Numbers 11:7

Paleo Hebrew Niqqud

RBT Hebrew Interlinear:

והמן וְהָמָּ֕ן

and the What is He (Manna)

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ו

wə

Definition

and

Root

From H8505; a prefix

Exhaustive

The conjunctive ו is not merely a fixed coordinator with a stable semantic value (“and/but/or/then”). Its core function is linkage, not meaning. It binds units into a single discourse field—phrases, clauses, or whole scenes—while leaving the logical relation to be inferred from aspect, word order, genre, and context.

So the variability in translation (“and / but / or / even / then”) is not polyvalence in the particle; it is underspecification by design. The language expects the reader/hearer to perceive the relation rather than have it encoded.

Crucially, conjunctive ו does not imply temporal sequence. It implies continuity of attention. Think of it as:
- “this belongs with what precedes,”
- “remain within the same frame,”
“do not reset the discourse.”
This is why Hebrew can chain dozens of clauses with ו without subordination or explicit logic markers. The text advances by accumulation, not by branching syntactic trees. Meaning arises from the interaction:
- Aspect (qatal / yiqtol / participle),
- Position (fronted elements, resumptive nouns),
- Genre (law, narrative, oracle),
- Context (who speaks, to whom).
The ו simply keeps the circuit closed so these cues can operate together. Remove tense assumptions, and the system becomes coherent.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

ה

Definition

the

Root

Demonstrative primitive

Exhaustive

definite article, the, used for all numbers and genders; originally a pronoun demonstrative, this. interrogative particle in direct and indirect questions; in disjunctive questions: whether--or.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

מן

mân

Definition

literally a whatness (so to speak), i.e. manna (so called from the question about it)

Root

from H4100 (מה);

Exhaustive

from מה; literally a whatness (so to speak), i.e. manna (so called from the question about it); manna.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H4478

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

מָן

noun masculine • Strongs / High • Page 865

manna, a sort of resin or gum sweet like honey, that exudes in drops from certain trees; the miraculous food of the Israelites in the desert.

מָן

pronoun interrogative • Root מאן • Strongs / High • Page 865

Aramaic interrogative pronoun: who? what? Also indefinite: every one who, whosoever.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

הָמַן

verb • Root המל • Page 190

To rage, make a noise. Used in Is. 13:4, 33:3. Related to the root הָמַל which signifies to flow or rain. Usually assigned to Ezek. 7:5. Explanation by R. Menahem suggests 'to rebel against God'.

מָן

noun masculine • Root מן • Page 383

the Arabian manna, a sweet gum... which in Arabia and other parts of the east... oozes out of the leaves of several trees... gathered by the inhabitants in small transparent kernels. Ex. 16:31 ff. Num. 11:6.

Conjunction, Particle definite article, Noun common both singular absolute

LXX: μαννα μαν

LXX Usage Statistics

H4478a:

μαννα 9× (58.1%)

μαν 4× (27.5%)

כזרע כִּזְרַע־

like a seed

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

כ

kə

Definition

like, as

Root

A primitive particle; a prefix Derived terms כאשר‎ (ka'ashér) כמו‎ (k'mó) כמות‎ (k'mót) כש־‎ (k'she-)

Exhaustive

(kaph) — as / like / according to

Core value: correspondence, patterning, resonance
כ never asserts identity. It asserts alignment.
- likeness,
- proportionality,
- conformity to a form.
Aonically, כ signals phase-alignment, not comparison.
not “like X in appearance” but “operating according to the same pattern as X.”
This is why prophetic and poetic language leans heavily on כ: it encodes structural analogy across layers, not metaphor.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

זרע

zeraʻ

Definition

seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity

Root

from H2232 (זרע);

Exhaustive

from זרע; seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity; [idiom] carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing-time.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H2233

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

זֶרַע

noun masculine • Root זרע • Strongs / High • Page 447

1. corn, plants, seed-corn, fruit, produce. 2. grain. 3. seed, semen. 4. children, posterity. 5. stock, family, race.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

זֶרַע

m. verbal • Root זרע • Page 209

1. seed of plants (Gen. 1:11,12,29). 2. corn, grain in general (Job 39:12). 12. hence seed-time, winter (Gen. 8:22).

Preposition, Noun common both singular construct

LXX: σπέρμα σπέρματοσ σπέρματι σπέρματί σπέρματόσ

LXX Usage Statistics

H2233:

σπέρμα 106× (47.6%)

σπέρματοσ 29× (12.3%)

σπέρματι 19× (7.6%)

σπέρματί 16× (5.7%)

σπέρματόσ 14× (5.8%)

'' 6× (2.6%)

σπόρον 5× (2.0%)

γένοσ 4× (1.7%)

γένουσ 4× (1.5%)

--- 3× (1.5%)

גד גַּד

Fortune (Gad)

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

גד

gad

Definition

coriander seed (from its furrows)

Root

from H1413 (גדד) (in the sense of cutting);

Exhaustive

from גדד (in the sense of cutting); coriander seed (from its furrows); coriander.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H1407

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

גַּד

noun masculine • Root גדד • Strongs / High • Page 301

Decision, fortune, especially a favourable fortune.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

גַּד

i. m. • Page 128

Name of a divinity worshipped by the idolatrous Hebrews, perhaps the god of fortune (Jupiter). Is. 65:11. Baal Gad, the name of a place.

גַּד

ii. m. • Page 128

Coriander, a highly aromatic plant. The seeds are round and the size of peppercorns. Ex. 16:31; Num. 11:7.

גַּד

i. m. • Page 128

1. fortune, prosperity. Gen. 30:11. 2. proper name of a son of Jacob and of the tribe named from him; territory beyond Jordan between Reuben and Manasseh. Josh. 13:24-28.

Noun common both singular absolute

LXX: κορίου

LXX Usage Statistics

H1407:

κορίου 2× (100.0%)

הוא הוּא

Himself

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

הוא

hûwʼ

Definition

he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are

Root

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is היא; a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular;

Exhaustive

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is היא; a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular; he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are; he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H1931

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

הוּא

personal pronoun • Root הו • Strongs / High • Page 392

Personal pronoun, 3rd person singular masculine: he, it. It can also be used for emphasis (he himself), as a demonstrative (this, that), to indicate self, or to strengthen other pronouns (I myself, thou thyself).

הוּא

pronoun • Strongs / High • Page 393

Personal pronoun, 3rd person singular masculine: he, it. Can also mean 'the same', 'himself'. It is also used as a designation for God, and can include the verb 'to be'.

הוּא

aramaic personal pronoun (aramaic) • Strongs / High • Page 393

Aramaic personal pronoun of the 3rd person, he.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

הוּא

chald. • Page 178

idem. behold, as for as simply. So in Syr. Dan. 2:43.

הוּא

pronoun • Page 182

1. he, and as a neuter it. In the Pentateuch, used for both genders. 2. self, same, selfsame. Is. 7:14, Ps. 44:5. 3. serves as the substantive verb 'to be' (copula). Is. 43:25. Also used as 'thou (art) the same' in 2 Sam. 7:28.

הוּא

chald. pron. • Page 182

idem (the same). Dan. 2:21.

הוּא

chald. • Page 182

see הֲוָה.

הוּא

unknown • Page 217

see הָוָה.

Pronoun personal third person masculine singular

LXX: αὐτὸσ ἐστιν ἐκείνῃ οὗτοσ ---

LXX Usage Statistics

H1931:

αὐτὸσ 321× (16.5%)

ἐστιν 260× (13.7%)

ἐκείνῃ 197× (10.6%)

οὗτοσ 160× (8.4%)

--- 103× (5.6%)

ἐκείνῳ 67× (3.6%)

ἐστίν 54× (2.9%)

ἐστὶν 54× (2.7%)

'' 50× (2.3%)

τοῦτο 42× (2.2%)

ועינו וְעֵינוֹ

and his eye

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ו

wə

Definition

and

Root

From H8505; a prefix

Exhaustive

The conjunctive ו is not merely a fixed coordinator with a stable semantic value (“and/but/or/then”). Its core function is linkage, not meaning. It binds units into a single discourse field—phrases, clauses, or whole scenes—while leaving the logical relation to be inferred from aspect, word order, genre, and context.

So the variability in translation (“and / but / or / even / then”) is not polyvalence in the particle; it is underspecification by design. The language expects the reader/hearer to perceive the relation rather than have it encoded.

Crucially, conjunctive ו does not imply temporal sequence. It implies continuity of attention. Think of it as:
- “this belongs with what precedes,”
- “remain within the same frame,”
“do not reset the discourse.”
This is why Hebrew can chain dozens of clauses with ו without subordination or explicit logic markers. The text advances by accumulation, not by branching syntactic trees. Meaning arises from the interaction:
- Aspect (qatal / yiqtol / participle),
- Position (fronted elements, resumptive nouns),
- Genre (law, narrative, oracle),
- Context (who speaks, to whom).
The ו simply keeps the circuit closed so these cues can operate together. Remove tense assumptions, and the system becomes coherent.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

עין

ʻayin

Definition

an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)

Root

probably a primitive word;

Exhaustive

probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape); affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him, [phrase] humble, knowledge, look, ([phrase] well), [idiom] me, open(-ly), [phrase] (not) please, presence, [phrase] regard, resemblance, sight, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them, [phrase] think, [idiom] us, well, [idiom] you(-rselves).

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H5869

הו

Definition

his, personal posessive - noun suffix: 3rd person masculine singular

Root

Exhaustive

Personal posessive pronoun - suffix for nouns, adjectives and passive participles: 3rd person masculine singular

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H9023

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

עַיִן

noun feminine • Root עין • Strongs / High • Page 1081

1. The eye, oculus, as the organ of sight; used figuratively for perception, attention, favorable/unfavorable views, and expression of emotion (e.g., proud, humble, joyous look). It also denotes the middle of the forehead (between the eyes), or proximity ('in the eyes of one'). 2. The eye as a fountain of tears. 3. A look or gaze (e.g., piercingly, enviously). 4. What presents itself to the sight: a phenomenon, appearance, sight, or prospect.

עַיִן

noun feminine • Strongs / High • Page 1082

The eye, bead or pearl, of wine.

עַיִן

noun feminine • Strongs / High • Page 1082

A fountain (constr. עֵין), pl. עֲיָנֹת.

עַיִן

noun proper • Strongs / High • Page 1082

Proper name of a city of Simeon/Levitical city within Judah (7a), or a locality in the north-east of Palestine (7b).

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

עַיִן

com. gen. • Page 503

1. an eye (Ezek. 12: 12). 2. 'before the eyes of any one' (Gen. 23: 11, 18). 3. 'in the eyes', i.e. in the judgment.

עַיִן

m. denom. • Root עין • Page 505

looking askance, envious. Found in 1 Sam. 18:9 Keri.

עַיִן

noun • Page 504

1. Ment or opinion, often conveying the idea of seeming or appearing (Gen. 19:14, 2 Sam. 10:3). 2. A bead or bubble in wine (Prov. 23:31). 3. Perhaps a look (Cant. 4:9). 4. Face, countenance, like פָנִים (Ps. 6:8, Num. 14:14). 5. The surface (Ex. 10:5, Num. 22:5). 6. Appearance, form (Num. 11:7, Lev. 13:5, Ezek. 1:4). 7. A spring, fountain, with plural עֵינוֹת (Gen. 16:7). The eye is figuratively considered a fountain of tears.

Conjunction, Noun common both singular construct, Suffix pronominal third person masculine singular

LXX: ὀφθαλμοῖσ ἐναντίον ἐνώπιον ὀφθαλμοὺσ ὀφθαλμοὶ

LXX Usage Statistics

H5869a:

ὀφθαλμοῖσ 134× (13.0%)

ἐναντίον 111× (12.6%)

ἐνώπιον 87× (10.0%)

ὀφθαλμοὺσ 80× (7.8%)

ὀφθαλμοὶ 74× (6.9%)

ὀφθαλμοί 58× (5.6%)

ὀφθαλμῶν 54× (5.6%)

ὀφθαλμούσ 38× (3.8%)

κατ' 28× (3.2%)

ὀφθαλμόσ 27× (2.5%)

כעין כְּעֵין

like the eye

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

כ

kə

Definition

like, as

Root

A primitive particle; a prefix Derived terms כאשר‎ (ka'ashér) כמו‎ (k'mó) כמות‎ (k'mót) כש־‎ (k'she-)

Exhaustive

(kaph) — as / like / according to

Core value: correspondence, patterning, resonance
כ never asserts identity. It asserts alignment.
- likeness,
- proportionality,
- conformity to a form.
Aonically, כ signals phase-alignment, not comparison.
not “like X in appearance” but “operating according to the same pattern as X.”
This is why prophetic and poetic language leans heavily on כ: it encodes structural analogy across layers, not metaphor.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

עין

ʻayin

Definition

an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)

Root

probably a primitive word;

Exhaustive

probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape); affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him, [phrase] humble, knowledge, look, ([phrase] well), [idiom] me, open(-ly), [phrase] (not) please, presence, [phrase] regard, resemblance, sight, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them, [phrase] think, [idiom] us, well, [idiom] you(-rselves).

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H5869

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

עַיִן

noun feminine • Root עין • Strongs / High • Page 1081

1. The eye, oculus, as the organ of sight; used figuratively for perception, attention, favorable/unfavorable views, and expression of emotion (e.g., proud, humble, joyous look). It also denotes the middle of the forehead (between the eyes), or proximity ('in the eyes of one'). 2. The eye as a fountain of tears. 3. A look or gaze (e.g., piercingly, enviously). 4. What presents itself to the sight: a phenomenon, appearance, sight, or prospect.

עַיִן

noun feminine • Strongs / High • Page 1082

The eye, bead or pearl, of wine.

עַיִן

noun feminine • Strongs / High • Page 1082

A fountain (constr. עֵין), pl. עֲיָנֹת.

עַיִן

noun proper • Strongs / High • Page 1082

Proper name of a city of Simeon/Levitical city within Judah (7a), or a locality in the north-east of Palestine (7b).

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

עַיִן

com. gen. • Page 503

1. an eye (Ezek. 12: 12). 2. 'before the eyes of any one' (Gen. 23: 11, 18). 3. 'in the eyes', i.e. in the judgment.

עַיִן

m. denom. • Root עין • Page 505

looking askance, envious. Found in 1 Sam. 18:9 Keri.

עַיִן

noun • Page 504

1. Ment or opinion, often conveying the idea of seeming or appearing (Gen. 19:14, 2 Sam. 10:3). 2. A bead or bubble in wine (Prov. 23:31). 3. Perhaps a look (Cant. 4:9). 4. Face, countenance, like פָנִים (Ps. 6:8, Num. 14:14). 5. The surface (Ex. 10:5, Num. 22:5). 6. Appearance, form (Num. 11:7, Lev. 13:5, Ezek. 1:4). 7. A spring, fountain, with plural עֵינוֹת (Gen. 16:7). The eye is figuratively considered a fountain of tears.

Preposition, Noun common both singular construct

LXX: ὀφθαλμοῖσ ἐναντίον ἐνώπιον ὀφθαλμοὺσ ὀφθαλμοὶ

LXX Usage Statistics

H5869a:

ὀφθαλμοῖσ 134× (13.0%)

ἐναντίον 111× (12.6%)

ἐνώπιον 87× (10.0%)

ὀφθαλμοὺσ 80× (7.8%)

ὀφθαλμοὶ 74× (6.9%)

ὀφθαλμοί 58× (5.6%)

ὀφθαλμῶν 54× (5.6%)

ὀφθαλμούσ 38× (3.8%)

κατ' 28× (3.2%)

ὀφθαλμόσ 27× (2.5%)

הבדלח הָבְּדֹלַח׃

the Bedolach

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ה

Definition

the

Root

Demonstrative primitive

Exhaustive

definite article, the, used for all numbers and genders; originally a pronoun demonstrative, this. interrogative particle in direct and indirect questions; in disjunctive questions: whether--or.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

בדלח

bᵉdôlach

Definition

something in pieces, i.e. bdellium, a (fragrant) gum (perhaps amber); others a pearl

Root

probably from H914 (בדל);

Exhaustive

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H916

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

בְּדֹלַח

noun masculine • Lemma_Lookup • Page 221

1. The sweet-smelling resin or aromatic gumdrops of an Indian tree; bdellium. 2. pearl, with the shining of which the grains of manna were compared.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

בְּדֹלַח

noun masculine • Page 87

bdellium, a transparent gum, of a sweet scent and resembling wax, obtained from a tree growing in Arabia, India and Media. Gen. 2: 12. Num. 11: 7. Others: beryl or pearls.

Particle definite article, Noun common both singular absolute

LXX:

LXX Usage Statistics

H0916:

No stats available

RBT Translation:

and the What is He (Manna) like a seed Fortune (Gad) Himself and his eye like the eye the Bedolach

RBT Paraphrase:
And the What is He ("Manna") is like a coriander seed of Himself, and his eye like the eye of the Bedolach.

Coriander Seed

The coriander fruit is technically a schizocarp, which means it splits at maturity into two separate one-seeded halves called mericarps. Each mericarp contains one seed. So when you look inside the whole coriander fruit before it splits, it consists of two fused parts, each holding a seed.

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
And the manna it as the seed of coriander, and its eye as the eye of bdellium.

LITV Translation:
And the manna was like coriander seed, and its look like the look of bdellium resin gum.

Brenton Septuagint Translation:
And the manna is as coriander seed, and the appearance of it the appearance of hoarfrost.