And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.

NUMBERS 11:8KJV
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Numbers 11:8 (KJV)

What does Numbers 11:8 mean?

Numbers 11:8 describes how the Israelites gathered manna, prepared it in different ways—grinding, pounding, baking, and making cakes—and found that it tasted like fresh oil. The verse gives a practical picture of daily life for the people as they relied on manna for food during their time in the wilderness.

In this part of the story, Moses is recounting how the people handled the manna that God provided. The verse shows that the manna was versatile and could be prepared in several ways, much like a staple food. The detail about its taste being like fresh oil suggests it was pleasant and nourishing, countering any idea that it was bland or unappetizing.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 11:8

  • The word for "cakes" is עֻגָּה (uggah), which refers to a round, flat cake. This shows that the manna could be made into a familiar, simple bread, making it more relatable as an everyday food.
  • The phrase "taste of fresh oil" uses the words טַעַם (ta‛am, "taste") and לָשֶׁמֶן (lashemen, "oil"), with "fresh" being רָקִיק (raqiq). The comparison to fresh oil suggests a rich, smooth flavor, not something dry or flavorless.

Why Numbers 11:8 matters

  • This verse clears up the idea that manna was monotonous or unappealing; it was actually adaptable and tasted good, which counters the complaints found elsewhere in the chapter.
  • The details about the different preparation methods highlight the resourcefulness of the Israelites and the sufficiency of God's provision.
  • By describing the taste and preparation, the verse connects to the broader theme of dependence on God and the practical realities of daily life in the wilderness.

Where else these words appear

“fresh” Hebrew H3955 · used in 2 verses

  • Psalms 32:4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

“pans” Hebrew H6517 · used in 3 verses

  • Judges 6:19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.
  • 1 Samuel 2:14 And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.

“mills” Hebrew H7347 · used in 5 verses

  • Exodus 11:5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.
  • Deuteronomy 24:6 No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh a man's life to pledge.
  • Isaiah 47:2 Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.

“cakes” Hebrew H5692 · used in 7 verses

  • Genesis 18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
  • 1 Kings 17:13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
  • Ezekiel 4:12 And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight.