Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 11:6
But now our soul [is] dried away: [there is] nothing at all, beside this manna, [before] our eyes.
6. this manna ] No account has been given in this chapter of the sending of the manna; and it is possible that the writer means to describe not a miraculous food from heaven but a natural phenomenon of the district. Different substances which have been suggested, such as a gum from the tamarisk or trf tree, oak honey, or an edible lichen, are described in art. ‘Manna’ in DB. and EBib. If the numbers of the people were really 600,000 ( Num 11:21), the only miraculous feature in the present case would be the enormous supply required for them. But their numbers were, in all probability, much smaller (see on Num 1:46). When the time of D was reached, the manna had come to be considered a mysterious unknown food (Deu 8:3; Deu 8:16), and the same idea is seen in P (Exodus 16), who relates ( Num 11:33 f.) that a pot containing one omer of it was laid up in front of the ark in the Holy of Holies (cf. Heb 9:4, Rev 2:17). The manna as a type of the spiritual ‘Bread that came down from heaven’ forms the subject of our Lord’s discourse to the Jews in Joh 6:30-35; Joh 6:41-58.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Our soul; either,
1. Our life, as the soul signifies, Gen 9:5; Psa 33:19; Job 36:14; or,
2. Our body, which is oft signified by the soul, as Psa 16:10; Psa 35:12; 105:18. So Lev 19:28; 21:1; Num 5:2.
Is dried away; is withered, and pines away; which possibly might be true through envy and discontent, and inordinate appetite, as 2Sa 13:4; Pro 14:30.
Before our eyes;
Heb. our eyes see or look to nothing but this manna. They speak as if the manna were only useful to please their eyes with its fine colour and shape, but not to satisfy their appetites, or sustain their natures.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6-9. But now . . . there is nothing. . . beside this mannaDaily familiarity had disgusted themwith the sight and taste of the monotonous food; and, ungrateful forthe heavenly gift, they longed for a change of fare. It may benoticed that the resemblance of the manna to coriander seed was notin the color, but in the size and figure; and from its comparison tobdellium, which is either a drop of white gum or a white pearl, weare enabled to form a better idea of it. Moreover, it is evident,from the process of baking into cakes, that it could not have beenthe natural manna of the Arabian desert, for that is too gummy orunctuous to admit of being ground into meal. In taste it is said tohave been like “wafers made with honey” (Ex16:31), and here to have the taste of fresh oil. The discrepancyin these statements is only apparent; for in the latter the manna isdescribed in its raw state; in the former, after it was ground andbaked. The minute description given here of its nature and use wasdesigned to show the great sinfulness of the people, in beingdissatisfied with such excellent food, furnished so plentifully andgratuitously.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But now our soul is dried away,…. Meaning their bodies, which, for want of flesh food, they pretended had no moisture in them, or they were half starved, and in wasting and consuming circumstances:
[there is] nothing at all besides this manna [before] our eyes; which in itself was a truth and matter of fact; they had nothing to look to, and live upon but the manna, and that was enough, and with which, no doubt, many of them were contented, and satisfied and thankful for it, though the greater part were not; and therefore this, though a truth, was foolishly and wickedly spoken, being said in disdain and contempt of the manna: so Christ, the heavenly manna, the antitype of this, of which [See comments on Ex 16:14];
[See comments on Ex 16:15];
[See comments on Ex 16:16];
[See comments on Ex 16:17];
[See comments on Ex 16:18]; is indeed the only food that is set before us in the Gospel to feed and live upon; nor is there anything at all besides him, nor do true believers in him desire any other, but pray that evermore this bread may be given them; but carnal men and carnal professors slight the Gospel feast, of which Christ is the sum and substance; and at least would have something besides him, something along with him, something of their own in justification for him, or to give them a right unto him, or to trust in along with him; they cannot bear to have nothing at all but Christ; or that he, and he alone, should be exalted, and be all in all, as he is justification and salvation, and in the Gospel provision, in which nothing is set before us but him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
6. But now our soul is dried away. They complain that they are almost wasted away with famine and hunger, whilst they are abundantly supplied with manna; in the same way as they had just been loudly declaring that they had lived in Egypt for a very little money; as if they were affected by a great dearth of provisions, when, by the pure liberality of God, a kind of food was provided for them, more easy to prepare than any other, and so actually prepared without trouble or cost. But such is the malignity and ingratitude of men, that they count all God’s bounty for nothing, whilst they are brooding over their own importunate lusts. Many in their gluttony consume, and bring to naught whatever God bestows upon them: others, in their avarice, dry up the fountain of His liberality, which else would be inexhaustible. But these, in the midst of their abundance, say that they are dry, because insatiable cupidity inflames them, so that God’s blessing, however ample, cannot satisfy them. Thus the rain, washing the hard rock, wets it not within, neither tempers its dryness by its moisture. Since, therefore, a contempt of God’s blessings withers them all, like a hot blast, let us learn to assign them their due honor, that they may be supplied to us in sufficiency. Thus will be fulfilled in our ease:
“
The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.” (Psa 92:12.)
For Scripture does not so often declare in vain that God satisfies the longing souls, and filleth the hungry with food. They complain that there is nothing before their eyes but manna: as if their loathing of this one excellent and abundant kind of food was actual famine.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(6) There is nothing at all . . . Better, there is nothing, except that our eyes (look) upon, the manna.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. Our soul is dried away Our animal life faints for want of strong and refreshing food. Such a use of the term soul is still common in the East, where, hungry or thirsty, the people say, “Our soul is withered.”
Nothing at all, besides this manna The skilful reader will not fail, by correct intonation, to bring out the contempt here poured upon the bread of heaven, which prefigures our Lord Jesus according to his own words in Joh 6:32-33, and to St. Paul’s in 1Co 10:3. We know of nothing in the conduct of these Israelites that more strikingly exhibits their low moral character than this complaint. The animal appetites have completely subverted their intellectual and spiritual tastes, if they ever had any, and they here exhibit a disgusting sensuality. The carnal mind to-day treats the glorious Antitype with no more respect than these sensual Israelites treated the type. Sin is the same in all ages.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Num 11:6. Our soul is dried away This expression is of the same import with that of the Psalmist; my heart iswithered like grass. The word nepesh, as we have before observed, is often used for the merely animal life, (see Gen 2:7.) and the drying away here mentioned, may refer to their want of the moist, fishy, and vegetable food, for which they expressed so impetuous a desire. Their contempt of the manna is shewn by the way of speaking of it: There is nothing at all besides THIS manna before our eyes. Though they had some cattle, Num 11:22 yet it would seem that they had them not in such plenty or cheapness, that the populace could eat them for ordinary food.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
See how wretched a state the mind of man is capable of being reduced to by sin! To speak lightly and contemptuously of angel’s food, which fell around their tents, without labour on their part to procure, and without pains to gather. Is there not a spiritual illustration of this passage? May we not be said to be lusting after the flesh pots in Egypt, and thinking slightly of heavenly food, when we prefer anything that is our own by nature, to the sweet gifts and graces which are alone in CHRIST JESUS, the heavenly bread, which came down from heaven? Joh_6:28-36; Joh_6:48-60 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Num 11:6 But now our soul [is] dried away: [there is] nothing at all, beside this manna, [before] our eyes.
Ver. 6. There is nothing at all besides. ] The wheat of heaven was held a light meat, because lightly come by; Cito parta vilescunt. How are many queasy stomachs even nauseated with the bread of life! it makes not to their dainty palates; plain preaching is disrelished.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
our soul is. Hebrew. nephesh = we [are]. App-13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
manna
(See Scofield “Exo 16:35”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Num 21:5, 2Sa 13:4
Reciprocal: Exo 16:31 – and it was Jer 44:18 – we have Joh 6:31 – fathers
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
11:6 But now our soul [is] {d} dried away: [there is] nothing at all, beside this manna, [before] our eyes.
(d) For the greedy lust of flesh.