What Does Exodus 16:8 Mean in the King James?

And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.

Exodus 16:8 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

The complaints aimed at Moses reach the LORD, and the LORD answers them with food.

THE MEANING

When your complaint lands on the person in front of you, this verse names the LORD as its deeper addressee. The same LORD gives flesh in the evening and bread in the morning until you are full. Here, being heard and being fed belong to one movement.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

The belief that a complaint stops with the person you address dissolves: this verse traces it through to the LORD.

THE ROOT

תְּלֻנֹּתֵיכֶם

telunnōtêkhem

GROWS FROM

לון

l-w-n

To lodge or remain overnight; in this form, to complain or murmur.

The Hebrew word for “murmurings” belongs to a root that also means to lodge or remain overnight. The verse repeats this root as both a noun and a verb, giving the complaint a staying power that the English wording does not show.

ALSO GROWS

lin: To lodge or spend the night.

לִין

This ordinary sense of the root adds an echo of something that stays, alongside the verse’s repeated complaint.

telunah: Complaint or murmuring.

תְּלוּנָה

This noun shares the root with the verb translated “murmur,” so the complaint and the act of voicing it grow from the same Hebrew seed.

THE PATTERN

Provision is named as something given from above, meeting bodily need day by day.

And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.

Psalm 78:24 · KJVManna is described as food given from heaven, echoing the bread provided here.

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

John 6:32 · KJVThe bread from heaven is again presented as something the Father gives.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Matthew 6:11 · KJVThe daily request names nourishment as provision received one day at a time.

THE THREAD

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.

Exodus 16:12 · KJV

This verse repeats the same Hebrew root for “murmurings” in the LORD’s own words: “I have heard.” It then joins that hearing to the same evening flesh and morning bread, showing the complaint inside the provision story.

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