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.

EXODUS 16:15KJV
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Exodus 16:15 (KJV)

What does Exodus 16:15 mean?

Exodus 16:15 describes how the Israelites reacted with confusion when they first saw the mysterious food God provided in the wilderness, calling it "manna" because they did not know what it was. Moses explained to them that this was the bread that the LORD had given them to eat.

In this verse, the children of Israel are in the desert after leaving Egypt and are hungry. When they see something unfamiliar on the ground, they ask each other about it, using the word "manna," which comes from their question, "What is it?" Moses tells them that this strange food is actually a gift from God, meant to feed them during their journey.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 16:15

  • מָן (man, "manna"): This word sounds like the Hebrew for "What is it?" and highlights the Israelites' confusion and wonder at the unfamiliar food. The name "manna" itself comes from their question.
  • לֶחֶם (lechem, "bread"): The word used for "bread" here refers broadly to food that sustains life, not just baked bread. Moses is telling the people that this is their daily provision from God, even if it looks different from what they expect.
  • יְהוָה (YHWH, "the LORD"): This is the personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible, emphasizing that the food comes directly from God, not from any natural source.

Why Exodus 16:15 matters

  • This verse clears up the common misunderstanding that "manna" was a familiar food; in fact, the Israelites had never seen it before and did not recognize it at all.
  • The verse emphasizes that God's provision can come in unexpected forms, challenging the people's expectations and teaching them to trust.
  • It connects to the wider story of Exodus by showing God's ongoing care for the Israelites after their escape from Egypt, providing for their needs in a miraculous way.

Where else these words appear

“manna” Hebrew H4478 · used in 12 verses

  • Exodus 16:31 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.
  • Numbers 11:6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.
  • Deuteronomy 8:16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;

“eat” Hebrew H402 · used in 18 verses

  • Genesis 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
  • Leviticus 25:6 And the sabbath of the land shall be meat for you; for thee, and for thy servant, and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant, and for thy stranger that sojourneth with thee,
  • Ezekiel 29:5 And I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers: thou shalt fall upon the open fields; thou shalt not be brought together, nor gathered: I have given thee for meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven.