Meaning of "Like Bread" in Numbers 11
Numbers 11:7-8 describes the manna provided to the Israelites in the wilderness, stating, "Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. The people went about and gathered it and ground it in mills or beat it in mortars, and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it; and the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil" (ESV). The phrase "like bread" in Numbers 11 refers to the manna's function as a staple food, even though its physical form and preparation differed from conventional bread [9].
The broader context of Numbers 11 details the Israelites' complaints about their diet in the wilderness. They longed for the fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic they had in Egypt, expressing weariness with the manna [9]. This discontent led to God's judgment and the provision of quail, but the description of manna itself emphasizes its unique qualities.
The Hebrew word for bread, lechem, can refer to food in general, not exclusively to items made from wheat or barley [8, 9]. For instance, Job 28:5 states, "As for the earth, out of it cometh bread," which Ramban interprets as meaning "out of it cometh the wheat from which bread is made" [9]. Similarly, the manna, though not initially in the form of baked bread, was processed by the Israelites into cakes, thus serving the purpose of bread [9]. They ground it, beat it, boiled it, and made cakes from it, indicating its versatility as a food source [9].
The comparison of manna to "bread" highlights its role as a primary sustenance. In biblical usage, "bread" often symbolizes essential provisions for both body and soul [5]. For example, the Lord's Prayer includes the petition, "Give us this day bread for our needs" [3]. The showbread in the tabernacle, consisting of twelve unleavened loaves, symbolized God's never-failing provision for His people [6]. This "presence bread" was constantly displayed before the Lord [6].
The use of "like" (Hebrew: ke) in descriptions such as "like coriander seed" and "like bread" indicates a simile, drawing a comparison between two distinct things [1, 2, 4, 7]. The manna was not literally bread in its raw form, but it functioned like bread after preparation. This is similar to other biblical similes, such as "a word at the right time is like apples of gold" [1] or "poverty will come upon you like a robber" [4].
The preparation of manna into cakes suggests a form of unleavened bread, which was significant in Israelite tradition. Unleavened bread was required for the Passover, commemorating Israel's hasty departure from Egypt and their bondage [10]. While common bread in biblical times was often leavened, similar to sourdough, unleavened bread was distinct [10]. The manna, being a miraculous provision, did not require yeast or leaven for its preparation into cakes.
The description of manna as "like bread" therefore underscores its fundamental role in sustaining the Israelites during their wilderness journey, emphasizing its divine origin and its capacity to be transformed into a staple food, much like conventional bread.
Sources
- Proverbs “Proverbs 25:11 (BBE) — A word at the right time is like apples of gold in a network of silver.”
- Luke “Luke 8:11 (YLT) — `And this is the simile: The seed is the word of God,”
- Matthew “Matthew 6:11 (BBE) — Give us this day bread for our needs.”
- Proverbs “Proverbs 6:11 (BSB) — and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.”
- Ecclesiastes (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ecclesiastes 11 (introduction): (Ecc 11:1-10) Ecc 11:2 shows that charity is here inculcated. bread--bread corn. As in the Lord's prayer, all things needful for the body and soul. Solomon reverts to the sentiment (Ecc 9:10). waters--image from the custom of sowing seed by casting it from boats into the overflowing waters of the Nile, or in any marshy ground. When the waters receded, the grain in the alluvial soil sprang up (Isa 32:20). "Waters" express multitudes, so Ecc 11:2; Rev 17:15; also the seemingly hopeless character of the recipients of the charity; ”
- Exodus (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Exodus 25:30: showbread--literally, presence bread, so called because it was constantly exhibited before the Lord, or because the bread of His presence, like the angel of His presence, pointed symbolically to Christ. It consisted of twelve unleavened loaves, said traditionally to have been laid in piles of six each. This bread was designed to be a symbol of the full and never-failing provision which is made in the Church for the spiritual sustenance and refreshment of God's people.”
- Luke (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Luke 13:18: The kingdom - is like a grain of mustard seed - See on Mat 13:31 (note).”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:23: AND BREAD. That is to be taken literally. 17 Lechem (bread) can mean food, hence I.E.’s comment.”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Kabbalistic/Philosophical)) “Ramban (Nachmanides) on Exodus 16:4: BREAD. Because they made bread out of the manna — as it is written, and they made cakes of it 300 Numbers 11:8. — [Scripture calls it lechem (bread)], for every form of bread is called lechem , not just those of wheat and barley. It says cause to rain bread [although it did not come down in the form of bread, for the meaning thereof is] that He is causing it to come down for them to make it into bread. Similarly: As for the earth, out of it cometh bread , 301 Job 28:5. [meaning: “out of it cometh the wheat from which bread is made”]. So also: To bring forth”
- Leviticus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Leviticus 2:11: 2:11 yeast: The bread commonly eaten in biblical times was comparable to modern sourdough. The substance that is often called “leaven” consisted of wild yeast spores mixed into moist dough or a flour mixture. The yeast would grow and cause the dough to ferment, souring and raising it. A reserved portion of the sour dough would be kneaded into subsequent batches (Matt 13:33). Unleavened bread was required for the Passover (Exod 12:8), in remembrance of Israel’s bondage in Egypt (Deut 16:3) and their speedy departure from that land (Exod 12:34; 13:3). Following t”