Numbers 11:6
New International Version
But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”

New Living Translation
But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!”

English Standard Version
But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”

Berean Standard Bible
But now our appetite is gone; there is nothing to see but this manna!”

King James Bible
But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.

New King James Version
but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”

New American Standard Bible
but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna!”

NASB 1995
but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.”

NASB 1977
but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.”

Legacy Standard Bible
but now our appetite is dried up. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.”

Amplified Bible
But now our appetite is gone; there is nothing at all [in the way of food] to be seen but this manna.”

Christian Standard Bible
But now our appetite is gone; there’s nothing to look at but this manna! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But now our appetite is gone; there’s nothing to look at but this manna!”

American Standard Version
but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all save this manna to look upon.

Contemporary English Version
But we're starving out here, and the only food we have is this manna."

English Revised Version
but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all: we have nought save this manna to look to.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But now we've lost our appetite! Everywhere we look there's nothing but manna!"

Good News Translation
But now our strength is gone. There is nothing at all to eat--nothing but this manna day after day!" (

International Standard Version
But now we can't stand it anymore, because there's nothing in front of us except this manna."

Majority Standard Bible
But now our appetite is gone; there is nothing to see but this manna!?

NET Bible
But now we are dried up, and there is nothing at all before us except this manna!"

New Heart English Bible
but now we have lost our appetite. There is nothing at all except this manna to look at."

Webster's Bible Translation
But now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all, besides this manna, before our eyes.

World English Bible
but now we have lost our appetite. There is nothing at all except this manna to look at.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and now our soul [is] dry, there is not anything, except the manna, before our eyes.”

Young's Literal Translation
and now our soul is dry, there is not anything, save the manna, before our eyes.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And now our soul shall be dried up; not any thing but to the manna our eyes.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Our soul is dry, our eyes behold nothing else but manna.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Our life is dry; our eyes look out to see nothing but manna.”

New American Bible
But now we are famished; we have nothing to look forward to but this manna.”

New Revised Standard Version
but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But now our soul is dried up; there is nothing at all, besides this manna, before our eyes.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And now, behold, our soul has wasted away and there is nothing but this Manna before our eyes.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all; we have nought save this manna to look to.'--

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But now our soul is dried up; our eyes turn to nothing but to the manna.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Complaints of the People
5We remember the fish we ate freely in Egypt, along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. 6But now our appetite is gone; there is nothing to see but this manna!” 7Now the manna resembled coriander seed, and its appearance was like that of gum resin.…

Cross References
Exodus 16:3
“If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt!” they said. “There we sat by pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, but you have brought us into this desert to starve this whole assembly to death!”

Exodus 16:7-8
and in the morning you will see the LORD’s glory, because He has heard your grumbling against Him. For who are we, that you should grumble against us?” / And Moses added, “The LORD will give you meat to eat this evening and bread to fill you in the morning, for He has heard your grumbling against Him. Who are we? Your grumblings are not against us but against the LORD.”

Exodus 16:13-15
That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. / When the layer of dew had evaporated, there were thin flakes on the desert floor, as fine as frost on the ground. / When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. So Moses told them, “It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.

Psalm 78:18-20
They willfully tested God by demanding the food they craved. / They spoke against God, saying, “Can God really prepare a table in the wilderness? / When He struck the rock, water gushed out and torrents raged. But can He also give bread or supply His people with meat?”

Psalm 78:25-29
Man ate the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance. / He stirred the east wind from the heavens and drove the south wind by His might. / He rained meat on them like dust, and winged birds like the sand of the sea. ...

Psalm 106:13-15
Yet they soon forgot His works and failed to wait for His counsel. / They craved intensely in the wilderness and tested God in the desert. / So He granted their request, but sent a wasting disease upon them.

Deuteronomy 8:3
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.

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.”

1 Corinthians 10:3-6
They all ate the same spiritual food / and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. / Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness. ...

Exodus 17:3
But the people thirsted for water there, and they grumbled against Moses: “Why have you brought us out of Egypt—to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”

Numbers 21:5
and spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you led us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!”

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

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.’”

John 6:58
This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your fathers, who ate the manna and died, the one who eats this bread will live forever.”


Treasury of Scripture

But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.

Numbers 21:5
And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

2 Samuel 13:4
And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.

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Appetite Besides Dried Dry Except Eyes Save Soul Strength Wasted
Numbers 11
1. The burning at Taberah quenched by Moses' prayer
4. The people crave meat, and loathe manna
10. Moses complains of his charge
16. God promises to divide his burden unto seventy elders,
18. and to give the people meat for a month
21. Moses' faith is staggered
31. Quails are given in wrath at Kibroth Hattaavah














But now
This phrase marks a transition, indicating a change in the Israelites' circumstances or mindset. Historically, the Israelites had been delivered from slavery in Egypt and were on a journey to the Promised Land. "But now" suggests a shift from initial gratitude to discontent. It reflects a common human tendency to forget past blessings when faced with current challenges.

our appetite is gone
The Hebrew word for "appetite" here is "נַפְשֵׁנוּ" (naphshenu), which can also mean "soul" or "life." This indicates a deep, existential dissatisfaction, not just a physical hunger. The Israelites' complaint reveals a spiritual malaise, a longing for something more than physical sustenance. It underscores the importance of spiritual nourishment and contentment in God's provision.

there is nothing to see
This phrase highlights the Israelites' focus on the physical and immediate. In the wilderness, their vision was limited to the tangible, causing them to overlook the spiritual significance of their journey and God's miraculous provision. It serves as a reminder to believers to look beyond the visible and trust in God's unseen plans and purposes.

but this manna
Manna, described in Exodus 16, was a miraculous provision from God, sustaining the Israelites daily. The Hebrew word "מָן" (man) is derived from the question "What is it?" reflecting the mystery and divine origin of this food. Despite its miraculous nature, the Israelites grew weary of it, symbolizing human ingratitude and the danger of taking God's gifts for granted. Manna also foreshadows Christ, the "bread of life" (John 6:35), emphasizing the need for spiritual sustenance through faith in Him.

(6) There is nothing at all . . . --Better, there is nothing, except that our eyes (look) upon, the manna.

Verse 6. - Our soul is dried away. This exaggerated statement expressed their craving for the juicy and savoury food of which they had been thinking, and which was obviously unattainable in the wilderness. There is a physical craving in man for variety of diet, and especially for such condiments and flavours as he has been used to all his life, which makes the lack of them a real hardship. It is not necessary to condemn the Israelites for feeling very keenly the loss of their accustomed food, which is notoriously the one thing which the poorest classes are least able to bear; it is only necessary to condemn them for making this one loss of more account than all their gain. There is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. Rather, "we have nothing (אֵין כֹּל) except that our eye (falls) upon this manna." These graphic words speak of the longing looks which turned in every direction after the accustomed dainties, only to fall with disgust upon the inevitable manna. It was very ungrateful of them to speak disparagingly of the manna, which was good and wholesome food, and sufficient to keep them in health and strength; but it is useless to deny that manna only for people who had been accustomed to a rich and varied diet must have been exceedingly trying both to the palate and the stomach (cf. Numbers 21:5).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But now
וְעַתָּ֛ה (wə·‘at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

our appetite
נַפְשֵׁ֥נוּ (nap̄·šê·nū)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

is gone;
יְבֵשָׁ֖ה (yə·ḇê·šāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 3002: Dry, dried

there is nothing
אֵ֣ין (’ên)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

to see
עֵינֵֽינוּ׃ (‘ê·nê·nū)
Noun - cdc | first person common plural
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

but
בִּלְתִּ֖י (bil·tî)
Preposition
Strong's 1115: A failure of, not, except, without, unless, besides, because not, until

this manna!”
הַמָּ֥ן (ham·mān)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4478: Manna (a kind of bread)


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OT Law: Numbers 11:6 But now our soul is dried away (Nu Num.)
Numbers 11:5
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