"The children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited: they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan." For forty years they were daily reminded by this miraculous provision, of God's unfailing care and tender love. In the words of the psalmist, God gave them "of the corn of heaven. Man did eat angels' food" (Psalm 78:24, 25)--that is, food provided for them by the angels. Sustained by "the corn of heaven," they were daily taught that, having God's promise, they were as secure from want as if surrounded by fields of waving grain on the fertile plains of Canaan.

Israelitterne spiste manna i fyrretyve år, indtil de kom til beboede egne; de spiste manna, indtil de kom til grænsen af Kanaans land. I fyrre år mindede dette mirakel dem daglig om Guds usvigelige omsorg og ømme kærlighed. Salmisten siger, at Gud gav dem himmelkorn; mennesker spiste englebrød (Sl. 78, 24-25); det vil sige mad, som englene skaffede dem. Mens de levede af himmelkorn erfarede de daglig, at med Guds løfte i eje var de lige så trygge mod mangel, som hvis de havde været omgivet af de frugtbare bølgende kornmarker i Kanaan.