Numbers 11:8

And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in milles, or beat it in a morter, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oyle. Numbers 11:8 (KJV)

Context: The book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Bible and it recounts the events of the Israelites’ journey from Mount Sinai to the Promised Land.

In Numbers 11, the Israelites are in the wilderness, and they begin to grumble and complain about their hardships, particularly about the manna that God provided as their daily food.

The Israelites had been miraculously delivered from slavery in Egypt, and God had been providing them with manna, a supernatural bread-like substance, to sustain them in the wilderness.

However, the people grew tired of eating the same food every day and began to complain.

In response to their complaints, God provided quail for the people to eat.

The verse describes the preparation of manna, not quail.

The people gathered manna and prepared it using various methods such as grinding it in mills, beating it in a mortar, and baking it in pans.

These methods highlight the resourcefulness and creativity of the people in making the most of what God had provided.

The verse concludes by describing the taste of the manna as being like the taste of fresh oil.

This indicates that the manna had a rich and flavorful taste, perhaps reminiscent of oil used for cooking or seasoning.

It implies that God not only met their physical need for food but also provided something delicious and satisfying.

While the taste of the quail was rich and flavorful, reminiscent of fresh oil, it is important to note that God’s anger was kindled against them due to their greed and complaining, resulting in a plague (Numbers 11:33).

This narrative underscores both God’s provision and the consequences of human greed.