And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium.
NUMBERS 11:7KJVWhat does Numbers 11:7 mean?
Numbers 11:7 describes the manna that God provided for the Israelites in the wilderness, saying it was like coriander seed and its color was like bdellium. This verse gives a physical description of manna, helping readers picture what the Israelites saw each day.
In this part of the story, Moses is recounting how God fed the people during their journey from Egypt. The verse focuses on the appearance of manna, comparing it to known substances—coriander seed (a small, round spice) and bdellium (a resin or gemstone with a pale, whitish color). This detail helps set the scene for the complaints and miracles described in the surrounding verses.
The Hebrew behind Numbers 11:7
- מָן (mān, "manna"): This is the special food God provided, unique to the Israelites’ wilderness experience. The word itself carries the sense of something mysterious or unexpected.
- גַּד (gad, "coriander"): Coriander seed is small and round, so this comparison gives a sense of manna’s size and shape.
- עֵין (ʿayin, "colour"): This word literally means "eye," but here it refers to the appearance or color of the manna, emphasizing what it looked like to the people.
- בְּדֹלַח (bedolach, "bdellium"): Bdellium is often understood as a pale, whitish resin or possibly a gemstone, so the manna’s color was light and possibly translucent, not dark or golden.
Why Numbers 11:7 matters
- Numbers 11:7 helps clear up the physical nature of manna, showing it was not just a vague miracle but something tangible and describable.
- The verse connects the Israelites’ experience to familiar objects, making the story more relatable and concrete for later readers.
- By describing manna in detail, the verse sets up the contrast between God’s provision and the people’s later complaints, highlighting themes of gratitude and memory in the wider passage.