in the Materia Medica, the juice of certain tain trees of the all kind, either naturally concreted on the plants, or exsiccated and purified by art. See MATERIA MEDICA Index.
Manna, is also a Scripture term, signifying a miraculous kind of food which fell from heaven for the support of the Israelites in their passage through the wilderness, being in form of coriander seeds, its colour like that of bdelium, and its taste like honey.
The Scripture gives to manna the name of the bread of heaven, and the food of angels, Psalm lxviii. 25. whether it would infinuate to us, that the angels sent and prepared this food, or that angels themselves, if they had need of any food, could not have any that was more agreeable than manna was. The author of the Book of Wisdom says, xvi. 20, 21. that manna so accommodated itself to every one's taste, that every one found it pleasing to him; and that it included every thing that was agreeable to the palate and fit for good nourishment; which expressions some have taken in the literal sense, though others understand them figuratively.
The critics are divided about the original of the word manna. Some think that man is put instead of the Hebrew word mah, which signifies "What is this?" and that the Hebrews, then first seeing that new food which God had sent them, cried to one another, מנה, man-hu, instead of mah-hu, "What is this?" Others maintain, that the Hebrews very well knew before what manna was; and that, seeing it in great abundance about their camp, they said one to another, Man-hu, "This is manna." Mr Saumale and some other moderns are of this last opinion. They imagine, that the manna which God sent the Israelites was nothing else but that fat and thick dew which still falls in Arabia, which presently condensed, and served for food to the people; that this is the same thing as the wild honey, mentioned Matth. iii. 4. wherewith John the Baptist was fed; and that the miracle of Moses did not consist in the production of any new substance, but in the exact and uniform manner in which the manna was dispensed by Providence for the maintenance of such a great multitude.
On the contrary, the Hebrews and Orientals believe, that the fall of the manna was wholly miraculous. The Arabians call it the sugar plums of the Almighty; and the Jews are so jealous of this miracle, that they pronounce a curse against all such as presume to deny the interposition of a miraculous power.
Our translation, and some others, make Moses fall into a plain contradiction in relating this story of the manna, which they render thus: "And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna; for they wist not what it was." Exodus xvi. 15. Whereas the Septuagint, and several authors both ancient and modern, have translated the text according to the original, "The Israelites seeing this, said one to another, What is this? for they knew not what it was." For we must observe, that the word by which they asked, what is this? was in their language man, which signifies likewise meat ready provided; and therefore it was always afterwards called man or manna.
Whether this manna had those extraordinary qualities in it or not, which some imagine, it must be allowed to be truly miraculous, upon the following accounts. 1. That it fell but six days in the week. 2. That it fell in such a prodigious quantity, as sustained almost three millions of souls. 3. That there fell a double quantity every Friday, to serve them for the next day, which was their Sabbath. 4. That what was gathered on the first five days stunk and bred worms if kept above one day: but that which was gathered on Friday kept sweet for two days. And, lastly, That it continued falling while the Israelites abode in the wilderness, but ceased as soon as they came out of it and had got corn to eat in the land of Canaan.
MANNAN-Tree, is a species of the ash, and a native of Calabria in Italy. See FRAXINUS, BOTANY Index, and MATERIA MEDICA Index.