The Sabbath did not Originate with the Giving of the Manna.
MR. THOMAS SCOTT, author of Notes on the Bible, has the following remarks on Ex. xvi, 25. It takes the view that any consistent man naturally would take. The italic is Mr. Scott's. He says:
"It is evident, that the miracle, on this occasion, consisted in the larger quantity of manna that fell on the sixth day; which caused it to be so much thicker on the ground than at other times, that the people gathered twice the quantity, with little additional labor; and not in a subsequent increase of the quantity which each person had gathered. As the rulers came to inform Moses, that the people had gathered twice the usual quantity, it may be supposed, they were appointed to superintend the distribution, and wanted his directions in the present case; and this gave him the opportunity of more fully stating to them, and by them to the people, the obligation of keeping the Sabbath as a holy rest unto the Lord. It is remarkable, that three miracles were wrought, every week, in honor of the Sabbath, even before the promulgation of the Mosaic law. Double the quantity fell the day before; none fell on the Sabbath-day; nor did that corrupt, which they kept for that day. This confirms the opinion, that the institution of the Sabbath was from the beginning. Indeed the whole narrative implies, that reference was made to an institution before known, but not properly remembered or regarded; and not to any new law given on the occasion. Neither the inquiry of the elders, nor the language of Moses, can be consistently interpreted of an entirely new institution."