Numbers 11:6

6 But nothing tastes good out here; all we get is manna, manna, manna."

Numbers 11:6 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 11:6

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 Gill on Exodus 16:14); (See Gill on Exodus 16:15); (See Gill on Exodus 16:16); (See Gill on Exodus 16:17); (See Gill on Exodus 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.

Numbers 11:6 In-Context

4 The riff-raff among the people had a craving and soon they had the People of Israel whining, "Why can't we have meat?
5 We ate fish in Egypt - and got it free! - to say nothing of the cucumbers and melons, the leeks and onions and garlic.
6 But nothing tastes good out here; all we get is manna, manna, manna."
7 Manna was a seedlike substance with a shiny appearance like resin.
8 The people went around collecting it and ground it between stones or pounded it fine in a mortar. Then they boiled it in a pot and shaped it into cakes. It tasted like a delicacy cooked in olive oil.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.