What does מָן (mān) mean in the Bible?
"—God's mysterious daily provision during wilderness wandering
Hebrew · H4478
מָן
Literally a whatness (so to speak), i.e. manna (so called from the question about it)
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
מָן H4478
Pronunciation mān
What does מָן (mān) mean in the Bible?
מָן (mān): Manna named from the Hebrew question "what is it?"—God's mysterious daily provision during wilderness wandering
Full entry for מָן (H4478) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4478?
The BSB source-word alignment has 14 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include manna (5), the manna (2), He gave you manna (1), Now the manna (1), of manna (1).
Where does מָן (mān) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 16:15. Its strongest book concentrations include Exodus (5), Numbers (3), Deuteronomy (2), Joshua (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It manna 5× Exodus 16:31, Exodus 16:35, Joshua 5:12, Psalms 78:24
the manna 2× Numbers 11:9, Joshua 5:12
He gave you manna 1× Deuteronomy 8:3
Now the manna 1× Numbers 11:7
of manna 1× Exodus 16:33
this manna 1× Numbers 11:6
What 1× Exodus 16:15
with manna 1× Deuteronomy 8:16
Your manna 1× Nehemiah 9:20
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 16:15 מָ֣ן to What Interrogative Exodus 16:31 מָ֑ן to manna Noun - masculine singular Exodus 16:33 מָ֑ן to of manna Noun - masculine singular Exodus 16:35 הַמָּן֙ to manna Article | Noun - masculine singular Exodus 16:35 הַמָּן֙ to manna Article | Noun - masculine singular Numbers 11:6 הַמָּ֥ן to this manna Article | Noun - masculine singular Numbers 11:7 וְהַמָּ֕ן to Now the manna Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular Numbers 11:9 הַמָּ֖ן to the manna Article | Noun - masculine singular Deuteronomy 8:3 הַמָּן֙ to He gave you manna Article | Noun - masculine singular Deuteronomy 8:16 מָן֙ to with manna Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 16:15
Aligned rows 14
Books represented 6
Exodus 5 Numbers 3 Deuteronomy 2 Joshua 2 Nehemiah 1 Psalms 1
Source forms
הַמָּן֙ 3x ham·mān Exodus 16:35, Deuteronomy 8:3
מָ֑ן 3x mān Exodus 16:31, Exodus 16:33, Joshua 5:12
מָ֣ן 2x mān Exodus 16:15, Psalms 78:24
הַמָּ֥ן 1x ham·mān Numbers 11:6
הַמָּ֖ן 1x ham·mān Numbers 11:9
הַמָּ֜ן 1x ham·mān Joshua 5:12
וְהַמָּ֕ן 1x wə·ham·mān Numbers 11:7
וּמַנְךָ֙ 1x ū·man·ḵā Nehemiah 9:20
Parsing patterns
Article | Noun - masculine singular 6x Exodus 16:35, Numbers 11:6, Numbers 11:9, Deuteronomy 8:3
Noun - masculine singular 5x Exodus 16:31, Exodus 16:33, Deuteronomy 8:16, Joshua 5:12
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular 1x Nehemiah 9:20
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular 1x Numbers 11:7
Interrogative 1x Exodus 16:15
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Manna named from the Hebrew question "what is it?"—God's mysterious daily provision during wilderness wandering
Source Gloss
literally a whatness (so to speak), i.e. manna (so called from the question about it)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Manna named from the Hebrew question "what is it?"—God's mysterious daily provision during wilderness wandering
literally a whatness (so to speak), i.e. manna (so called from the question about it) BDB: What Usage: manna.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
Cross-Language Connections
Greek words that correspond to or develop the meaning of this Hebrew word in the New Testament.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain