Numbers Chapter 11 verse 7 Holy Bible

ASV Numbers 11:7

And the manna was like coriander seed, and the appearance thereof as the appearance of bdellium.
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BBE Numbers 11:7

Now the manna was like a seed of grain, like small clear drops.
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DARBY Numbers 11:7

And the manna was as coriander seed, and its appearance as the appearance of bdellium.
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KJV Numbers 11:7

And the manna was as coriander seed, and the color thereof as the color of bdellium.
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WBT Numbers 11:7

And the manna was as coriander-seed, and the color of it as the color of bdellium.
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WEB Numbers 11:7

The manna was like coriander seed, and the appearance of it as the appearance of bdellium.
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YLT Numbers 11:7

And the manna is as coriander seed, and its aspect as the aspect of bdolach;
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Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 7. - The manna was as coriander seed. On the name and the nature of the manna see Exodus 16:31. It is commonly supposed that the brief description here inserted was intended to show the unreasonableness of the popular complaints. There is no trace whatever of any such purpose. So far as the description conveys fresh information, it was simply suggested by the occurrence of the word "manna," according to the artless style of the narrative. If any moral purpose must be assigned to this digression, it would rather be to suggest that the people had some real temptation to complain. It is often forgotten that, although the manna was supernatural, at least as to the amount and regularity of its supply, yet as an article of food it contained no supernatural elements. If we had to live upon nothing but cakes flavored with honey or with olive oil, it is certain that we should soon find them pall upon our appetite. To the eye of the Psalmist the manna appeared as angels' food (Psalm 78:25); but then the Psalmist had not lived on manna every day for a year. We have to remember, in this as in many other cases, that the Israelites would not be "our ensamples" (τύποι ἡμῶν, 1 Corinthians 10:6) if they had not succumbed to real temptations. As the colour of bdellium. See on Genesis 2:12. As no one knows anything at all about bdellium, this adds nothing to our knowledge of the manna. The Septuagint has here εῖδος κρυστάλλου, "the appearance of ice," or perhaps "of hoar-frost." As it translates bdellium in Genesis 2:12 by ἄνθραξ (carbuncle), it is probable that the comparison to ice here is due to some tradition about the manna. Taking this passage in connection with Exodus 16:31, we may reasonably conjecture that it was of an opalescent white, the same colour probably which is mentioned in connection with manna in Revelation 2:17.

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(7) And the manna was . . . --The design of the description of the manna in this place (comp. Exodus 16:14; Exodus 16:31, and Notes in loc.; also Article Manna, in "Smith's Dictionary of the Bible") was probably to exhibit in its just light the sinfulness of the Israelites in repining at the merciful provision which God had made for the supply of their wants. The dissatisfaction of the Israelites with the sweet bread of heaven, and their craving after the more savoury and more stimulating food of Egypt may be regarded as typical of man's natural repugnance to the spiritual food which is provided in the Gospel, and his restless cravings after the pleasures of the world.