# Two Biblical Questions: Cannibalism and Manna? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 13, 2002, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-biblical-questions-cannibalism-and-manna/136604 "2002-11-13T18:35:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-biblical-questions-cannibalism-and-manna/136604/1 "2002-11-13T18:35:56Z")
I was having a discussion with a Jewish friend of mine, when for some reason I asked him jokingly if people were kosher, that is, if there was a dietary law forbidding the eating of people. He said that there was such a commandment (not one of the Big 10, though). I believe him, but where would the ancient Israelites run into cannibalism on their escape from Egypt? (that’s where he said it appeared in the Bible.) Another question that came up was what they ate on their trek. I seem to remember it being called “manna”, but what is that? I’d heard somewhere that it was some type of insect secretion. Is this true? Thanks in advance for any help. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-biblical-questions-cannibalism-and-manna/136604/2 "2002-11-13T20:28:00Z")
Well, there are dietary laws in the Old Testament that can be interpreted to mean “human flesh is unclean”. [Leviticus 11](http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?passage=LEV+11&language=english&version=NIV&showfn=on&showxref=on) > [@](#): > > 1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 2 "Say to the Israelites: 'Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat: 3 You may eat any animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud. > > 4 " 'There are some that only chew the cud or only have a split hoof, but you must not eat them. The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is ceremonially unclean for you. 5 The coney, [1] though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is unclean for you. 6 The rabbit, though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is unclean for you. 7 And the pig, though it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. 8 You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you. So, _homo sapiens_ neither has a split hoof nor chews the cud, so he’s not kosher. As for what manna was, nobody really knows, but it’s described as being “bread-like”. [Exodus 16](http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?passage=EXOD+16&language=english&version=NIV&showfn=on&showxref=on) > [@](#): > > 13 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat… > > 31 The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. 32 Moses said, "This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.’ " ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-biblical-questions-cannibalism-and-manna/136604/3 "2002-11-13T20:32:23Z")
I’ve heard the manna=insect secretion thing somewhere before. My guess it was one of those things where someone tries to explain biblical miracles as natural events. ---
**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-biblical-questions-cannibalism-and-manna/136604/4 "2002-11-13T20:37:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Hell \* > \*\* Another question that came up was what they ate on their trek. I seem to remember it being called “manna”, but what is that? I’d heard somewhere that it was some type of insect secretion. Is this true? \*\* Manna (or **mun** ) in Hebrew, was given to the Children of Israel during their 40 year sojurn. It was a miraculous substance which came down from heaven 6 days a week. A double portion was given on Friday so the Jews would not have to gather it on Saturday. (Gathering it would be a violation of the Sabbath.) It was placed between layers of dew, so that it would not be dirty from the ground and it would not be eaten by the insects from above. Also, it was said to taste like whatever the person wanted it to taste like. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-biblical-questions-cannibalism-and-manna/136604/5 "2002-11-13T20:40:35Z")
Actually, do a Google search for **manna insect bible** and you’ll find lots of bug-related manna theories. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-biblical-questions-cannibalism-and-manna/136604/6 "2002-11-13T22:55:05Z")
I’ve heard it said that it was exudate from some tree or other, but that’s no more satisfying an explanation. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-biblical-questions-cannibalism-and-manna/136604/7 "2002-11-14T00:24:12Z")
There’s no need for a natural explanation for a legend… ---
**Author:** ![Kevin\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de0a6/32.png) [@Kevin\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevin_H)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-biblical-questions-cannibalism-and-manna/136604/8 "2002-11-14T04:09:02Z")
What do you guys think about this? [http://www.bluehoney.org/Manna.htm](http://www.bluehoney.org/Manna.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milton_De_La_Warre)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-biblical-questions-cannibalism-and-manna/136604/9 "2002-11-15T19:58:33Z")
Take no offense, but: “What do you guys think about this? [http://www.bluehoney.org/Manna.htm](http://www.bluehoney.org/Manna.htm)” Oh God. So now we know why the Israelites wandered for 40 years in the desert. They were disoriented from the magic mushrooms. Yeah, right. Next thing we know, we’ll find out that Moses was actually a Yaqui Brujo. ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-biblical-questions-cannibalism-and-manna/136604/10 "2002-11-16T05:52:37Z")
Did anybody else miss the part in the title about ‘Two Biblical Questions’ and came in hoping for a theory about the Israelites resorting to canabalism on their trek from Egypt, and then later made up the whole ‘mana from heaven’ story as a cover? :smack: -lv ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-biblical-questions-cannibalism-and-manna/136604/11 "2002-11-16T22:37:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Hell \* > \*\*I seem to remember it being called “manna”, but what is that? \*\* Exactly! When the Isrealites saw the stuff (Ex 16:13, quoted by **DDG** ), they said “What is it?” In Hebrew, _man hu_? Hence, “manna”!