Deuteronomy 8:3

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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.

Complete Jewish Bible:

He humbled you, allowing you to become hungry, and then fed you with man, which neither you nor your ancestors had ever known, to make you understand that a person does not live on food alone but on everything that comes from the mouth of ADONAI.

Berean Standard Bible:

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.

American Standard Version:

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 everything that proceedeth out of the mouth of Jehovah doth man live.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And he humbled^{H6031} thee, and suffered thee to hunger^{H7456}, and fed^{H398} thee with manna^{H4478}, which thou knewest^{H3045} not, neither did thy fathers^{H1} know^{H3045}; that he might make thee know^{H3045} that man^{H120} doth not live^{H2421} by bread^{H3899} only^{H905}, but by every word that proceedeth^{H4161} out of the mouth^{H6310} of the LORD^{H3068} doth man^{H120} live^{H2421}.

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Commentary for Deuteronomy 8:3

Deuteronomy 8:3 is part of Moses' second discourse to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. This verse encapsulates several key themes and reflects the historical context of the Israelites' journey from slavery in Egypt to the cusp of their new homeland.

**Themes:**

1. **Humility and Dependence on God:** The verse speaks to the importance of recognizing one's dependence on God. The Israelites were humbled and allowed to experience hunger, which taught them to rely on God for their sustenance and survival.

2. **Divine Providence:** The manna, a miraculous food that sustained the Israelites in the wilderness, symbolizes God's direct intervention and provision for His people. It was something neither the current generation nor their ancestors had known, highlighting the unique and miraculous nature of God's care.

3. **Spiritual Nourishment:** The central theme of the verse is that human life is sustained not just by physical food (bread), but also by adherence to God's word and teachings. This underscores the importance of spiritual sustenance and obedience to God's commandments.

4. **Testing and Teaching:** The experience of hunger and the provision of manna served as both a test of the Israelites' faith and an educational tool to teach them about God's faithfulness and the necessity of trusting in His promises.

**Historical Context:**

The book of Deuteronomy is set during the final days of Moses' leadership, as the Israelites are encamped on the plains of Moab, ready to cross the Jordan River into Canaan. The book is presented as a series of speeches by Moses, recounting the law and the history of the Israelites' journey, and exhorting them to remain faithful to God as they enter and inhabit the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy 8:3 specifically harks back to the time in the wilderness when the Israelites were entirely dependent on God for their daily needs. The manna, as a daily bread from heaven, served as a tangible reminder of God's ongoing care and the need for the Israelites to follow His guidance and instructions, which were essential for their spiritual and physical well-being.

In summary, Deuteronomy 8:3 emphasizes the need for humility, trust in God's provision, and adherence to His word, teaching the Israelites—and by extension, future generations—that life is not solely about physical sustenance but about living in obedience to God's will as revealed through His word.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H6031
   There are 80 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עָנָה
   Transliteration: ʻânâh
   Pronunciation: aw-naw'
   Description: a primitive root (possibly rather identical with עָנָה through the idea of looking down or browbeating); to depress literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (in various applications, as follows); abase self, afflict(-ion, self), answer (by mistake for עָנָה), chasten self, deal hardly with, defile, exercise, force, gentleness, humble (self), hurt, ravish, sing (by mistake for עָנָה), speak (by mistake for עָנָה), submit self, weaken, [idiom] in any wise.
   
2. Strong's Number: H7456
   There are 11 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רָעֵב
   Transliteration: râʻêb
   Pronunciation: raw-abe'
   Description: a primitive root; to hunger; (suffer to) famish, (be, have, suffer, suffer to) hunger(-ry).
   
3. Strong's Number: H398
   There are 825 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָכַל
   Transliteration: ʼâkal
   Pronunciation: aw-kal'
   Description: a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively); [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite.
   
4. Strong's Number: H4478
   There are 12 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מָן
   Transliteration: mân
   Pronunciation: mawn
   Description: from מָה; literally a whatness (so to speak), i.e. manna (so called from the question about it); manna.
   
5. Strong's Number: H3045
   There are 873 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָדַע
   Transliteration: yâdaʻ
   Pronunciation: yaw-dah'
   Description: a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.); acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, [phrase] be learned, [phrase] lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, [idiom] prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), [idiom] will be, wist, wit, wot.
   
6. Strong's Number: H1
   There are 15773 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָב
   Transliteration: ʼâb
   Pronunciation: awb
   Description: a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application; chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.
   
7. Strong's Number: H120
   There are 581 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָדָם
   Transliteration: ʼâdâm
   Pronunciation: aw-dawm'
   Description: from אָדַם; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.); [idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person.
   
8. Strong's Number: H2421
   There are 235 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חָיָה
   Transliteration: châyâh
   Pronunciation: khaw-yaw'
   Description: a primitive root (compare חָוָה, חָיָה); to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive; keep (leave, make) alive, [idiom] certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, ([idiom] God) save (alive, life, lives), [idiom] surely, be whole.
   
9. Strong's Number: H3899
   There are 277 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: לֶחֶם
   Transliteration: lechem
   Pronunciation: lekh'-em
   Description: from לָחַם; See also בֵּית לְעַפְרָה; food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it); (shew-) bread, [idiom] eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals.
   
10. Strong's Number: H905
    There are 50 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בַּד
    Transliteration: bad
    Pronunciation: bad
    Description: from בָּדַד; properly, separation; by implication, a part of the body, branch of atree, bar forcarrying; figuratively, chief of a city; especially (with prepositional prefix) as an adverb, apart, only, besides; alone, apart, bar, besides, branch, by self, of each alike, except, only, part, staff, strength.
    
11. Strong's Number: H4161
    There are 26 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: מוֹצָא
    Transliteration: môwtsâʼ
    Pronunciation: mo-tsaw'
    Description: or מֹצָאxlit môtsâ corrected to môtsâʼ; from יָצָא; a going forth, i.e. (the act) an egress, or (the place) an exit; hence, a source or product; specifically, dawn, the rising of the sun (the East), exportation, utterance, a gate, a fountain, a mine, a meadow (as producing grass); brought out, bud, that which came out, east, going forth, goings out, that which (thing that) is gone out, outgoing, proceeded out, spring, vein, (water-) course (springs).
    
12. Strong's Number: H6310
    There are 460 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: פֶּה
    Transliteration: peh
    Pronunciation: peh
    Description: from פָּאָה; the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according to; accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, tenor, [idiom] to, [phrase] two-edged, wish, word.
    
13. Strong's Number: H3068
    There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יְהֹוָה
    Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
    Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
    Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.