Deuteronomy 8:3
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The phrase "every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD" isn't just about obedience to commands; it highlights that God's life-sustaining power is not limited to physical food. His provision is broader, encompassing whatever He ordains, even things unknown to humanity, demonstrating our complete dependence on His creative and sustaining power.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Moses is reminding the Israelites about their forty years in the wilderness, specifically highlighting God's provision during times of hunger with the miraculous manna. This experience wasn't just about physical sustenance; it was designed to teach them a profound truth about their dependence on God for everything, not just the ordinary means of life. It sets the stage for understanding that obedience to God's word is the true source of life and well-being.
Ever feel like God is letting you go through tough times on purpose? That hunger and need you experience might be a deliberate part of His plan.
The Israelites' journey in the wilderness wasn't just a long walk; it was a masterclass in dependence. God intentionally allowed them to hunger. This wasn't malicious, but rather a strategic move. By withholding the familiar comfort of bread and providing the mysterious manna, God was teaching them a crucial lesson: their survival wasn't guaranteed by their own efforts or even by predictable food sources. It was entirely dependent on His direct intervention. This experience humbled them, stripping away their self-sufficiency and forcing them to confront their absolute need for Him.
What was manna, really? It was more than just strange food; it was a tangible sign that God's provision comes directly from His spoken will.
The manna was completely foreign to the Israelites and their ancestors. They didn't know its origin or how to prepare it – they could only rely on God's daily instruction to gather it. This miraculous food, appearing by God's decree, served as a constant, visible reminder that life's sustenance doesn't flow from the earth alone. It flows from 'every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.' This means God's creative and sustaining power isn't limited to what we consider 'normal' or natural. His word is the ultimate source of all life and provision.
Understand the original words
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man · Hebrew Noun
A miraculous provision from God in the wilderness. It signifies God's daily, supernatural care for His people and the necessity of dependence upon His Word for sustenance.
lechem · Hebrew Noun
The primary means of sustenance, representing God's providential provision for physical life. It also serves as a metaphor for anything transient compared to the eternal necessity of God's Word.
dabar · Hebrew Noun
God's revealed utterance, decree, or promise. It is the life-giving, creative, and authoritative reality upon which human existence ultimately depends.
Jesus directly quotes this verse when resisting the temptation to turn stones into bread, highlighting that physical sustenance is secondary to obedience to God's word.
Luke 4:4This passage is a parallel account of Jesus' temptation, also quoting Deuteronomy 8:3 to emphasize reliance on God's word over physical needs.
John 6:35Jesus declares, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty,' linking the concept of true sustenance to Himself, the ultimate Word of God.
Psalm 104:29-30This psalm speaks of God sending forth His Spirit to renew the earth and sustain life, echoing the idea that God's active presence and provision are the source of life, not just material resources.
1 Corinthians 10:11The Apostle Paul refers to the Israelites' experiences in the wilderness, including the manna, as examples for believers, urging them not to repeat their mistakes and to remember that Christ is the spiritual substance behind all God's provisions.
clarkeDeuteronomy 8:3: "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."
He - suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee - God never permits any tribulation to befall his followers, which he does not design to turn to their advantage. When he permits us to hunger, it is that his merc…
cambridgeDeuteronomy 8:3: "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."
3 . And he humbled thee , etc.] Better, So He ; for the v . proceeds to illustrate the facts by which God’s purpose of proving the people was carried out. In the main these were two: first the hunger of the…
The phrase "every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD" isn't just about obedience to commands; it highlights that God's life-sustaining power is not limited to physical food. His provision is broader, encompassing whatever He ordains, even things unknown to humanity, demonstrating our complete dependence on His creative and sustaining power.
Moses is reminding the Israelites about their forty years in the wilderness, specifically highlighting God's provision during times of hunger with the miraculous manna. This experience wasn't just about physical sustenance; it was designed to teach them a profound truth about their dependence on God for everything, not just the ordinary means of life. It sets the stage for understanding that obedience to God's word is the true source of life and well-being.
Moses is reminding the Israelites about their forty years in the wilderness, specifically highlighting God's provision during times of hunger with the miraculous manna. This experience wasn't just about physical sustenance; it was designed to teach them a profound truth about their dependence on God for everything, not just the ordinary means of life. It sets the stage for understanding that obedience to God's word is the true source of life and well-being.
"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 th…" — The phrase "every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD" isn't just about obedience to commands; it highlights that God's life-sustaining power is not limited to physical food. His provision is…
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Last reviewed October 2026
