Deuteronomy 8:3
New International Version
He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

New Living Translation
Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

English Standard Version
And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible
He humbled you, and in your hunger He gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had known, so that you might understand that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

King James Bible
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; 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.

New King James Version
So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
And He humbled you and let you go hungry, and fed you with the manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, in order to make you understand that man shall not live on bread alone, but man shall live on everything that comes out of the mouth of the LORD.

NASB 1995
“He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.

NASB 1977
“And He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.

Legacy Standard Bible
And He humbled you and let you be hungry and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh.

Amplified Bible
He humbled you and allowed you to be hungry and fed you with manna, [a substance] which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, so that He might make you understand [by personal experience] that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.

Christian Standard Bible
He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then he gave you manna to eat, which you and your ancestors had not known, so that you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then He gave you manna to eat, which you and your fathers had not known, so that you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

American Standard Version
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by everything that proceedeth out of the mouth of Jehovah doth man live.

Contemporary English Version
so he made you go hungry. Then he gave you manna, a kind of food that you and your ancestors had never even heard about. The LORD was teaching you that people need more than food to live--they need every word that the LORD has spoken.

English Revised Version
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every thing that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So he made you suffer from hunger and then fed you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had seen before. He did this to teach you that a person cannot live on bread alone but on every word that the LORD speaks.

Good News Translation
He made you go hungry, and then he gave you manna to eat, food that you and your ancestors had never eaten before. He did this to teach you that you must not depend on bread alone to sustain you, but on everything that the LORD says.

International Standard Version
He humbled you, causing you to be hungry, yet he fed you with manna that neither you nor your ancestors had known, in order to teach you that human beings are not to live by food alone—instead human beings are to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.

Majority Standard Bible
He humbled you, and in your hunger He gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had known, so that you might understand that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

NET Bible
So he humbled you by making you hungry and then feeding you with unfamiliar manna. He did this to teach you that humankind cannot live by bread alone, but also by everything that comes from the LORD's mouth.

New Heart English Bible
He humbled you, and allowed you to be hungry, and fed you with manna, which you did not know, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that humankind cannot live by bread alone, but humankind lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of God shall man live.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; 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.

World English Bible
He humbled you, allowed you to be hungry, and fed you with manna, which you didn’t know, neither did your fathers know, that he might teach you that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of Yahweh’s mouth.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And He humbles you, and causes you to hunger, and causes you to eat the manna (which you have not known, even your fathers have not known), in order to cause you to know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything proceeding [from] the mouth of YHWH.

Young's Literal Translation
'And He doth humble thee, and cause thee to hunger and doth cause thee to eat the manna (which thou hast not known, even thy fathers have not known), in order to cause thee to know that not by bread alone doth man live, but by every produce of the mouth of Jehovah man doth live.

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will humble thee, and cause thee to hunger, and will give thee to eat manna which thou knewest not, and thy fathers knew not; so that he caused thee to know that upon bread only man shall not live, but upon all going out of the mouth of Jehovah shall man live.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He afflicted thee with want, and gave thee manna for thy food, which neither thou nor thy fathers knew: to shew that m not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God.

Catholic Public Domain Version
He afflicted you with need, and he gave you Manna as your food, which neither you nor your fathers knew, so as to reveal to you that it is not by bread alone that man lives, but by every word that goes forth from the mouth of God.

New American Bible
He therefore let you be afflicted with hunger, and then fed you with manna, a food unknown to you and your ancestors, so you might know that it is not by bread alone that people live, but by all that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD.

New Revised Standard Version
He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he humbled you and suffered you to hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you to understand that man does not live by bread alone; but by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD does man live.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he humbled you and he famished you and he fed you manna that you had not known, neither had your fathers known it, that He would show you that it is not by bread only a son of man lives, but by everything that comes out of the mouth of LORD JEHOVAH a person lives.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And He afflicted thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that He might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every thing that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he afflicted thee and straitened thee with hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thy fathers knew not; that he might teach thee that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God shall man live.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Remember the LORD Your God
2Remember that these forty years the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commandments. 3He humbled you, and in your hunger He gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had known, so that you might understand that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. 4Your clothing did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.…

Cross References
Matthew 4:4
But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Luke 4:4
But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”

Exodus 16:4
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test whether or not they will follow My instructions.

John 6:31-35
Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” / Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. / For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” ...

John 6:49-51
Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. / This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. / I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.”

Nehemiah 9:20
You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths, and You gave them water for their thirst.

Psalm 78:24-25
He rained down manna for them to eat; He gave them grain from heaven. / Man ate the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance.

Psalm 105:40
They asked, and He brought quail and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.

Isaiah 55:2-3
Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods. / Incline your ear and come to Me; listen, so that your soul may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant—My loving devotion promised to David.

Proverbs 30:8-9
Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion. / Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.

1 Kings 17:4-6
And you are to drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” / So Elijah did what the LORD had told him, and he went and lived by the Brook of Cherith, east of the Jordan. / The ravens would bring him bread and meat in the morning and evening, and he would drink from the brook.

1 Kings 19:5-8
Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” / And he looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. / A second time the angel of the LORD returned and touched him, saying, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.” ...

2 Kings 4:42-44
Now a man from Baal-shalishah came to the man of God with a sack of twenty loaves of barley bread from the first ripe grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha. / But his servant asked, “How am I to set twenty loaves before a hundred men?” “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha, “for this is what the LORD says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’” / So he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.

Job 23:12
I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.

Amos 8:11
Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord GOD, when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.


Treasury of Scripture

And he humbled you, and suffered you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you knew not, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD does man live.

fed thee

Exodus 16:2,3,12-35
And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: …

Psalm 78:23-25
Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, …

Psalm 105:40
The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.

doth

Psalm 37:3
Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Psalm 104:27-29
These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season…

Matthew 4:4
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Jump to Previous
Allowed Bread Humbled Hunger Hungry Knewest Live Manna Mouth Proceedeth Proceeds Suffered Understand Word
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Allowed Bread Humbled Hunger Hungry Knewest Live Manna Mouth Proceedeth Proceeds Suffered Understand Word
Deuteronomy 8
1. An exhortation to obedience in regard to God's mercy and goodness to Israel.














He humbled you
This phrase refers to God's intentional act of humbling the Israelites during their wilderness journey. The Hebrew root word here is "עָנָה" (anah), which means to afflict or humble. This humbling was a divine discipline meant to teach reliance on God rather than on human strength or resources. Historically, the Israelites' journey through the desert was a time of testing and character formation, where they learned to depend on God for their daily needs.

causing you to hunger
The hunger experienced by the Israelites was not merely a physical state but a spiritual lesson. The Hebrew word "רָעֵב" (ra'ev) signifies a deep need or craving. This hunger was a tool used by God to draw the Israelites closer to Him, emphasizing their dependence on His provision. In the broader scriptural context, this hunger symbolizes the human condition of spiritual need that only God can satisfy.

and then feeding you with manna
Manna, described in Exodus as bread from heaven, was a miraculous provision. The Hebrew word "מָן" (man) is used here, which is derived from the question "What is it?" reflecting the Israelites' initial confusion. Manna represents God's supernatural provision and care. Archaeologically, while no physical evidence of manna exists, its mention in various ancient texts underscores its significance as a divine sustenance.

which neither you nor your fathers had known
This phrase highlights the uniqueness of God's provision. The Israelites and their ancestors had no prior experience with manna, emphasizing its miraculous nature. The unfamiliarity of manna serves as a reminder that God's ways and provisions often surpass human understanding and expectations.

to teach you
The purpose of these experiences was instructional. The Hebrew word "לָמַד" (lamad) means to learn or be taught. God's intention was to educate the Israelites in faith and obedience, using their physical circumstances to impart spiritual truths. This teaching underscores the importance of experiential learning in the life of faith.

that man does not live on bread alone
This statement is a profound theological truth. The Hebrew word for "live" is "חָיָה" (chayah), which implies more than mere physical survival; it encompasses a full, abundant life. Bread, representing physical sustenance, is insufficient for true life, which requires spiritual nourishment from God.

but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD
The phrase emphasizes the necessity of divine revelation for life. The Hebrew word "דָּבָר" (dabar) means word or matter, signifying God's spoken word as a source of life. This concept is foundational in Scripture, affirming that God's word is life-giving and sustaining. Historically, this truth is echoed in Jesus' temptation in the wilderness, where He quotes this verse, reinforcing the eternal relevance of relying on God's word.

(3) And he . . . suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee.--A process naturally humbling. He might easily have fed them without "suffering them to hunger." But He did not give them the manna until the sixteenth day of the second month of the journey (see Exodus 16:1; Exodus 16:6-7); and for one whole month they were left to their own resources. When it appeared that the people had no means of providing sustenance during their journey, "they saw the glory of the Lord" in the way in which He fed them; and for thirty-nine years and eleven months "He withheld not His manna from their mouth."

Manna, which thou knewest not.--Its very name (but see Note on Exodus 16:15) commemorates the fact "unto this day." All the natural things which have been called manna (and Dr. Cunningham Geikie, in "Hours with the Bible," has described several) do not afford the least explanation of the bread which God gave Israel to eat.

That man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord.--Not here alone, but throughout the Law, as in the Gospel, we are taught that life is to do the will of God. Our Saviour called that "My meat." What the visible means of subsistence may be is a secondary matter. Man's life is to do the will of God: "My commandments, which, if a man do, he shall even live in them." "He that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

But the special interest of these words arises from our Lord's use of them in the hour of temptation. He also was led forty days (each day for a year of the Exodus) in the wilderness, living upon the word of God. At the end of that time it was proposed to Him to create bread for Himself. But He had learnt the lesson which Israel was to learn; and so, even when God suffered Him to hunger, He still refused to live by His own word. He preferred that of His Father. "And the angels came and ministered unto Him." It is noticeable that all our Lord's answers to the tempter are taken from this exhortation upon the Decalogue in Deuteronomy 6-10.

Verse 3. - God humbled the Israelites by leaving them to suffer hunger from the want of food, and then supplying them with food in a miraculous manner. They were thus taught that their life depended wholly on God, who could, by his own creative power, without any of the ordinary means, provide for the sustaining of their life. And fed thee with manna (cf. Exodus 16:15). It is in vain to seek to identify this with any natural product. It was something entirely new to the Israelites - a thing which neither they nor their fathers knew; truly bread from heaven, and which got from them the name of manna or man, because, in their wondering ignorance, they knew not what to call it, and so they said one to another, Manhoo? (מָן הוּא), What is it? and thenceforward called it man. That he might make thee know, etc. "Bread," which the Jews regarded as "the staff of life," stands here, as in other places, for food generally; and the lesson taught the Israelites was that not in one way or by. one kind of means alone could life be sustained, but in the absence of these God could, by his own fiat, provide for the sustenance of his children. Every word - literally, all, everything whatever - that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, i.e. all means which God has by his word provided, or by his word can provide, for the sustenance of life. So our Lord cites this passage in replying to the tempter, who had suggested that if he was the Son of God he might relieve himself from the pangs of hunger by commanding the stones which lay around to become bread. Our Lord's reply to this is virtually." I have this power, and could use it, but I will not; for this would imply impatience and distrust of God, who has engaged to sustain the life of his servants, and who can, by the mere word of his mouth, by his creative will, provide in an extraordinary way for the sustenance of life when the ordinary means of life are wanting." "Jesus means to say, ' I leave it with God to care for the sustaining of my life, and I will not arbitrarily and for selfish ends help myself by a miracle'" (De Wette, note on Matthew 4:4; see also Meyer on the place).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He humbled you,
וַֽיְעַנְּךָ֮ (way·‘an·nə·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6031: To be bowed down or afflicted

and in your hunger
וַיַּרְעִבֶךָ֒ (way·yar·‘i·ḇe·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 7456: To be hungry

gave you manna
הַמָּן֙ (ham·mān)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4478: Manna (a kind of bread)

to eat,
וַיַּֽאֲכִֽלְךָ֤ (way·ya·’ă·ḵil·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 398: To eat

which
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

neither
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

you [nor] your fathers
אֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ (’ă·ḇō·ṯe·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

had known,
יָדַ֔עְתָּ (yā·ḏa‘·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

so that
לְמַ֣עַן (lə·ma·‘an)
Conjunction
Strong's 4616: Purpose -- intent

you might understand
יָדְע֖וּן (yā·ḏə·‘ūn)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | Paragogic nun
Strong's 3045: To know

that
כִּ֠י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

man
הָֽאָדָ֔ם (hā·’ā·ḏām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

does not
וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

live
יִחְיֶ֣ה (yiḥ·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2421: To live, to revive

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

bread
הַלֶּ֤חֶם (hal·le·ḥem)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain

alone,
לְבַדּוֹ֙ (lə·ḇad·dōw)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 905: Separation, a part of the body, branch of a, tree, bar for, carrying, chief of

but
כִּ֛י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

every
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

word that comes from
מוֹצָ֥א (mō·w·ṣā)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4161: A place or act of going forth, issue, export, source, spring

the mouth
פִֽי־ (p̄î-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

of the LORD.
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 8:3 He humbled you and allowed you (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 8:2
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