What was Manna?

Abstract

Following their release from Egypt after the 10 Plagues, the Israelites spent some time wandering in the wilderness. They were sustained there by a special food called manna. If we take a literal view of The Bible, we can acknowledge that manna was a physical entity with supernatural origins that fell from the sky. We can assume the accuracy of recall by observers, the accuracy of repetition of the original manna story, and the accuracy of exegesis by scholars who have interpreted the later written accounts over hundreds of years. On the other hand, we could suggest that manna was described inaccurately, that it has been embellished by myth and the mistaken translation of texts. In this essay I will attempt to discuss manna as a natural substance, using the literal Biblical text as my guide.

Keywords

historical accuracy, mythology

How to Cite

Wotton, R., (2010) “What was Manna?”, Opticon1826 9.

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Authors

Roger Wotton (UCL)

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