At nightfall the camp was surrounded by vast flocks of quails, enough to supply the entire company. In the morning there lay upon the surface of the ground "a small round thing, as small as the hoarfrost." "It was like coriander seed, white." The people called it "manna." Moses said, "This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat." The people gathered the manna, and found that there was an abundant supply for all. They "ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it." Numbers 11:8. "And the taste of it was like wafers made with honey." They were directed to gather daily an omer for every person; and they were not to leave of it until the morning. Some attempted to keep a supply until the next day, but it was then found to be unfit for food. The provision for the day must be gathered in the morning; for all that remained upon the ground was melted by the sun.

Om aftenen blev lejren omgivet af så store flokke af vagtler, at der var nok til alle. Om morgenen var jorden dækket af "noget fint, skælagtigt noget, noget fint, der lignede rim". "Det lignede hvide korianderfrø." Folket kaldte det manna. Moses sagde: "Det er det brød, Herren har givet Eder til føde." Folket samlede mannaen og opdagede, at der var rigeligt til alle. De malede den "i håndkværne eller stødte den i mortere; så kogte de den i gryder og lavede kager deraf". 4. Mos. 11, 8. Den "smagte som honningkager". De fik besked på at samle en omer om dagen til hver, og de måtte ikke gemme den til næste morgen. Der var nogle, der prøvede at gemme lidt til næste dag, men de opdagede, at den var uspiselig. Det daglige forbrug skulle samles om morgenen, for alt, hvad der blev tilbage på jorden, smeltede i solen.