Deuteronomy 8:3

King James Version (KJV)

And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee

Other Translations

asv (asv)

eBible.org engASV USFM

Thou shalt be blessed above all peoples: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.

darby (darby)

eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext

And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with the manna, which thou hadst not known, and which thy fathers knew not; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread alone, but by everything that goeth out of the mouth of Jehovah doth man live.

lxxbrent (lxxbrent)

Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM

And he afflicted thee and straitened thee with hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thy fathers knew not; that he might teach thee that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God shall man live.

vul1914 (vul1914)

Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

Afflixit te penuria, et dedit tibi cibum Manna, quod ignorabas tu et patres tui: ut ostenderet tibi quod non in solo pane vivat homo, sed in omni verbo quod egreditur de ore Dei.

web (web)

WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV

He humbled you, allowed you to be hungry, and fed you with manna, which you didn’t know, neither did your fathers know, that he might teach you that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the LORD’s mouth.

ylt (ylt)

Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8

`And He doth humble thee, and cause thee to hunger and doth cause thee to eat the manna (which thou hast not known, even thy fathers have not known), in order to cause thee to know that not by bread alone doth man live, but by every produce of the mouth of Jehovah man doth live.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

This verse tells us that God made everything! Before there was anything at all - no toys, no houses, no animals, no people, not even the ground we walk on or the sky above us - there was only God. And God is so amazing and powerful that He made everything we see just by wanting it to exist. He made the whole world, the stars, the moon, the sun, and everything in it. God was there first, and He made everything else!

Explain Like I'm 10

Genesis 1:1 is like the opening line of the greatest story ever told. It tells us that before anything existed - no universe, no planets, no life - God was there. The word "beginning" doesn't mean God had a beginning, but rather the beginning of everything else. God created both "heaven" (the sky and space) and "earth" (our planet and everything on it). This verse teaches us that God is the source of everything, that He existed before time itself, and that He has the power to create something from nothing. It's the foundation that helps us understand who God is and where everything came from.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1 establishes several crucial theological and philosophical concepts. The Hebrew word "bereshit" (in the beginning) indicates the commencement of time and space, not God's beginning, since God is eternal. "Elohim" (God) is a plural noun used with singular verbs, possibly hinting at the Trinity. The verb "bara" (created) is used exclusively for divine creation and implies creation ex nihilo (from nothing), distinguishing God's creative act from human making or forming. "Heaven and earth" is a merism representing the totality of creation - everything that exists. This verse refutes atheism (God exists), pantheism (God is distinct from creation), polytheism (one God created all), and materialism (matter is not eternal). It establishes God as transcendent, eternal, and omnipotent, setting the foundation for understanding reality, purpose, and meaning.

Biblical Commentary

Historical Context

Genesis 1:1 was written by Moses around 1450-1410 BC during the Israelites' wilderness wanderings. This opening statement would have been particularly meaningful to the Israelites who had just come out of Egypt, where they were surrounded by polytheistic creation myths. This verse establishes monotheism and God's sovereignty over all creation.

Hebrew Insights

The Hebrew text reveals deeper meanings: "Bereshit" can also mean "in the beginning of" or "when God began to create," suggesting an ongoing relationship between God and creation. "Elohim" is grammatically plural but takes singular verbs, emphasizing both God's majesty and unity. The verb "bara" appears only with God as the subject in Scripture, indicating a type of creation that only God can perform.

Theological Significance

This verse establishes fundamental truths about God's nature: He is eternal (existing before creation), transcendent (separate from creation), omnipotent (able to create from nothing), and personal (actively involved in creation). It also establishes the material world as good and purposeful, not illusory or evil as some philosophies suggest.

Cross References

This verse connects with John 1:1-3 ("In the beginning was the Word"), Hebrews 11:3 ("By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command"), and Colossians 1:16 ("For in him all things were created"). These passages reinforce the truth that God, through Christ, is the creator of all things.