This passage has a lot of cool stuff. I’m enjoying it before I start reading about how many doves to kill if inadvertently disrupt the den of an unclean animal on a Tuesday.
First reference to the 40 years in the desert, which is how long they ate pan de cielo. Ex. 16:35. I don’t think I mentioned that in Ex. 12:40-41 we learn it is 430 years from Joseph to Moses.
There’s a cool montage scene where Moses’ father-in-law comes to visit and takes some of the burden of governing off of his shoulders. Ex. 18.
Most interesting to me, is the guidance for the Israelites to only take what they need from the manna. The passage examines this guidance very particularly. Ex. 16:21-30. It deals with greedy people and careless people. Taking only what you need is important. Of course, it is important because it is a way to live faithfully with God.
Couple this with the fact that the story makes very clear it is not the greatest of the leaders that is saving Israel. Even our favorite fighting Hebrew, Joshua, doesn’t prevail unless Aaron and Hur, are helping Moses, invoke God, to help Joshua. Seems like you have the makings of a pretty old collectivists society.
I’ve always thought Marx made a mistake by not referencing the early Christian church as his model. Looks like he could have gone father back, much farther back, for each according to his needs. And, yeah, I know I’m not the first person to think of this.