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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Numbers 11:4–15. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
These verses represent things sadly unhinged and out of order in Israel, both the people and the prince uneasy.
I.Here is the people fretting, and speaking against God himself (as it is interpreted, Psa 78:19), notwithstanding his glorious appearances both to them and for them. Observe,
1.Who were the criminals.
(1.)The mixed multitude began, they fell a lusting, Num 11:4. The rabble that came with them out of Egypt, expecting only the land of promise, but not a state of probation in the way to it. They were hangers on, who took hold of the skirts of the Jews, and would go with them only because they knew not how to live at home, and were disposed to seek their fortunes (as we say) abroad. These were the scabbed sheep that infected the flock, the leaven that leavened the whole lump. Note, A few factious, discontented, ill-natured people, may do a great deal of mischief in the best societies, if great care be not taken to discountenance them. Such as these are an untoward generation, from which it is our wisdom to save ourselves, Act 2:40.
(2.)Even the children of Israel took the infection, as we are informed, Num 11:4. The holy seed joined themselves to the people of these abominations. The mixed multitude here spoken of were not numbered with the children of Israel, but were set aside as a people God made no account of; and yet the children of Israel, forgetting their own character and distinction, herded themselves with them and learned their way, as if the scum and outcasts of the camp were to be the privy-counsellors of it. The children of Israel, a people near to God and highly privileged, yet drawn into rebellion against him! O how little honour has God in the world, when even the people which he formed for himself, to show forth his praise, were so much a dishonour to him! Therefore let none think that their external professions and privileges will be their security either against Satan's temptations to sin or God's judgments for sin. See Co1 10:1, Co1 10:2, Co1 10:12.
2.What was the crime: they lusted and murmured. Though they had been lately corrected for this sin, and many of them overthrown for it, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and the smell of the fire was still in their nostrils, yet they returned to it. See Pro 27:22.
(1.)They magnified the plenty and dainties they had had in Egypt (Num 11:5), as if God had done them a great deal of wrong in taking them thence. While they were in Egypt they sighed by reason of their burdens, for their lives were made bitter to them with hard bondage; and yet now they talk of Egypt as if they had all lived like princes there, when this serves as a colour for their present discontent. But with what face can they talk of eating fish in Egypt freely, or for nought, as if it cost them nothing, when they paid so dearly for it with their hard service? They remember the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick (precious stuff indeed to be fond of!), but they do not remember the brick-kilns and the task-masters, the voice of the oppressor and the smart of the whip. No, these are forgotten by these ungrateful people.
(2.)They were sick of the good provision God had made for them, Num 11:6. It was bread from heaven, angels' food. To show how unreasonable their complaint was, it is here described, Num 11:7-9. It was good for food, and pleasant to the eye, every grain like an orient pearl; it was wholesome food and nourishing; it was not to be called dry bread, for it tasted like fresh oil; it was agreeable (the Jews say, Wisd. 16:20) to every man's palate, and tasted as he would have it; and, though it was still the same, yet, by the different ways of dressing it, it yielded them a grateful variety; it cost them no money, nor care, for it fell in the night, while they slept; and the labour of gathering it was not worth speaking of; they lived upon free quarter, and yet could talk of Egypt's cheapness and the fish they ate there freely. Nay, which was much more valuable than all this, the manna came from the immediate power and bounty of God, not from common providence, but from special favour. It was, as God's compassion, new every morning, always fresh, not as their food who live on shipboard. While they lived on manna, they seemed to be exempted from the curse which sin has brought on man, that in the sweat of his face should he eat bread. And yet they speak of manna with such scorn, as if it were not good enough to be meat for swine: Our soul is dried away. They speak as if God dealt hardly with them in allowing them no better food. At first they admired it (Exo 16:15): What is this? "What a curious precious thing is this!" But now they despised it. Note, Peevish discontented minds will find fault with that which has no fault in it but that it is too good for them. It is very provoking to God to undervalue his favours, and to put a but upon our common mercies. Nothing but manna! Those that might be very happy often make themselves very miserable by their discontents.
(3.)They could not be satisfied unless they had flesh to eat. They brought flocks and herds with them in great abundance out of Egypt; but either they were covetous, and could not find in their hearts to kill them, lest they should lessen their flocks (they must have flesh as cheap as they had bread, or they would not be pleased), or else they were curious, beef and mutton would not please them; they must have something more nice and delicate, like the fish they did eat in Egypt. Food would not serve; they must be feasted. They had feasted with God upon the peace-offerings which they had their share of; but it seems God did not keep a table good enough for them, they must have daintier bits than any that came to his altar. Note, It is an evidence of the dominion of the carnal mind when we are solicitous to have all the delights and satisfactions of sense wound up to the height of pleasurableness. Be not desirous of dainties, Pro 23:1-3. If God gives us food convenient, we ought to be thankful, though we do not eat the fat and drink the sweet.
(4.)They distrusted the power and goodness of God as insufficient for their supply: Who will give us flesh to eat? taking it for granted that God could not. Thus this question is commented upon, Psa 78:19, Psa 78:20, Can he provide flesh also? though he had given them flesh with their bread once, when he saw fit (Exo 16:13), and they might have expected that he would do it again, and in mercy, if, instead of murmuring, they had prayed. Note, It is an offence to God to let our desires go beyond our faith.
(5.)They were eager and importunate in their desires; they lusted a lust, so the word is, lusted greatly and greedily, till they wept again for vexation. So childish were the children of Israel, and so humoursome, that they cried because they had not what they would have and when they would have it. They did not offer up this desire to God, but would rather be beholden to any one else than to him. We should not indulge ourselves in any desire which we cannot in faith turn into prayer, as we cannot when we ask meat for our lust, Psa 78:18. For this sin the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly against them, which is written for our admonition, that we should not lust after evil things as they lusted, Co1 10:6.
(6.)Flesh is good food, and may lawfully be eaten; yet they are said to lust after evil things. What is lawful of itself becomes evil to us when it is what God does not allot to us and yet we eagerly desire it.
II.Moses himself, though so meek and good a man, is uneasy upon this occasion: Moses also was displeased. Now,
1.It must be confessed that the provocation was very great. These murmurings of theirs reflected great dishonour upon God, and Moses laid to heart the reproaches cast on himself; they knew that he did his utmost for their good, and that he neither did nor could do any thing without a divine appointment; and yet to be thus continually teased and clamoured against by an unreasonable ungrateful people would break in upon the temper even of Moses himself. God considered this, and therefore we do not find that he chided him for his uneasiness.
2.Yet Moses expressed himself otherwise than became him upon this provocation, and came short of his duty both to God and Israel in these expostulations.
(1.)He undervalues the honour God had put upon him, in making him the illustrious minister of his power and grace, in the deliverance and guidance of that peculiar people, which might have been sufficient to balance the burden.
(2.)He complains too much of a sensible grievance, and lays too near his heart a little noise and fatigue. If he could not bear the toil of government, which was but running with the footman, how would he bear the terrors of war, which was contending with horses? He might easily have furnished himself with considerations enough to enable him to slight their clamours, and make nothing of them.
(3.)He magnifies his own performances, that all the burden of the people lay upon him; whereas God himself did in effect ease him of all the burden. Moses needed not to be in care to provide quarters for them, or victuals; God did all. And, if any difficult case happened, he needed not to be in any perplexity, while he had the oracle to consult, and in it the divine wisdom to direct him, the divine authority to back him and bear him out, and almighty power itself to dispense rewards and punishments.
(4.)He is not so sensible as he ought to be of the obligation he lay under, by virtue of the divine commission and command, to do the utmost he could for his people, when he suggests that because they were not the children of his body therefore he was not concerned to take a fatherly care of them, though God himself, who might employ him as he pleased, had appointed him to be a father to them.
(5.)He takes too much to himself when he asks, Whence should I have flesh to give them (Num 11:13), as if he were the housekeeper, and not God. Moses gave them not the bread, Joh 6:32. Nor was it expected that he should give them the flesh, but as an instrument in God's hand; and if he meant, "Whence should God have it for them?" he too much limited the power of the Holy One of Israel.
(6.)He speaks distrustfully of the divine grace when he despairs of being able to bear all this people, Num 11:14. Had the work been much less, he could not have gone through it in his own strength; but had it been much greater, through God strengthening him, he might have done it.
(7.)It was worst of all passionately to wish for death, and desire to be killed out of hand, because just at this time his life was made a little uneasy to him, Num 11:15. Is this Moses? Is this the meekest of all the men on the earth? The best have their infirmities, and fail sometimes in the exercise of that grace for which they are most eminent. But God graciously overlooked Moses's passion at this time, and therefore we must not be severe in our animadversions upon it, but pray, Lord, lead us not into temptation.
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Summary
Numbers 11:8 offers a vivid snapshot of the Israelite community's daily interaction with the miraculous manna provided by God in the wilderness. This verse meticulously details the various methods employed by the people to gather, process, and prepare this unique sustenance, highlighting its remarkable versatility and desirable taste, which is explicitly compared to "fresh oil." This description serves as a profound testament to God's consistent, thoughtful, and even delightful provision, even as it subtly underscores the burgeoning discontent and ingratitude of a people who would soon yearn for a different diet.
Context
Literary Context
Numbers 11:8 is strategically placed within a critical narrative segment of the book of Numbers, marking the Israelites' first significant outcry of complaint and rebellion following their departure from Mount Sinai. The preceding verse, Numbers 11:7, sets the stage by describing the manna's physical appearance, likening it to coriander seed and bdellium. Our verse then expands on this by detailing the practical steps of its preparation, emphasizing its adaptability as a staple food. This detailed account of the manna's goodness immediately precedes the narrative's escalation, where the people's lament for meat and the diverse diet of Egypt intensifies, leading to Moses's profound despair and God's subsequent, yet severe, provision of quail alongside a devastating plague (Numbers 11:18-34). Thus, Numbers 11:8 functions as a poignant literary device, showcasing the divine provision's inherent goodness and sufficiency just before the full force of Israel's ingratitude and spiritual rebellion is unleashed, creating a stark and tragic contrast.
Historical & Cultural Context
The forty-year wilderness journey was a period designed by God to cultivate absolute dependence upon Him for the newly liberated Israelite nation. Manna served as their sole staple food, a supernatural provision in an otherwise desolate and barren environment. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the preparation of staple foods, particularly grains, was an arduous and time-consuming daily chore, typically involving the laborious process of grinding in handmills or pounding in mortars. The description of the Israelites employing these traditional methods for the manna indicates that while the food itself was miraculously provided, its consumption still required human effort, ingenuity, and discipline. The comparison of the manna's taste to "fresh oil" is profoundly significant culturally; oil, especially high-quality olive oil, was an exceptionally valued commodity, used not only for food but also for anointing, fuel, and medicinal purposes. Its association with richness, purity, and pleasantness would have immediately conveyed a sense of premium quality and desirability to the ancient reader, directly countering any notion of the manna being bland or monotonous.
Key Themes
This verse significantly contributes to several overarching theological themes woven throughout the Pentateuch and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it powerfully illustrates God's Daily Provision and Unwavering Faithfulness. Despite the harsh realities of the wilderness, God consistently sustained His vast multitude, demonstrating His unwavering covenant loyalty by meeting their most fundamental need day by day. This theme resonates deeply with Jesus' teaching on daily bread in the Lord's Prayer. Secondly, it highlights the Sufficiency and Adaptability of God's Gifts. The manna was not merely edible but remarkably versatile, capable of being processed into various forms and possessing a genuinely pleasant taste. This detail underscores God's desire to provide not just for survival, but to offer sustenance that brings a measure of enjoyment and satisfaction. Thirdly, and perhaps most critically, it subtly yet powerfully underscores the Contrast Between Divine Goodness and Human Discontent. The meticulous description of the manna's quality, versatility, and preparation methods serves as an implicit, yet piercing, rebuke to the Israelites' subsequent grumbling. It reveals that their dissatisfaction stemmed not from the inadequacy of God's provision, but from a deeper spiritual malaise, a forgetfulness of God's goodness, and a nostalgic longing for the perceived comforts of their past bondage in Egypt (Numbers 11:4-6).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Derived from a primitive root meaning "to boil up," this word extends to the process of cooking, including baking, boiling, or roasting. In the context of manna, its use here signifies that the miraculous substance was amenable to conventional cooking methods, transforming it into a more palatable and familiar form, such as cakes. This highlights the manna's versatility and its integration into the Israelites' daily culinary practices, demonstrating God's provision was not alien but could be made familiar.
This term refers to the sensory quality perceived by the tongue, the flavor itself, but can also extend to discernment or judgment. In Numbers 11:8, it specifically denotes the pleasant sensory experience of consuming the manna. The emphasis on its "taste" suggests it was not merely a bland survival food but was palatable and enjoyable, directly countering the later complaints of the people that their "soul is dried away" from lack of variety. The use of ṭaʿam here elevates the manna beyond mere sustenance to something that engaged the senses positively.
This word denotes grease or oil, predominantly olive oil in the biblical context. It was a highly valued commodity in the ancient world, prized for its rich flavor, nutritional value, and versatile uses (food, anointing, fuel). The comparison of the manna's taste to "fresh oil" therefore imbues it with connotations of richness, nourishment, and desirability, suggesting a pleasant, perhaps even luxurious, flavor profile that was far from monotonous or unappealing. This emphasizes the quality of God's provision.
Verse Breakdown
"And the people went about, and gathered [it]"
This initial clause underscores the active, daily participation required of the Israelites. Despite the miraculous appearance of the manna, it did not simply appear in their tents; it necessitated effort to collect. The phrase "went about" suggests a widespread, communal activity across the vast encampment, indicating the sheer volume of manna provided daily for millions, and fostering a sense of discipline and daily dependence on God.
"and ground [it] in mills, or beat [it] in a mortar"
This detail illustrates the two primary, laborious methods of processing grains in the ancient world. Grinding in mills (typically hand-operated querns) was a common, often female-dominated, daily task. Beating in a mortar suggests a pounding action, perhaps for a finer consistency or for smaller quantities. These actions highlight the manna's solid, grain-like consistency, making it amenable to traditional food preparation techniques, further demonstrating its practical utility as a versatile staple food.
"and baked [it] in pans, and made cakes of it"
These actions describe the final stages of preparation, transforming the processed manna into an edible form. Baking in "pans" (likely flat griddles or baking surfaces) suggests a quick cooking method, producing something akin to flatbreads or wafers. The phrase "made cakes of it" indicates that the manna could be formed and shaped, implying a dough-like consistency once processed, allowing for diverse culinary applications beyond simply eating it raw.
"and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil"
This climactic clause provides a sensory description of the manna's palatability. The Simile "as the taste of fresh oil" is crucial, likening its flavor to a highly valued, rich, and pleasant substance. This comparison elevates the manna beyond mere sustenance, suggesting it was not only nourishing but also genuinely enjoyable, directly contrasting the later complaints of the Israelites who found it monotonous. The "fresh" aspect implies purity, newness, and a delicate, desirable flavor.
Literary Devices
The primary literary device employed in Numbers 11:8 is Simile. The phrase "and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil" directly compares the manna's flavor to a known, highly esteemed substance using the comparative particle "as." This simile serves to convey the manna's desirable qualities—its richness, pleasantness, and nourishing properties—in a way that resonated deeply with the ancient audience's understanding of valuable commodities. Furthermore, there is a powerful implicit Contrast at play within the broader narrative of Numbers 11. This verse, describing the goodness, versatility, and pleasant taste of the manna, stands in stark contrast to the Israelites' subsequent grumbling and longing for the "fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic" of Egypt. This juxtaposition powerfully highlights the people's ingratitude and spiritual blindness, despite God's miraculous and palatable provision. The detailed description of the various processing methods (grinding, beating, baking) also employs a form of Enumeration or Detailed Description, emphasizing the physical reality, adaptability, and tangible nature of the manna, making God's daily provision concrete and relatable.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Numbers 11:8, though a brief descriptive verse, carries profound theological weight, serving as a powerful testament to God's meticulous care and comprehensive provision for His people. It underscores that divine provision is not merely about bare survival, but about sustenance that is also good, pleasant, and abundantly sufficient. The laborious process of gathering and preparing the manna, despite its miraculous origin, served as a daily lesson for Israel in dependence and the value of work, reminding them that God's blessings often require human participation and stewardship. This verse implicitly challenges the human tendency to take God's consistent goodness for granted, highlighting the stark contrast between the divine gift and the human propensity for discontent and ingratitude. It points to a God who provides comprehensively, meeting both physical needs and, in the manna's pleasant taste, offering a measure of delight and enjoyment, even in the harshness of the wilderness, foreshadowing His desire to bless His people richly.
Reflection and Application
Numbers 11:8 offers a profound and timeless lesson in appreciating God's faithful and often miraculous provision, even when it appears consistent, monotonous, or doesn't perfectly align with our fluctuating desires. Just as the Israelites were sustained by the versatile and palatable manna, we are called to cultivate a spirit of recognition and deep gratitude for the daily blessings God bestows upon us, whether they are tangible necessities, spiritual nourishment, or the simple joys of life. This verse challenges our inherent human tendency towards discontent and craving for what is new or different, urging us instead to find satisfaction, contentment, and even joy in what God has already graciously provided. It reminds us that true contentment stems not from the abundance or variety of our possessions, but from a heart that trusts implicitly in the Giver and appreciates His consistent goodness. We are also encouraged to be resourceful and diligent in utilizing the gifts and provisions God has given us, transforming them through our effort and ingenuity, much like the Israelites processed the manna, and to recognize the underlying goodness and thoughtfulness in even the simplest of divine provisions.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What was manna, and why was it so important?
Manna was a miraculous, bread-like substance supernaturally provided by God to the Israelites daily for forty years during their wilderness wanderings after the Exodus. It was their sole primary source of sustenance in an otherwise barren and inhospitable land, serving as a tangible, daily sign of God's faithfulness, covenant care, and omnipotent power. Its profound importance lay not only in its physical nourishment but also in its spiritual lesson, teaching the Israelites absolute dependence on God for their very survival, as powerfully articulated in Deuteronomy 8:3, which states that "man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD."
Why did the Israelites complain about manna if it tasted like "fresh oil"?
The Israelites' complaints, detailed extensively in Numbers 11, stemmed not from the manna's inherent quality or taste, but from a deeper spiritual discontent, a lack of faith, and a nostalgic longing for the varied diet they remembered from Egypt. While Numbers 11:8 explicitly describes the manna as having a pleasant taste, their later lament in Numbers 11:6 expresses weariness with its perceived monotony ("our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all besides this manna before our eyes"). This illustrates a profound spiritual truth: even excellent, divinely provided blessings can be met with dissatisfaction when hearts are not content, are focused on perceived lack, or are yearning for past comforts rather than trusting in God's present goodness.
What does "the taste of fresh oil" signify about the manna?
In ancient Near Eastern cultures, oil, especially fresh, pure oil (typically olive oil), was a highly valued and esteemed commodity, associated with richness, purity, health, and pleasantness. Comparing the manna's taste to "fresh oil" in Numbers 11:8 signifies that it was far from bland, tasteless, or unappealing. Instead, it possessed a desirable, rich, and perhaps even nourishing flavor profile. This vivid detail underscores the graciousness, thoughtfulness, and generosity of God's provision, indicating that He provided not just basic survival food for His people, but sustenance that was genuinely palatable, enjoyable, and even luxurious, even amidst the harsh and barren conditions of the wilderness.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The miraculous manna, meticulously described in Numbers 11:8 as versatile, adaptable, and tasting like "fresh oil," serves as a profound and multifaceted Old Testament type pointing directly to Jesus Christ, the ultimate and true "Bread of Life." While the manna physically sustained Israel in the wilderness, preventing their perishing, Jesus declares Himself to be the spiritual sustenance that grants eternal life. In John 6, following His miraculous feeding of the five thousand, Jesus draws a direct and powerful parallel, telling the crowds, "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died; this is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die" (John 6:49-50). He is the living bread, the one who satisfies the deepest hunger of the human soul, offering not temporary sustenance but eternal life. The manna's pleasant taste, likened to fresh oil, foreshadows the richness, spiritual delight, and abundant life found in Christ, whose words are "spirit and life" (John 6:63) and whose very presence brings life in its fullest measure (John 10:10). Unlike the manna, which required daily gathering and eventually ceased, Jesus provides an eternal, inexhaustible spiritual nourishment, offering complete satisfaction and everlasting life to all who believe in Him (John 6:35). He is the ultimate, perfect provision, infinitely superior to any earthly sustenance, perfectly fulfilling the shadow and promise of the manna.