complete verse (Exodus 16:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 16:5:

  • Kupsabiny: “On the sixth day, let each one collect food two times surpassing those of before.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “On the sixth day they have to gather twice as much as they gather on the other days.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Tell them to double their gathering of bread on the sixth day of each week.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And on the sixth day, they will get food enough for two days and then cook [it] in advance so that it’s ready.’” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “On day sixth, when they gather bread [body], they must gather that which be sufficient days two.»” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “On the sixth day after I start doing that, they will be able to gather twice as much as on the other days, and not have to gather any on the seventh day. Then they can prepare it to eat it on the 6th and 7th days.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Bread from Heaven

Click here to see the image in higher resolution.

Image taken from the Wiedmann Bible. For more information about the images and ways to adopt them, see here . For other images of Willy Wiedmann paintings in TIPs, see here.

Following is an artwork by Sister Marie Claire , SMMI (1937–2018) from Bengaluru, India:

For more information about images by Sister Marie Claire and ways to purchase them as lithographs, see here . For other images of Sister Marie Claire paintings in TIPs, see here.

The following is a stained glass window from the Three choir windows in the Marienkirche, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany, of the 14th century, depicting the feeding with manna:

Source: Der gläserne Schatz: Die Bilderbibel der St. Marienkirche in Frankfurt (Oder), Neuer Berlin Verlag, 2005, copyright for this image: Brandenburgisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologisches Landesmuseum

Stained glass is not just highly decorative, it’s a medium which has been used to express important religious messages for centuries. Literacy was not widespread in the medieval and Renaissance periods and the Church used stained glass and other artworks to teach the central beliefs of Christianity. In Gothic churches, the windows were filled with extensive narrative scenes in stained glass — like huge and colorful picture storybooks — in which worshipers could ‘read’ the stories of Christ and the saints and learn what was required for their religious salvation. (Source: Victoria and Albert Museum )

See also other stained glass windows from the Marienkirche in Frankfurt.

Translation commentary on Exod 16:5

This verse may be understood either as a miracle or as a command, so it should be examined carefully. On the sixth day anticipates the seventh day, or sabbath. In some languages it will be good to say “the sixth day of each week” (Contemporary English Version). When they prepare is literally “and it will be that they will make ready.” What they bring in refers to the manna they will gather. It will be twice as much means it will be [or, become] double. As they gather daily is literally “over what they will gather day by day.” One may also express this as “what they gather on ordinary days,” or even “what they normally [or, usually] gather.”

The text is ambiguous, and most translations follow it quite literally. But what does it mean? Does it mean that the usual amount they gather will suddenly become twice as much, or does it mean that there will be enough manna out on the ground for them to gather twice as much? Verse 22 suggests the latter, so Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “they should gather as much as they find. When they prepare it they will discover that it is twice as much as they have usually gathered.” Good News Translation makes it a command: “they are to bring in twice as much as usual and prepare it.” Contemporary English Version is similar: “they must gather and cook twice as much.” Since the ambiguity seems to be unintentional, this second meaning should be followed.

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 .