Deuteronomy 8:3

He humbled you, and in your hunger He gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had known, so that you might understand that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses addresses Israel at the edge of the Promised Land, recalling forty years of wilderness provision (Deut 8:2).

The words — רָעַב (rāʿav, H7456), "caused to hunger," is the concrete verb that drives the sequence: God induced the need before supplying the answer.

The thread — Jesus quotes this verse in his temptation response (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4), applying it to his own dependence on the Father's word.

Why it lands — It places human survival under the authority of God's word rather than under material provision, demanding that a reader reckon with what they actually depend on.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַֽיְעַנְּךָ֮va/y.'a.ne./Khaand/ he humbled/ you וַיַּרְעִבֶךָ֒va/i.yar.'i.ve./Khaand/ he caused to hunger/ you וַיַּֽאֲכִֽלְךָ֤va/i.ya.'a.khil./Khaand/ he caused to eat/ you אֶת'et-<obj.>הַמָּן֙ha./Manthe/ manna אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwhich לֹא־lo'-not יָדַ֔עְתָּya.Da'.tayou had known וְלֹ֥אve./Lo'and/ not יָדְע֖וּןya.de.'U/nthey had known/ !אֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ'a.vo.Tei./khaancestors/ your לְמַ֣עַןle.Ma.'anso as הוֹדִֽעֲךָ֗ho.di.'a./Khato make know/ you כִּ֠יkithat לֹ֣אlo'not עַל־'al-on הַלֶּ֤חֶםha./Le.chemthe/ bread לְבַדּוֹ֙le./va.D/oby/ only/ it יִחְיֶ֣הyich.Yehhe lives הָֽאָדָ֔םha./'a.Dam<the>/ humankind כִּ֛יkifor עַל־'al-on כָּל־kol-every מוֹצָ֥אmo.Tza'<the> utterance of פִֽי־fi-[the] mouth of יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahweh יִחְיֶ֥הyich.Yehhe lives הָאָדָֽם׃ha./'a.Dam<the>/ humankind

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Matthew 4:4 But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Luke 4:4 But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”
Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”
Exodus 16:2 And there in the desert the whole congregation of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron.
Psalms 78:23 Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of the heavens.
1 Corinthians 10:3 They all ate the same spiritual food
Exodus 16:12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.’”
Luke 12:29 And do not be concerned about what you will eat or drink. Do not worry about it.
Psalms 37:3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Psalms 105:40 They asked, and He brought quail and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.