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Moses said to them, &#8220It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/nlt/exodus/16.htm">New Living Translation</a> The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. “What is it?” they asked each other. They had no idea what it was. And Moses told them, “It is the food the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/esv/exodus/16.htm">English Standard Version</a> When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/bsb/exodus/16.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a> When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. So Moses told them, “It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/kjv/exodus/16.htm">King James Bible</a> And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. <a href="/nkjv/exodus/16.htm">New King James Version</a> So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/nasb_/exodus/16.htm">New American Standard Bible</a> When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/nasb/exodus/16.htm">NASB 1995</a> When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, &#8220What is it?&#8221 For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, &#8220It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/nasb77/exodus/16.htm">NASB 1977 </a> When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/lsb/exodus/16.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a> And the sons of Israel saw it and said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread which Yahweh has given you to eat. <a href="/amp/exodus/16.htm">Amplified Bible</a> When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/csb/exodus/16.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a> When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, “What is it? ” because they didn’t know what it was. Moses told them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/hcsb/exodus/16.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a> When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, &#8220What is it?&#8221 because they didn&#8217t know what it was. Moses told them, &#8220It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/asv/exodus/16.htm">American Standard Version</a> And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, What is it? for they knew not what it was. And Moses said unto them, It is the bread which Jehovah hath given you to eat. <a href="/cev/exodus/16.htm">Contemporary English Version</a> The people had never seen anything like this, and they started asking each other, "What is it?" Moses answered, "This is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/erv/exodus/16.htm">English Revised Version</a> And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, What is it? for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, It is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. <a href="/gwt/exodus/16.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a> When the Israelites saw it, they asked each other, "What is this?" because they didn't know what it was. Moses said to them, "It's the food the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/gnt/exodus/16.htm">Good News Translation</a> When the Israelites saw it, they didn't know what it was and asked each other, "What is it?" Moses said to them, "This is the food that the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/isv/exodus/16.htm">International Standard Version</a> When the Israelis saw it, they asked one another, "What is it?", because they did not know what it was. Moses told them, "It's the food that the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/msb/exodus/16.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a> When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, ?What is it?? For they did not know what it was. So Moses told them, ?It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/net/exodus/16.htm">NET Bible</a> When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" because they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the LORD has given you for food. <a href="/nheb/exodus/16.htm">New Heart English Bible</a> When the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat." <a href="/wbt/exodus/16.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a> And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they knew not what it was. And Moses said to them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. <a href="/web/exodus/16.htm">World English Bible</a> When the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they didn’t know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread which Yahweh has given you to eat. <div class="vheading2">Literal Translations</div><a href="/lsv/exodus/16.htm">Literal Standard Version</a> And the sons of Israel see, and say to one another, “What [is] it?” For they have not known what it [is]; and Moses says to them, “It [is] the bread which YHWH has given to you for food. <a href="/ylt/exodus/16.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a> And the sons of Israel see, and say one unto another, 'What is it?' for they have not known what it is; and Moses saith unto them, 'It is the bread which Jehovah hath given to you for food. <a href="/slt/exodus/16.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a> And the sons of Israel will see, and they will say, each to his brother, What this? for they knew not what it was And Moses will say to them, This the bread which Jehovah gave to you to eat.<div class="vheading2">Catholic Translations</div><a href="/drb/exodus/16.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a> And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another: Manhu! which signifieth: What is this! for they knew not what it was. And Moses said to them: This is the bread, which the Lord hath given you to eat. <a href="/cpdv/exodus/16.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a> When the sons of Israel had seen it, they said one to another: “Manhu?” which means “What is this?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them: “This is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. <a href="/nabre/exodus/16.htm">New American Bible</a> On seeing it, the Israelites asked one another, “What is this?” for they did not know what it was. But Moses told them, “It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/nrsvce/exodus/16.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a> When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.<div class="vheading2">Translations from Aramaic</div><a href="/lamsa/exodus/16.htm">Lamsa Bible</a> And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, Manna-ho? (What is it?) For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. <a href="/hpbt/exodus/16.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a> And the children of Israel saw, and they said, each man to his brother, “What is this? What is it?”, because they did not know what it was. Moshe said to them, “This is the bread that LORD JEHOVAH gives you to eat.”<div class="vheading2">OT Translations</div><a href="/jps/exodus/16.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a> And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another: 'What is it?'--for they knew not what it was. And Moses said unto them: 'It is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. <a href="/sep/exodus/16.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a> And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, What is this? for they knew not what it was; and Moses said to them, <a href="/parallel/exodus/16-15.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv">Audio Bible</div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kVae3PiKqhs?start=4098" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="vheadingv">Context</div><a href="/bsb/exodus/16.htm">Manna and Quail from Heaven</a> …14When the layer of dew had evaporated, there were thin flakes on the desert floor, as fine as frost on the ground. 15<a href="/hebrew/1121.htm" title="1121: ḇə·nê- (N-mpc) -- Son. From banah; a son, in the widest sense (like 'ab, 'ach, etc.).">When the Israelites</a> <a href="/hebrew/3478.htm" title="3478: yiś·rā·’êl (N-proper-ms) -- From sarah and 'el; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also of his posterity."></a> <a href="/hebrew/7200.htm" title="7200: way·yir·’ū (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp) -- To see. A primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively.">saw it,</a> <a href="/hebrew/559.htm" title="559: way·yō·mə·rū (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp) -- To utter, say. A primitive root; to say.">they asked</a> <a href="/hebrew/376.htm" title="376: ’îš (N-ms) -- Man. Contracted for 'enowsh; a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term.">one</a> <a href="/hebrew/413.htm" title="413: ’el- (Prep) -- To, into, towards. "></a> <a href="/hebrew/251.htm" title="251: ’ā·ḥîw (N-msc:: 3ms) -- A brother. A primitive word; a brother (like 'ab).">another,</a> <a href="/hebrew/4478.htm" title="4478: mān (Interrog) -- Manna (a kind of bread). From mah; literally, a whatness, i.e. Manna.">“What</a> <a href="/hebrew/1931.htm" title="1931: hū (Pro-3ms) -- He, she, it. ">is it?”</a> <a href="/hebrew/3588.htm" title="3588: kî (Conj) -- That, for, when. ">For</a> <a href="/hebrew/3808.htm" title="3808: lō (Adv-NegPrt) -- Not. Or lowi; or loh; a primitive particle; not; by implication, no; often used with other particles.">they did not</a> <a href="/hebrew/3045.htm" title="3045: yā·ḏə·‘ū (V-Qal-Perf-3cp) -- A primitive root; to know; used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially.">know</a> <a href="/hebrew/4100.htm" title="4100: mah- (Interrog) -- What? how? anything. ">what</a> <a href="/hebrew/1931.htm" title="1931: hū (Pro-3ms) -- He, she, it. ">it was.</a> <a href="/hebrew/4872.htm" title="4872: mō·šeh (N-proper-ms) -- A great Isr. leader, prophet and lawgiver. From mashah; drawing out, i.e. Rescued; Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver.">So Moses</a> <a href="/hebrew/559.htm" title="559: way·yō·mer (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms) -- To utter, say. A primitive root; to say.">told</a> <a href="/hebrew/413.htm" title="413: ’ă·lê·hem (Prep:: 3mp) -- To, into, towards. ">them,</a> <a href="/hebrew/1931.htm" title="1931: hū (Pro-3ms) -- He, she, it. ">“It</a> <a href="/hebrew/3899.htm" title="3899: hal·le·ḥem (Art:: N-ms) -- Bread, food. From lacham; food, especially bread, or grain.">is the bread</a> <a href="/hebrew/834.htm" title="834: ’ă·šer (Pro-r) -- Who, which, that. A primitive relative pronoun; who, which, what, that; also when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.">that</a> <a href="/hebrew/3068.htm" title="3068: Yah·weh (N-proper-ms) -- The proper name of the God of Israel. From hayah; self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God.">the LORD</a> <a href="/hebrew/5414.htm" title="5414: nā·ṯan (V-Qal-Perf-3ms) -- To give, put, set. A primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application.">has given</a> <a href="/hebrew/lā·ḵem (Prep:: 2mp) -- ">you</a> <a href="/hebrew/402.htm" title="402: lə·’āḵ·lāh (Prep-l:: N-fs) -- Food, eating. Feminine of 'Ukal; food.">to eat.</a> 16This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Each one is to gather as much as he needs. You may take an omer for each person in your tent.’ ”…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div> <a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><a href="/john/6-31.htm">John 6:31-35</a> Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” / Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. / For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” ... <a href="/john/6-49.htm">John 6:49-51</a> Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. / This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. / I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.” <a href="/nehemiah/9-20.htm">Nehemiah 9:20</a> You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths, and You gave them water for their thirst. <a href="/psalms/78-24.htm">Psalm 78:24-25</a> He rained down manna for them to eat; He gave them grain from heaven. / Man ate the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance. <a href="/1_corinthians/10-3.htm">1 Corinthians 10:3</a> They all ate the same spiritual food <a href="/numbers/11-7.htm">Numbers 11:7-9</a> Now the manna resembled coriander seed, and its appearance was like that of gum resin. / The people walked around and gathered it, ground it on a handmill or crushed it in a mortar, then boiled it in a cooking pot or shaped it into cakes. It tasted like pastry baked with fine oil. / When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall with it. <a href="/deuteronomy/8-3.htm">Deuteronomy 8:3</a> He humbled you, and in your hunger He gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had known, so that you might understand that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. <a href="/psalms/105-40.htm">Psalm 105:40</a> They asked, and He brought quail and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. <a href="/john/6-58.htm">John 6:58</a> This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your fathers, who ate the manna and died, the one who eats this bread will live forever.” <a href="/numbers/11-6.htm">Numbers 11:6</a> But now our appetite is gone; there is nothing to see but this manna!” <a href="/deuteronomy/8-16.htm">Deuteronomy 8:16</a> He fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers had not known, in order to humble you and test you, so that in the end He might cause you to prosper. <a href="/matthew/4-4.htm">Matthew 4:4</a> But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” <a href="/john/6-32.htm">John 6:32</a> Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. <a href="/revelation/2-17.htm">Revelation 2:17</a> He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone inscribed with a new name, known only to the one who receives it.</div> <a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div>And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they knew not what it was. And Moses said to them, This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.<a href="/exodus/16-31.htm">Exodus 16:31,33</a> And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey… <a href="/deuteronomy/8-3.htm">Deuteronomy 8:3,16</a> 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… <a href="/joshua/5-12.htm">Joshua 5:12</a> And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.this is<a href="/exodus/16-4.htm">Exodus 16:4</a> Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.<a href="/numbers/21-5.htm">Numbers 21:5</a> 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.<a href="/proverbs/9-5.htm">Proverbs 9:5</a> Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.<div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/exodus/16-12.htm">Bread</a> <a href="/exodus/16-12.htm">Children</a> <a href="/exodus/16-12.htm">Eat</a> <a href="/genesis/43-22.htm">Idea</a> <a href="/exodus/16-12.htm">Israel</a> <a href="/exodus/16-12.htm">Israelites</a> <a href="/revelation/2-17.htm">Manna</a> <a href="/exodus/16-11.htm">Moses</a> <a href="/acts/23-5.htm">Wist</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/exodus/16-22.htm">Bread</a> <a href="/exodus/16-17.htm">Children</a> <a href="/exodus/16-16.htm">Eat</a> <a href="/exodus/32-23.htm">Idea</a> <a href="/exodus/16-17.htm">Israel</a> <a href="/exodus/16-17.htm">Israelites</a> <a href="/exodus/16-31.htm">Manna</a> <a href="/exodus/16-19.htm">Moses</a> <a href="/exodus/34-29.htm">Wist</a><div class="vheading2">Exodus 16</div>1. <a href="/exodus/16-1.htm">The Israelites come to Sin, and murmur for want of bread</a> 4. <a href="/exodus/16-4.htm">God promises them bread and meat from heaven, and they are rebuked</a> 13. <a href="/exodus/16-13.htm">Quail and manna are sent</a> 16. <a href="/exodus/16-16.htm">The ordering of manna</a> 25. <a href="/exodus/16-25.htm">It was not to be found on the Sabbath</a> 32. <a href="/exodus/16-32.htm">An omer of it is preserved</a> </div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div>  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/exodus/16.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/exodus/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/exodus/16.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div>When the Israelites saw it The Israelites had just left Egypt and were in the wilderness, a place of testing and reliance on God. This moment occurs shortly after their deliverance from slavery, highlighting their dependence on God for sustenance. The wilderness setting underscores the miraculous nature of God's provision.they asked one another, “What is it?” The Hebrew word for "What is it?" is "manna," which became the name for this miraculous food. This question reflects their unfamiliarity with God's provision, symbolizing a lack of understanding of His ways. It also indicates their initial doubt and confusion, a recurring theme in their wilderness journey.For they did not know what it was. This lack of recognition points to the newness of God's provision and the Israelites' need to trust in His guidance. It also foreshadows their ongoing struggle with faith and obedience. The manna was unlike anything they had experienced, emphasizing God's ability to provide in unexpected ways.So Moses told them, Moses, as the leader and mediator between God and the people, plays a crucial role in communicating God's instructions. His leadership is essential in guiding the Israelites to understand and accept God's provision. This moment reinforces Moses' position as a prophet and teacher.“It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.” This statement identifies the manna as a divine gift, emphasizing God's grace and provision. The bread from heaven is a type of Christ, who later identifies Himself as the "bread of life" (<a href="/john/6-32.htm">John 6:32-35</a>). This connection highlights the continuity of God's salvation plan and the ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. The manna symbolizes God's sustenance and care, pointing to the spiritual nourishment found in Christ.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <a href="/topical/t/the_israelites.htm">The Israelites</a> The descendants of Jacob, who were delivered from slavery in Egypt and are now journeying through the wilderness. 2. <a href="/topical/m/moses.htm">Moses</a> The leader chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from Egypt and guide them through the wilderness. 3. <a href="/topical/t/the_wilderness_of_sin.htm">The Wilderness of Sin</a> The location where the Israelites are encamped and where God provides manna. 4. <a href="/topical/m/manna.htm">Manna</a> The miraculous bread from heaven provided by God to sustain the Israelites in the wilderness. 5. <a href="/topical/t/the_lord.htm">The LORD (Yahweh)</a> The covenant God of Israel, who provides for His people and demonstrates His faithfulness.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><a href="/topical/g/god's_provision.htm">God's Provision</a> Just as God provided manna for the Israelites, He provides for our needs today. We are called to trust in His provision and faithfulness. <a href="/topical/r/recognizing_god's_gifts.htm">Recognizing God's Gifts</a> The Israelites initially did not recognize the manna. We must be attentive to the ways God provides for us, often in unexpected forms. <a href="/topical/d/dependence_on_god.htm">Dependence on God</a> The daily provision of manna teaches us to rely on God daily, not hoarding for the future but trusting Him for each day's needs. <a href="/topical/s/spiritual_nourishment.htm">Spiritual Nourishment</a> Beyond physical sustenance, God offers spiritual nourishment through His Word and through Christ, the true bread from heaven. <a href="/topical/g/gratitude_and_obedience.htm">Gratitude and Obedience</a> The Israelites' experience with manna reminds us to respond to God's provision with gratitude and obedience, following His instructions faithfully.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_exodus_16.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Exodus 16</a> <a href="/q/what_does_jehovah-nissi_mean.htm">What does Jehovah-Nissi mean?</a> <a href="/q/how_does_god_deliver_from_troubles.htm">How does God provide deliverance from troubles?</a> <a href="/q/how_did_millions_survive_on_manna_alone.htm">How could millions of people survive on a single type of food in the desert for forty years without other recorded health or logistical issues (Exodus 16:35)? </a> <a href="/q/ezekiel_2_8-10__how_is_eating_a_scroll_plausible.htm">Ezekiel 2:8–10: How do we reconcile the command to physically eat a scroll with scientific plausibility and the lack of mention of any lasting effects?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/exodus/16.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(15) It is manna.--This is certainly a wrong translation. The words of the original, man hu, must either be rendered, as in the LXX. And the Vulg., "What is this ?" Or, as by Kimchi, Knobel, Gesenius, Kurtz, and others, "This is a gift." It is against the former rendering that man does not mean "what" in Hebrew, but only in Chaldee, and that "what is this" would be a very strange name to give to a substance. Against the latter it may be said that neither is man found elsewhere in Hebrew in the sense of "a gift;" but it has that sense in Arabic; and in Hebrew manan is "to give."This is the bread--i.e., the promised bread. (See <a href="/exodus/16-4.htm" title="Then said the LORD to Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.">Exodus 16:4</a>.)<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/exodus/16.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div>Verse 15. - They said one to another, this is manna. Rather, "this is a gift." To suppose that they recognised the substance as one known to them in Egypt under the name of menu or mennu, is to make this clause contradict the next. To translate "what is this?" gives good sense, but is against grammar, since the Hebrew for "what" is not man but mah. The Septuagint translators (who render τί ἐστι τοῦτο) were probably deceived by their familiarity with the Chaldee, in which man corresponds to "what." Not knowing what to call the substance, the Israelites said one to another, "it is a gift" - meaning a gift from heaven, God's gift (compare verse 8); and afterwards, in consequence of this, the word man (properly "gift") became the accepted name of the thing. <a href="/commentaries/exodus/16-15.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a> <a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div>When the Israelites בְנֵֽי־ (ḇə·nê-) Noun - masculine plural construct <a href="/hebrew/strongs_1121.htm">Strong's 1121: </a> A son saw it, וַיִּרְא֣וּ (way·yir·’ū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural <a href="/hebrew/strongs_7200.htm">Strong's 7200: </a> To see they asked וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ (way·yō·mə·rū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural <a href="/hebrew/strongs_559.htm">Strong's 559: </a> To utter, say one אִ֤ישׁ (’îš) Noun - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_376.htm">Strong's 376: </a> A man as an individual, a male person another, אָחִיו֙ (’ā·ḥîw) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_251.htm">Strong's 251: </a> A brother, ) “What מָ֣ן (mān) Interrogative <a href="/hebrew/strongs_4478.htm">Strong's 4478: </a> Manna (a kind of bread) is it?” ה֔וּא (hū) Pronoun - third person masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_1931.htm">Strong's 1931: </a> He, self, the same, this, that, as, are For כִּ֛י (kî) Conjunction <a href="/hebrew/strongs_3588.htm">Strong's 3588: </a> A relative conjunction they did not לֹ֥א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle <a href="/hebrew/strongs_3808.htm">Strong's 3808: </a> Not, no know יָדְע֖וּ (yā·ḏə·‘ū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural <a href="/hebrew/strongs_3045.htm">Strong's 3045: </a> To know what מַה־ (mah-) Interrogative <a href="/hebrew/strongs_4100.htm">Strong's 4100: </a> What?, what!, indefinitely what it was. ה֑וּא (hū) Pronoun - third person masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_1931.htm">Strong's 1931: </a> He, self, the same, this, that, as, are So Moses מֹשֶׁה֙ (mō·šeh) Noun - proper - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_4872.htm">Strong's 4872: </a> Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver told them, וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_559.htm">Strong's 559: </a> To utter, say “It ה֣וּא (hū) Pronoun - third person masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_1931.htm">Strong's 1931: </a> He, self, the same, this, that, as, are is the bread הַלֶּ֔חֶם (hal·le·ḥem) Article | Noun - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_3899.htm">Strong's 3899: </a> Food, bread, grain the LORD יְהוָ֛ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_3068.htm">Strong's 3068: </a> LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel has given נָתַ֧ן (nā·ṯan) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_5414.htm">Strong's 5414: </a> To give, put, set you to eat. לְאָכְלָֽה׃ (lə·’āḵ·lāh) Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_402.htm">Strong's 402: </a> Food, eating <div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/exodus/16-15.htm">Exodus 16:15 NIV</a> <a href="/nlt/exodus/16-15.htm">Exodus 16:15 NLT</a> <a href="/esv/exodus/16-15.htm">Exodus 16:15 ESV</a> <a href="/nasb/exodus/16-15.htm">Exodus 16:15 NASB</a> <a href="/kjv/exodus/16-15.htm">Exodus 16:15 KJV</a> <a href="//bibleapps.com/exodus/16-15.htm">Exodus 16:15 BibleApps.com</a> <a href="//bibliaparalela.com/exodus/16-15.htm">Exodus 16:15 Biblia Paralela</a> <a href="//holybible.com.cn/exodus/16-15.htm">Exodus 16:15 Chinese Bible</a> <a href="//saintebible.com/exodus/16-15.htm">Exodus 16:15 French Bible</a> <a href="/catholic/exodus/16-15.htm">Exodus 16:15 Catholic Bible</a> <a href="/exodus/16-15.htm">OT Law: Exodus 16:15 When the children of Israel saw it (Exo. Ex) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/exodus/16-14.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Exodus 16:14"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Exodus 16:14" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/exodus/16-16.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Exodus 16:16"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Exodus 16:16" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>