The Meaning of Exodus 16:12 Explained

Exodus 16:12

KJV: I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God.

YLT: I have heard the murmurings of the sons of Israel; speak unto them, saying, Between the evenings ye eat flesh, and in the morning ye are satisfied with bread, and ye have known that I am Jehovah your God.'

Darby: I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak to them, saying, Between the two evenings ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah your God.

ASV: I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread: and ye shall know that I am Jehovah your God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I have heard  the murmurings  of the children  of Israel:  speak  unto them, saying,  At even  ye shall eat  flesh,  and in the morning  ye shall be filled  with bread;  and ye shall know  that I [am] the LORD  your God. 

What does Exodus 16:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 16:1-12 - Murmuring For Food Rebuked
Moses made a double promise to the Israelites in God's name. In the evening they were to have flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full. But before these gifts could be received, notice must be taken of their conduct toward the two brothers, whose authority had been impugned by the events of the morning. Hence the appearance of the divine glory in the cloud, Exodus 16:10. After this a vast flight of quails, a migratory bird which often crosses the Red Sea at this very spot, fell to the ground in the near neighborhood of the Hebrew camp, and lay there in an exhausted condition, which allowed of their being captured by the hand. How striking are those words: "The Lord heareth your murmurings!" We should remember them, when next we are tempted to doubt God's love and to complain of His dealings with us. Let God's faithful servants take courage; He will vindicate them. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 16

1  The Israelites come to Sin, and murmur for want of bread
4  God promises them bread and meat from heaven, and they are rebuked
13  Quail and manna are sent
16  The ordering of manna
25  It was not to be found on the Sabbath
32  An omer of it is preserved

What do the individual words in Exodus 16:12 mean?

I have heard - the complaints of the sons of Israel speak to them saying at twilight you shall eat meat and in the morning you shall be filled with bread and you shall know that I [am] Yahweh your God
שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי אֶת־ תְּלוּנֹּת֮ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ דַּבֵּ֨ר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר בֵּ֤ין הָֽעַרְבַּ֙יִם֙ תֹּאכְל֣וּ בָשָׂ֔ר וּבַבֹּ֖קֶר תִּשְׂבְּעוּ־ לָ֑חֶם וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם

שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי  I  have  heard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
תְּלוּנֹּת֮  the  complaints 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: תְּלֻנּׄות  
Sense: murmuring.
בְּנֵ֣י  of  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵל֒  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
דַּבֵּ֨ר  speak 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אֲלֵהֶ֜ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
לֵאמֹ֗ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בֵּ֤ין  at 
Parse: Preposition
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
הָֽעַרְבַּ֙יִם֙  twilight 
Parse: Article, Noun, md
Root: עֶרֶב  
Sense: evening, night, sunset.
תֹּאכְל֣וּ  you  shall  eat 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
בָשָׂ֔ר  meat 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּשָׂר  
Sense: flesh.
וּבַבֹּ֖קֶר  and  in  the  morning 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּקֶר 
Sense: morning, break of day.
תִּשְׂבְּעוּ־  you  shall  be  filled  with 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׂבַע  
Sense: to be satisfied, be sated, be fulfilled, be surfeited.
לָ֑חֶם  bread 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם  and  you  shall  know 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּ֛י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יְהוָ֖ה  [am]  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).