Matthew 14 · Verse 20

Matthew 14:20

And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
Matthew 14:20, King James Version

Matthew 14:20 in other translations

BSBThey all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
WEBThey all ate and were filled. They took up twelve baskets full of that which remained left over from the broken pieces.
ASVAnd they all ate, and were filled: and they took up that which remained over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full.
YLTand they did all eat, and were filled, and they took up what was over of the broken pieces twelve hand-baskets full;
DARBYAnd all ate and were filled, and they took up what was over and above of fragments twelve hand-baskets full.
BBEAnd they all took of the food and had enough: and they took up twelve baskets full of broken bits which were not used.
WebsterAnd they all ate, and were satisfied: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

What does Matthew 14:20 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 20. And they did all eat, and were filled. This was an undoubted miracle. The quantity must have been greatly increased, to have supplied so many. He that could increase that small quantity so much, had the power of creation; and he that could do that, could create the world out of nothing, and had no less than Divine power.

Twelve baskets full. The size of these baskets is unknown. They were probably such as travellers carried their provisions in. They were used commonly by the Jews in their journeys. In travelling among the Gentiles, or Samaritans, a Jew could expect little hospitality. There were not, as now, public houses for the entertainment of strangers. At great distances there were caravansaries, but they were intended chiefly for lodging-places for the night, and not to provide food for travellers. Hence in journeying among strangers, or in deserts, they carried baskets of provisions; and this is the reason why they were furnished with them here. It is probable that each of the apostles had one, and they were all filled. Jn 6:12 says that Jesus directed them to gather up these fragments, that nothing be lost: an example of economy. God creates all food; it has, therefore, a kind of sacredness; it is all needed by some person or other, and none should be lost.

Mt 14:13

(f) "twelve baskets full" 2Kgs 4:1-7

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 They did all eat, and were filled - Little or much is the same in the hands of Jesus Christ. Here was an incontestable miracle - five thousand men, besides women and children, fed with five cakes and two fishes! Here must have been a manifest creation of substance - the parts of the bread were not dilated to make them appear large, nor was there any delusion in the eating - for they all ate, and were all filled. Here then is one miracle of our Lord attested by at least five thousand persons! But did not this creation of bread prove the unlimited power of Jesus? Undoubtedly: and nothing less than eternal power and Godhead could have effected it. They took up - twelve baskets - It was customary for many of the Jews to carry a basket with them at all times: and Mr. Wakefield's conjecture here is very reasonable: - "By the number here particularized, it should seem that each apostle filled his own bread basket." Some think that the Jews carried baskets in commemoration of their Egyptian bondage, when they were accustomed to carry the clay and stubble to make the bricks, in a basket that was hung about their necks. This seems to be what Sidonius Apollinaris refers to in the following words, Epist. vii. 6. Ordinis res est, ut, (dum in allegorica versamur Aegypto) Pharao incedat cum diademate, Israelita cum Cophino. These words of Alcimus Avitus, lib. v. 30, are to the same effect: - Servitii longo lassatam pondere plebem, Oppressos cophinis humeros, attritaque collo It appears that a basket about the neck, and a bunch of hay, were the general characteristic of this long enslaved and oppressed people in the different countries where they sojourned. Juvenal also mentions the Basket and the hay: - Cum dedit ille locum, cophino faenoque relicto, Arcanam Judaea tremens mendicat in aurem Sat vi. 542 A gypsy Jewess whispers in your ear - Her goods a basket, and old hay her bed, She strolls, and telling fortunes, gains her bread Dryden And again, Sat iii. 13: - Nunc sacri fontis nemus, et delubra locantur Judaeis, quorum cophinus, faenumque supellex Now the once hallowed fountain, grove, and fane, Are let to Jews, a wretched, wandering train, Whose wealth is but a basket stuff'd with hay Gifford The simple reason why the Jews carried baskets with them appears to be this: - When they went into Gentile countries, they carried their own provision with them, as they were afraid of being polluted by partaking of the meat of heathens. This also obliged them probably to carry hay with them to sleep on: and it is to this, in all likelihood, that Juvenal alludes. After five thousand were fed, twelve times as much, at least, remained, as the whole multitude at first sat down to! See the note on Luk 9:16.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 14:13-21

When Christ and his word withdraw, it is best for us to follow, seeking the means of grace for our souls before any worldly advantages. The presence of Christ and his gospel, makes a desert not only tolerable, but desirable. This little supply of bread was increased by Christ's creating power, till the whole multitude were satisfied. In seeking the welfare of men's souls, we should have compassion on their bodies…

Read the full comment on Matthew 14:13-21 →

Matthew 14:20 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
ἔφαγονephagonateG5315
πάντεςpantesallG3956
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐχορτάσθησαν·echortasthēsanwere satisfied;G5526
καὶkaiandG2532
ἦρανēranthey took upG142
τὸtothat whichG3588
περισσεῦονperisseuonis remainderingG4052
τῶνtōnof theG3588
κλασμάτων,klasmatōnfragments,G2801
δώδεκαdōdekatwelveG1427
κοφίνουςkophinoushand-basketsG2894
πλήρεις.plēreisfull.G4134

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 14:20

  • Exodus 16:12

    I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God.

  • 1 Kings 17:12-16

    And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. …

  • Mark 6:42-44

    And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.

  • Matthew 16:8-10

    Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

  • Exodus 16:8

    And Moses said, This shall be, when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.

  • Luke 1:53

    He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

  • Leviticus 26:26

    And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.

  • 2 Kings 4:1-7

    Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. …

  • John 6:11-14

    And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

  • 2 Kings 4:43-44

    And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the Lord, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof. So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the Lord.

  • Luke 9:17

    And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.

  • Mark 8:8-9

    So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
were.
5:6; 15:33; Ex 16:8,12; Le 26:26; 1Ki 17:12-16; 2Ki 4:43,44
Pr 13:25; Eze 4:14-16; Hag 1:6; Lu 1:53; 9:17; Joh 6:7,11
and they took.
15:37,38; 16:8-10; 2Ki 4:1-7; Mr 6:42-44; 8:8,9,16-21; Joh 6:12-14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 14:19

    And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

  • Matthew 14:20

    And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

  • Matthew 14:21

    And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

Read all of Matthew 14

Matthew 14:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y comieron todos, y se hartaron; y alzaron lo que sobró de los pedazos, doce cestas llenas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils mangèrent tous et furent rassasiés. Et ils ramassèrent, des morceaux qui étaient de reste, douze paniers pleins.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sie aßen alle und wurden gesättigt. Und sie hoben auf, was an Brocken übrigblieb, zwölf Handkörbe voll.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et manducaverunt omnes, et saturati sunt. Et tulerunt reliquias, duodecim cophinos fragmentorum plenos.