The Meaning of Exodus 16:2 Explained

Exodus 16:2

KJV: And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:

YLT: And all the company of the sons of Israel murmur against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness;

Darby: And the whole assembly of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness.

ASV: And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the whole congregation  of the children  of Israel  murmured  against Moses  and Aaron  in the wilderness: 

What does Exodus 16:2 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 16:2 mean?

- Then grumbled the whole congregation of the sons of Israel against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness
[וילינו] (וַיִּלּ֜וֹנוּ) כָּל־ עֲדַ֧ת בְּנֵי־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל עַל־ מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְעַֽל־ אַהֲרֹ֖ן בַּמִּדְבָּֽר

[וילינו]  - 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אַב  
Sense: father.
(וַיִּלּ֜וֹנוּ)  Then  grumbled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: לוּן 
Sense: to lodge, stop over, pass the night, abide.
כָּל־  the  whole 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עֲדַ֧ת  congregation 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֵדָה  
Sense: congregation, gathering.
בְּנֵי־  of  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל  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.
עַל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
מֹשֶׁ֥ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
אַהֲרֹ֖ן  Aaron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
בַּמִּדְבָּֽר  in  the  wilderness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.