Lexical Summary man: Manna Original Word: מָן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance manna From mah; literally, a whatness (so to speak), i.e. Manna (so called from the question about it) -- manna. see HEBREW mah Brown-Driver-Briggs I. מָן noun masculineNumbers 11:9 manna (= Arabic ![]() II. מָן in Exodus 16:15 (with reference to the manna) מַההֿוּא וַיּאֹמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶלאָֿחִיו מָן הוּא כִּי לֹא יָָֽדְעוּ, most probably 'What is it?' the question being intended as a popular etymology of מָן 'manna,' based upon the late Aramaic Topical Lexicon Description and Physical Characteristics Mān is the miraculous food that appeared on the wilderness floor each morning during Israel’s forty-year sojourn. “The house of Israel named the substance manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey” (Exodus 16:31). Fine, scale-like, and easily melted by the sun, it required prompt gathering and immediate dependence on God. Divine Provision in the Wilderness First granted after the Red Sea deliverance, manna answered Israel’s complaints of hunger (Exodus 16:15). Six days each week the bread fell; a double portion came on the sixth, underscoring the Sabbath principle. For four decades “the Israelites ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan” (Exodus 16:35). The daily miracle bore witness to the LORD’s covenant faithfulness and His power to sustain His people apart from natural resources. Covenant Significance An omer of manna was set “before the LORD to be preserved for the generations to come” (Exodus 16:33), later placed inside the ark of the covenant (Hebrews 9:4). This memorial testified that the same God who redeemed Israel also sustained Israel, knitting together deliverance and ongoing provision within the covenant story. Instructional Purpose Manna taught wholehearted dependence. Moses reflected, “He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna…to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3). The daily rhythm of gathering inculcated obedience, gratitude, and trust, shaping the nation’s spiritual formation. End of Manna As soon as Israel tasted the produce of the Promised Land, “the manna ceased the day after they ate the food from the land; there was no more manna for the Israelites” (Joshua 5:12). The cessation marked the transition from nomadic testing to covenant settlement, confirming that God’s provisions change with His people’s seasons yet never fail. Later Biblical Reflections Nehemiah recalls, “You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger” (Nehemiah 9:20), while the psalmist declares, “He rained down manna for them to eat; He gave them grain from heaven” (Psalm 78:24). These retrospective praises present manna as emblematic of heavenly generosity and covenant mercy. Typological and Christological Fulfillment Jesus identifies Himself as the true and greater manna: “It is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven… I am the bread of life” (John 6:32-35). The wilderness bread thus foreshadows Christ, who satisfies spiritual hunger, sustains eternal life, and offers continual fellowship. Just as the Israelites gathered manna daily, believers are called to ongoing communion with Christ through His Word and Spirit. Ministerial Applications 1. Dependence: Ministry flourishes only when leaders seek daily grace rather than stockpiling yesterday’s supply. Forms and Transliterations הַמָּ֖ן הַמָּ֜ן הַמָּ֥ן הַמָּן֙ המן וְהַמָּ֕ן וּמַנְךָ֙ והמן ומנך מָ֑ן מָ֣ן מָן֙ מן ham·mān hamMan hammān man mān ū·man·ḵā umanCha ūmanḵā vehamMan wə·ham·mān wəhammānLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 16:15 HEB: אֶל־ אָחִיו֙ מָ֣ן ה֔וּא כִּ֛י NAS: another, What is it? For they did not know KJV: to another, It [is] manna: for they wist INT: about another What he for Exodus 16:31 Exodus 16:33 Exodus 16:35 Exodus 16:35 Numbers 11:6 Numbers 11:7 Numbers 11:9 Deuteronomy 8:3 Deuteronomy 8:16 Joshua 5:12 Joshua 5:12 Nehemiah 9:20 Psalm 78:24 14 Occurrences |