Original Word: חַסְפַּס
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: chacpac
Pronunciation: khas-pas'
Phonetic Spelling: (khas-pas')
KJV: round thing
NASB: flake-like thing
Word Origin: [reduplicated from an unused root meaning apparently to peel]

1. a shred or scale

round thing

Reduplicated from an unused root meaning apparently to peel; a shred or scale -- round thing.

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
scale-like
NASB Translation
flake-like thing (1).

[חַסְמַּס] verb only Passive participle (scaled off) scale-like (apparent reduplication from *חסף for חספסף, see Ew^{§ 158 c} Ol^{§§ 214, 276} Ges^{§ 55}, 6 Sta^{§ 291}; Kö^{i, 250} thinks euphon. for מְחֻסְמָּף; to be compare are Arabic , have scab, itch (Frey; but = ס ?); Aramaic חַסְמָּא potsherd, חַסְמְּנִיתָא scale (of fish), scurf; Ethiopic scabiosus fuit Di⁵⁸⁷ and Exodus 16:14) — hence מְחֻסְמָּס scaled off, scale-like as Syrver ᵑ7 Thes Rob-Ges MV SS VB; — of the manna דַּק מְחֻסְמָּ֔ס דַּק כַּכְּפֹר Exodus 16:14 a fine, scale-like thing, fine as the hoar-frost.

Appearance and Texture of Manna

Exodus 16 narrates Israel’s first encounter with the bread of Heaven. When the morning dew lifted, “there were thin flakes like frost on the ground” (Exodus 16:14). The word חַסְפַּס portrays a substance that is delicate, flaky, and wafer-thin. The emphasis is on its fragility—easily gathered, easily melted—underscoring both the accessibility and the transience of God’s daily provision. The comparison to “frost” evokes a shimmering layer that blankets the desert floor, visually reminding Israel that God’s grace can cover barrenness with unexpected abundance.

Divine Provision in the Wilderness

Israel’s physical environment was inhospitable; yet the thin flakes appeared precisely where no human agriculture could succeed. By employing חַסְפַּס, the text highlights the miracle’s ordinariness and extraordinariness at once: ordinary in its daily recurrence, extraordinary in its heavenly origin. The people were instructed to collect only enough for each day (Exodus 16:16), reinforcing trust in the Giver rather than in stored resources. The fragile texture of the flakes mirrored the fragility of self-reliant security.

Foreshadowing of Christ, the Bread from Heaven

John 6:31-35 explicitly connects manna to Jesus Christ: “My Father gives you the true bread from heaven” (John 6:32). The flake-like quality anticipates the humbling of the Incarnate Word—God’s provision appearing in modest form. Just as manna had to be gathered early before it melted away, so Christ invites timely response before opportunities for faith pass (Hebrews 3:12-15). The delicacy of חַסְפַּס thus prefigures the meekness of the Messiah and the immediacy of the gospel call.

Lessons in Dependence and Obedience

1. Daily Reliance: The thin flakes spoiled if hoarded (Exodus 16:20). Spiritual vitality likewise depends on fresh, daily communion with God (Lamentations 3:22-23).
2. Sabbath Rhythm: Double portions on the sixth day did not spoil (Exodus 16:24), teaching that obedience secures sufficiency.
3. Humility: The unassuming form of the flakes cautions against despising seemingly insignificant means of grace—Scripture reading, prayer, fellowship.

Historical and Cultural Insights

Ancient Near Eastern travelers reported dew-based phenomena such as “desert honey” or tree exudates, yet none match the sustained, six-day-a-week pattern of Exodus. The singular occurrence of חַסְפַּס underscores its uniqueness to Israel’s covenant history. Later Jewish tradition memorialized manna in a golden jar beside the ark (Hebrews 9:4), preserving not only the substance but the memory of God’s faithfulness.

Liturgical Echoes

Psalm 78:24-25 recalls that God “rained down manna for them to eat; He gave them bread from heaven.” The psalmist’s meditation invites worshipers to celebrate the same covenant mercy. In Christian liturgy, the Lord’s Prayer petition, “Give us this day our daily bread,” echoes the manna cycle, urging congregations to confess continual dependence.

Pastoral and Homiletical Applications

• Encourage believers to seek fresh portions of God’s Word; yesterday’s insight cannot substitute for today’s obedience.
• Model rhythms of rest; the double provision for Sabbath legitimizes cessation from labor and active trust in God’s economy.
• Address material anxiety by pointing to God’s record of provision—if He could spread thin flakes across a desert, He can meet needs in any economy.

Conclusion

Though occurring only once in Scripture, חַסְפַּס encapsulates enduring truths: God’s provision is faithful, sufficient, and often clothed in humble form. Its delicate flakes summon every generation to gather daily grace, remember covenant faithfulness, and recognize in Christ the ultimate Bread from Heaven.

מְחֻסְפָּ֔ס מחספס mə·ḥus·pās mechusPas məḥuspāsInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts