What the substance called manna was, is utterly unknown, but, from the circumstances in the text, it is evident that it was not a natural production, but was miraculously sent by Jehovah. These the learned Abarbinel, a most judicious Jewish interpreter, has thus enumerated:
- The natural manna was never found in the desert where this fell where the common manna does fall;
- It is only in the spring time, in March and April, whereas this fell throughout all the months in the year;
- The ordinary manna does not melt in the sun, as this did ("And they gatheredª° it every morning,ª every manª according² to¹ his eating:ª and when the sunª waxed hot,ª° it melted.ª°" {Exd 16:21});
- It does not stink and breed worms, as this did, when kept till the morning ("Notwithstanding they hearkenedª° not¹ unto¹ Moses;ª but some²¹ of them leftª° of¹ it until¹ the morning,ª and it bredª° worms,ª and stank:ª° and Mosesª was wrothª° with¹ them." {Exd 16:20});
- It cannot be ground or beaten in a mortar, so as to make cakes, as this was;
- The common manna is medicinal and purgative, and cannot be used for food and nutriment, as this was;
- This fell in a double proportion on the sixth day, and not on the sabbath, as it certainly would have done had it fallen naturally;
- It followed them in all their journeys, where ever they pitched their tents; and
- It ceased at the very time of the year when the other falls, namely, in March, when the Israelites were come to Gilgal.
Whatever this substance was, it does not appear to have been common to the wilderness. From "And he humbledª° thee, and suffered thee to hunger,ª° and fedª° thee with¹ manna,ª which¹ thou knewestª° not,¹ neither¹ did thy fathersª know;ª° that¹ he might make thee knowª° that¹ manª doth not¹ liveª° by¹ breadª only,ª but¹ by¹ every¹ [word] that proceedeth² out¹ of the mouthª of the LORDª doth manª live.ª°" {Deu 8:3} + "Who fedª° thee in the wildernessª with manna,ª which¹ thy fathersª knewª° not,¹ that¹ he might humbleª° thee, and that¹ he might proveª° thee, to do thee goodª° at thy latter end;ª" {Deu 8:16}, it is evident that the Israelites never saw it before; and from a pot of it being preserved, it is certain that nothing of the kind ever appeared again. "And it shall come to pass,¹ that on the sixthª dayª they shall prepareª°¹ [that] whichª they bring in;ª° and it shall be¹ twiceª as much as¹¹ they gatherª° daily.ª" {Exd 16:5} + "This¹ [is] the thingª whichª the LORDª hath commanded,ª° Gatherª° of¹ it every manª according² to¹ his eating,ª an omerª for every man,ª [according to] the numberª of your persons;ª takeª° ye every manª for [them] which¹ [are] in his tents.ª" {Exd 16:16} + "For¹ it¹ [is] the jubile;ª it shall be¹ holyª unto you: ye shall eatª°¹ the increaseª thereof out of¹ the field.ª" {Lev 25:12} + "And ye shall sowª° the¹ eighthª year,ª and eatª° [yet] of¹ oldª fruitª until¹ the ninthª year;ª until¹ her fruitsª come inª° ye shall eatª° [of] the oldª [store]." {Lev 25:22}