Contradiction with Numbers 11:5-6
Contradiction lies in the Israelites' complaints about lacking variety and memories of abundant food in Egypt, despite previously claiming they sat by flesh pots and had bread to the full.
Numbers 11:5-6: We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
Contradiction with Exodus 16:8
Here, the complaint about food against Moses and Aaron is said to be against the Lord, contradicting their earlier focus on leadership blame.
Exodus 16:8: 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.
Contradiction with Exodus 16:12
God promises to satisfy their hunger with meat and bread, suggesting their claims of fullness in Egypt were unfounded.
Exodus 16:12: 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.
Contradiction with Exodus 17:3
Israelites express fear of dying of thirst, contradicting the abundance they claimed in Exodus 16:3.
Exodus 17:3: And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore [is] this [that] thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
Contradiction with Numbers 21:5
The people again express dissatisfaction with the food provided, contradicting their earlier exaggeration of Egyptian provision.
Numbers 21:5: And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for [there is] no bread, neither [is there any] water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
Contradiction with Psalm 78:18-19
By questioning God’s ability to provide, they contradict their nostalgia for Egypt’s sustenance.
Psalm 78:18-19: And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
Contradiction with Deuteronomy 8:3
The lesson that man doesn’t live on bread alone contradicts the Israelites' focus on physical sustenance in Egypt.
Deuteronomy 8:3: And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every [word] that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
Paradox #1
Exodus 16:3 could be seen as inconsistent with the Israelites' later complaints in the desert. Earlier, they wish for the food they had in Egypt, expressing doubt God will provide. Yet, despite witnessing miracles, they continue to doubt and complain, showing a pattern of forgetfulness and lack of faith in God's provision.
Paradox #2
The contradiction in Exodus 16:3 is about the Israelites complaining about their lack of food in the desert and recalling with longing the abundance of food in Egypt. It seems inconsistent because, according to other parts of the Bible, life in Egypt was harsh and oppressive due to their slavery. This creates a conflict between their past suffering and their current complaints.
Paradox #3
The potential scientific inconsistency in that verse could relate to the portrayal of the Israelites' food situation. The text implies they wish for the meat and bread of Egypt, which can seem inconsistent with historical and archaeological evidence about the availability and types of food in ancient Egypt and the wilderness. However, these accounts are often interpreted within a religious or symbolic framework rather than a literal historical or scientific one.
Paradox #4
Exodus 16:3 might be seen as morally contradictory because it reflects a situation where the Israelites express a desire to return to Egypt, where they were oppressed, because they miss the food there. This can be seen as conflicting with the idea of valuing freedom and liberation over comfort and familiarity, presenting a tension between immediate physical needs and long-term moral and spiritual well-being.