Numbers 11:8

8 The people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in mortars, and boiled it in pots, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.

Numbers 11:8 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 11:8

[And] the people went about and gathered [it]
Went about the camp on all sides, where it fell in plenty; this they did every morning, and this was all the trouble they were at; they had it for gathering, without any expense to them:

and ground [it] in mills:
in hand mills, as Aben Ezra; for though it melted through the heat of the sun, and became a liquid, yet, when gathered in the morning, it was hard like grains of corn, or other seeds, and required to be ground in mills:

or beat [it] in a mortar;
with a pestle, as spices are beaten and bruised:

and baked [it] in pans;
or rather boiled it in a pot, as the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem, since it follows:

and made cakes of it;
which were baked on the hearth; all which may denote the sufferings of Christ, who was beaten, and bruised, and broken, that he might become fit food for faith, ( Isaiah 53:4 Isaiah 53:5 Isaiah 53:10 ) ;

and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil;
which is very grateful and pleasant, as well as very fattening and nourishing; so that the Israelites had no reason to complain of their being dried away by continual eating of it; (See Gill on Exodus 16:31).

Numbers 11:8 In-Context

6 but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all save this manna to look on.

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

8 The people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in mortars, and boiled it in pots, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.

9 When the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.

10 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, every man at the door of his tent: and the anger of Yahweh was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased.