Exodus 16:5

On the sixth day. Here Moses indicates briefly the nature of the test implied in v. 5. Mention of “the sixth day” immediately reminds one of the sixth day of creation week (Gen. 1:31), the only previous occurrence of this expression, and thus of the fact that in six days God completed His work of creation (Gen. 2:1-3). Considered together with Gen. 2:1-3 and Ex. 20:8-11, this reference clearly points to the fact that the Hebrews knew of the weekly cycle prior to the giving of the law at Sinai (cf. Gen. 29:28). The seventh day, on which no manna fell, was “the holy sabbath unto the Lord” (Ex. 16:22-30), and on it the people were to “rest” (v. 30). In Hebrew, the word Sabbath means “rest.” In conjunction with v. 23, v. 5 indicates that only the seventh day had a name, “the holy sabbath,” whereas the other six days were designated by ordinals, as the first, second, third day, etc.

Twice as much. Twice as much manna was to fall on the sixth day, and they were to gather twice as much (PP 296). This weekly thought and activity required in preparation for the Sabbath was to be to Israel a lesson on the importance of the Sabbath day.