is set apart to honor me.”

Bake what you will bake is literally “what you [plural] will bake, bake,” and boil what you will boil is literally “what you will boil, boil.” This should be understood as a command that allows two options, either bake or boil. The difference between the two is the same as is understood in English. The manna could evidently be cooked with dry heat or with water. Good News Translation‘s “Bake today what you want to bake” may weaken the idea of a command. Translator’s Old Testament is clear: “Cook the food today, either baking it or boiling it.” “Today” is not in the text, but it is clearly implied, since they were not to work at preparing food on the Sabbath.

All that is left over refers to “all that remains uneaten” (Translator’s Old Testament), not to what is not cooked. The implication is that all of the manna collected on the sixth day was to be cooked so that it would not spoil and would be ready to eat the next day. Lay by is literally “you [plural] cause to wait,” meaning “put aside” (Good News Translation), or “make sure you save enough” (Contemporary English Version). To be kept till the morning is literally “for storing until morning.” The word implies that they were to “keep it safe” (New English Bible).

As indicated at verse 23a, it is possible to take this verse as a continuation of Yahweh’s words, or one may close the quotes at the end of 23a and begin Moses’ words here. In certain languages it will be helpful to state this clearly, as follows:

• Moses said to them, “This is what the LORD has said, ‘Tomorrow is the Sabbath…’ ” And Moses continued, “Gather all you want to bake or boil….”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .