Matthew 15 · Verse 33

Matthew 15:33

And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?
Matthew 15:33, King James Version

Matthew 15:33 in other translations

BSBThe disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?”
WEBThe disciples said to him, “Where could we get so many loaves in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a multitude?”
ASVAnd the disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so many loaves in a desert place as to fill so great a multitude?
YLTAnd his disciples say to him, ‘Whence to us, in a wilderness, so many loaves, as to fill so great a multitude?'
DARBYAnd his disciples say to him, Whence should we have so many loaves in the wilderness as to satisfy so great a crowd?
BBEAnd the disciples say to him, How may we get enough bread in a waste place, to give food to such a number of people?
WebsterAnd his disciples say to him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to satisfy so great a multitude?

What does Matthew 15:33 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 33. Mt 15:32

(y) "his disciples" 2Kgs 4:43,44

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 33 Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, etc. - Human foresight, even in the followers of Christ, is very short. In a thousand instances, if we supply not its deficiency by faith, we shall be always embarrassed, and often miserable. This world is a desert, where nothing can be found to satisfy the soul of man, but the salvation which Christ has procured.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 15:29-39

Whatever our case is, the only way to find ease and relief, is to lay it at Christ's feet, to submit it to him, and refer it to his disposal. Those who would have spiritual healing from Christ, must be ruled as he pleases. See what work sin has made; what various diseases human bodies are subject to. Here were such diseases as fancy could neither guess the cause nor the cure of, yet these were subject to the command…

Read the full comment on Matthew 15:29-39 →

Matthew 15:33 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
λέγουσινlegousinsayG3004
αὐτῷautōto HimG846
οἱhoitheG3588
μαθηταίmathētaidisciplesG3101
πόθενpothenFrom whereG4159
ἡμῖνhēminto usG3165
ἐνeninG1722
ἐρημίᾳerēmiaa secluded placeG2047
ἄρτοιartoiloavesG740
τοσοῦτοιtosoutoiso manyG5118
ὥστεhōsteasG5620
χορτάσαιchortasaito satisfyG5526
ὄχλονochlona crowdG3793
τοσοῦτον;¶tosoutonso great?G5118

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

Cross references for Matthew 15:33

  • Luke 9:13

    But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.

  • Matthew 14:15

    And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

  • Mark 6:37

    He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?

  • John 6:5-9

    When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, …

  • Mark 8:4-5

    And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.

  • Numbers 11:21-22

    And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?

  • 2 Kings 4:42-44

    And there came a man from Baal–shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat. 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.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Whence.
Nu 11:21,22; 2Ki 4:42-44; Mr 6:37; 8:4,5; Joh 6:5-7
to fill.
14:15; Lu 9:13; Joh 6:8,9

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

Context

  • Matthew 15:32

    Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

  • Matthew 15:33

    And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

  • Matthew 15:34

    And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

Read all of Matthew 15

Matthew 15:33 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces sus discípulos le dicen: ¿Dónde tenemos nosotros tantos panes en el desierto, que hartemos á tan gran compañía?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ses disciples lui disent: D’où aurions-nous dans le désert assez de pains pour rassasier une si grande foule?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und seine Jünger sagen zu ihm: Woher nehmen wir in der Einöde so viele Brote, um eine so große Volksmenge zu sättigen?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et dicunt ei discipuli: Unde ergo nobis in deserto panes tantos, ut saturemus turbam tantam?