Study Desk

Now on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses,

Then Moses said, "Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field.

"See, the LORD has given you the Sabbath; for that reason He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day. Remain, everyone, in his place; no one is to leave his place on the seventh day."

And the sons of Israel ate the manna for forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate the manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.

Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel journeyed by stages from the wilderness of Sin, according to the command of the LORD, and camped at Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink.

But the people were thirsty for water there; and they grumbled against Moses and said, "Why is it that you have brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"

So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand."

Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard about everything that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.

and her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom, for Moses said, "I have been a stranger in a foreign land."

And the other was named Eliezer, for he said, "The God of my father was my help, and saved me from the sword of Pharaoh."

Moses told his father-in-law everything that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had confronted them on the journey, and how the LORD had rescued them.

And Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the LORD had done for Israel, in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians.

Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses' father-in-law before God.

Now when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?"

"You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.

"Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that they will bring to you every major matter, but they will judge every minor matter themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will carry the burden with you.

'Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine;

and have them ready for the third day, for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

"But you shall set boundaries for the people all around, saying, 'Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall certainly be put to death.

He also said to the people, "Be ready for the third day; do not go near a woman."