Exodus 16:3

¹ On the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left the land of Egypt, the whole congregation of Israel set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai.

² And there in the desert they all grumbled against Moses and Aaron.

“If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt!” they said. “There we sat by pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, but you have brought us into this desert to starve this whole assembly to death!”

⁴ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test whether or not they will follow My instructions.

⁵ Then on the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt!” they said. “There we sat by pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, but you have brought us into this desert to starve this whole assembly to death!”
KJV: And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
WEB: and the children of Israel said to them, “We wish that we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots, when we ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
ASV: and the children of Israel said unto them, Would that we had died by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
DARBY: And the children of Israel said to them, Would that we had died by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we ate bread to the full; for ye have brought us out into this wilderness, to kill this whole congregation with hunger!
BLB: And the sons of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of YHWH in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of flesh, when we ate bread to the full. For you⁺ have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

ÅB: Og Israels barn sa til dem: Å, om vi var død for Herrens hånd i Egypt da vi satt ved kjøttgrytene, og da vi spiste brød til vi ble mette! For dere har ført oss hit ut i ørkenen for å la hele denne store folkeskare dø av hunger.
OTB: Israelittene sa til dem: "Om vi bare hadde omkommet for Herrens hånd i Egypt, hvor vi satt ved grytene med kjøtt og spiste brød til vi ble mette! Men dere har ført oss ut i denne ørkenen for å sulte i hjel hele denne forsamlingen."
B1930: Og Israels barn sa til dem: Å, om vi var død for Herrens hånd i Egyptens land da vi satt ved kjøttgrytene, og da vi åt brød til vi blev mette! For I har ført oss hit ut i ørkenen for å la hele denne store folkeskare dø av hunger.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Numbers 11:4–5
Meanwhile, the rabble among them had a strong craving for other food, and again the Israelites wept and said, “Who will feed us meat?
Read in context
Numbers 20:3–5
The people quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had perished with our brothers before the LORD!
Read in context
Exodus 17:3
But the people thirsted for water there, and they grumbled against Moses: “Why have you brought us out of Egypt—to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
Read in context
Lamentations 4:9
Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 28:67
In the morning you will say, ‘If only it were evening!’ and in the evening you will say, ‘If only it were morning!’—because of the dread in your hearts of the terrifying sights you will see.
Read in context
Jeremiah 2:6
They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’
Read in context
Numbers 14:2
All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness!
Read in context
1 Corinthians 4:8
Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings. How I wish you really were kings, so that we might be kings with you!
Read in context