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μάννα

mánna

G3131 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

An edible substance, 'manna,' specifically referring to the miraculous food provided to the Israelites in the wilderness; in broader contexts, any supernatural or divinely given nourishment.

Semantic Range

miraculous food for Israelites in the wilderness, supernatural or heavenly food, metaphor for hidden or spiritual nourishment

Root / Etymology

Borrowed from Hebrew מָן (man), referring originally to the food described in Exodus said to have appeared from heaven for the Israelites. The Greek form is a direct transliteration with no independent Greek root.

Historical & Contextual Notes

μάννα appears exclusively in reference to the miraculous food described in the Hebrew Scriptures (notably Exodus 16). In the Septuagint, it is a loanword directly rendering the Hebrew term, emphasizing its foreign, mysterious, or supernatural quality. In the New Testament, μάννα is used figuratively as well—particularly in Revelation 2:17—where it represents hidden or eschatological nourishment associated with divine reward. Outside of Jewish and Christian texts, μάννα is not attested in classical Greek literature except via references to the biblical tradition. English versions often render μάννα as 'manna,' preserving the foreignness and specificity of the term; the underlying concept and the mysterious nature of its etymology are noted in both ancient and modern scholarship. Later use (post-biblical) sometimes applies 'manna' generically to natural gums or sweet exudates, but the original biblical context is highly specific.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of Hebrew origin (מָן); manna (i.e. man), an edible gum:--manna.

Root Family

μανν- (mánna) — divinely provided food, supernatural nourishment

Root μανν- divinely provided food, supernatural nourishment

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3131-01 μάννα manna N ACC N SG manna divinely provided nourishment divinely provided nourishment 4

Occurrences in Scripture

4 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3131-01 John 6:31 μάννα manna N ACC N SG manna divinely provided nourishment manna
G3131-01 John 6:49 μάννα manna N ACC N SG manna divinely provided nourishment manna
G3131-01 Hebrews 9:4 μάννα manna N ACC N SG manna divinely provided nourishment divinely provided nourishment
G3131-01 Revelation 2:17 μάννα manna N GEN N SG manna divinely provided nourishment divinely provided nourishment
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