Numbers 11 9

Numbers 11:9 kjv

And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.

Numbers 11:9 nkjv

And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.

Numbers 11:9 niv

When the dew settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.

Numbers 11:9 esv

When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.

Numbers 11:9 nlt

The manna came down on the camp with the dew during the night.

Numbers 11 9 Cross References

VerseTextReference Note
Exd 16:4"Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you..."Initial promise of manna.
Exd 16:14-15"And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold...a small round thing...And when the children of Israel saw it...Man hu?"Description of manna's appearance with dew.
Exd 16:21"And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted."Manna gathered in the morning, daily.
Num 11:7"And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium."Physical description of manna.
Deut 8:3"...He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna...that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live."Spiritual lesson of manna for dependence.
Deut 8:16"...Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not..."Unique, unknown sustenance from God.
Neh 9:15"And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger..."Acknowledging God's provision.
Neh 9:20"Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth..."Manna as part of God's continuous care.
Psa 78:23-25"...had opened the doors of heaven, And had rained down manna upon them to eat...Man did eat angels' food..."God's heavenly provision, "angels' food".
Psa 105:40"...And he satisfied them with the bread of heaven."Manna as the "bread of heaven."
Prov 3:20"By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew."God's knowledge connected to dew.
Isa 26:19"...for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead."Dew as a symbol of life/refreshment.
Hos 14:5"I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon."God as refreshing, sustaining dew.
Zec 8:12"For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew..."Dew associated with divine blessing/prosperity.
Jhn 6:31-33"Our fathers did eat manna in the desert...My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven..."Jesus as the "true bread from heaven," spiritual manna.
Jhn 6:49-51"Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die."Contrasts earthly manna with eternal life from Jesus.
Heb 9:4"...wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant..."Manna stored in the Ark as a memorial.
Rev 2:17"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna..."Future spiritual reward for believers.
Phil 4:19"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."God's consistent provision for all needs.
Lam 3:22-23"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed...his compassions fail not. They are new every morning..."God's daily mercy and faithfulness.
Matt 6:11"Give us this day our daily bread."Echoes the daily provision and dependence.
Jam 1:17"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights..."God as the source of all good gifts.

Numbers 11 verses

Numbers 11 9 Meaning

Numbers 11:9 describes the manner in which the manna, Israel's daily miraculous provision from God in the wilderness, would appear. It clarifies that the manna would fall on the ground alongside the dew during the night. This highlights its consistent, precise, and subtle arrival, making it available for collection in the morning. It underscores the divine orchestration of this essential sustenance.

Numbers 11 9 Context

Numbers chapter 11 opens with the Israelites complaining against the Lord, setting a pattern of discontent despite divine provision. They grumble about their "wretched food" (referring to the manna), expressing a desire for the varied diet they had in Egypt, longing for meat, fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. Verse 9 functions as a direct counterpoint to this complaining, providing the essential background to the grumbling by explaining how the manna they despised actually appeared. It reminds the reader that this "wretched food" was, in fact, a miraculous and consistent daily gift, provided directly from God in a barren desert. Historically, the manna was critical for their survival, sustained daily by this supernatural "bread from heaven" during their forty years of wandering. The appearance with the dew, a common desert phenomenon but here linked with divine intervention, highlighted God's meticulous care, making the subsequent grumbling all the more severe as an act of ingratitude. From a cultural perspective, desert life depended heavily on finding water sources; the manna appearing with dew might have also served as a subtle sign of God's overarching care, providing food in a gentle, refreshing manner that sustained life where it would otherwise be impossible.

Numbers 11 9 Word analysis

  • And when: (וּבְרֶדֶת - u-veretet). The Hebrew "וּ" (u) is a conjunction, "and," indicating continuity. "בְּרֶדֶת" (beretet) is a construct infinitive from the root יָרַד (yarad), meaning "to descend" or "to fall." It implies "in the descending of" or "when it fell." This emphasizes the action of coming down, hinting at the supernatural origin.
  • the dew: (הַטַּל - ha-tal). "The dew." Tal refers to the natural moisture that condenses on surfaces overnight. In arid regions, dew can be a significant source of moisture, sustaining plant life. Its association here with manna is significant; dew is subtle, gentle, and refreshing, pointing to the quiet, pervasive, and regular nature of God's provision. It also connects the manna's arrival to a natural, yet here divinely orchestrated, cycle.
  • fell: (רֶדֶת - redet). As above, from yarad, signifying downward movement. This reiterates the action, establishing a parallel between the dew's natural descent and the manna's miraculous one.
  • upon the camp: (עַל־הַמַּחֲנֶה - 'al-hamakhaneh). "Upon the encampment." This specifies the location. The manna appeared uniformly across the entire camp, signifying that God's provision was communal, sufficient for every household and individual, regardless of status. It was a tangible, universal sign of His presence among His people.
  • in the night: (בַּלַּיְלָה - ba-laylah). "In the night." This detail about timing is crucial. The manna appeared during the night, when the camp was at rest, ensuring it was fresh and ready to be gathered in the early morning before the sun's heat melted it (Exd 16:21). This illustrates God's precision, order, and faithful daily preparation for His people's needs. It also suggests that God works and provides even when His people are unaware or asleep.
  • the manna: (הַמָּן - ha-man). "The manna." The singular subject of the verse, though plural in its provision. Its name itself is tied to the question, "What is it?" (Exd 16:15), indicating its mysterious and unknown nature. It was unique to this period of wandering and demonstrated God's direct, personal, and miraculous involvement in Israel's sustenance.
  • fell upon it: (יֵרֵד עָלָיו - ye-red 'alav). "It would fall upon it." Yered is an imperfect form of yarad, often conveying repeated or habitual action – thus, "would fall" or "used to fall." "Upon it" ('alav) refers to the dew or the ground covered by dew, underscoring the intimate connection between the manna's appearance and the dew. This phrase reiterates the continuous, reliable nature of the manna's descent, reinforcing God's faithfulness even as the people complained.

Word Group Analysis:

  • "when the dew fell upon the camp... the manna fell upon it": This parallel phrasing directly links a natural phenomenon (dew) with a supernatural one (manna). The juxtaposition suggests God used the pattern of a common natural occurrence to bring about an unprecedented miracle. It speaks to the understated yet powerful consistency of God's provision, delivered quietly and comprehensively. This method also prevented the Israelites from claiming it was a product of human effort or local deities, instead attributing it solely to Yahweh's daily and widespread intervention.

Numbers 11 9 Bonus section

The linkage of manna with dew, often considered a blessing in the Bible (e.g., Deut 33:28; Hos 14:5), further elevates the nature of this provision. Dew is often associated with freshness, revival, and quiet divine sustenance that nourishes the earth imperceptibly. By appearing with the dew, the manna was not just food, but a sign of God's refreshing and lifegiving presence among a people struggling in the harsh wilderness. It required the Israelites to humble themselves and depend daily on God's mysterious hand, unable to store beyond what was needed for one day (except on the sixth day for the Sabbath). This method taught lessons in faith, trust, and recognizing God's subtle yet powerful work in sustaining life.

Numbers 11 9 Commentary

Numbers 11:9 serves as a brief but profound statement of divine provision. It contrasts sharply with the subsequent grumbling of the Israelites, subtly highlighting their ingratitude for a miracle they had grown to despise. The manner of the manna's arrival, alongside the natural phenomenon of dew and always in the quiet of the night, points to several key theological truths. First, it underscores God's meticulous care; He provides for His people's most basic needs with precise timing and distribution. Second, it emphasizes God's consistency and faithfulness, as the manna appeared reliably every single day for forty years. Third, the mystery surrounding its appearance (originating with dew) cultivated a sense of total dependence on God rather than natural explanations or human effort. This provision was gentle, daily, and sufficient for everyone in the camp. Far from being "wretched food," the manna was a profound testament to a caring God, revealing His capacity to sustain life miraculously in the most barren of environments.