Matthew 4 · Verse 2

Matthew 4:2

And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Matthew 4:2, King James Version

Matthew 4:2 in other translations

BSBAfter fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry.
WEBWhen he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward.
ASVAnd when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered.
YLTand having fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he did hunger.
DARBYand having fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he hungered.
BBEAnd after going without food for forty days and forty nights, he was in need of it.
WebsterAnd when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward hungry.

What does Matthew 4:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights--Luke says "When they were quite ended" (Lu 4:2). he was afterward an hungered--evidently implying that the sensation of hunger was unfelt during all the forty days; coming on only at their close. So it was apparently with Moses (Ex 34:28) and Elijah (1Ki 19:8) for the same period. A supernatural power of endurance was of course imparted to the body, but this probably operated through a natural law--the absorption of the Redeemer's Spirit in the dread conflict with the tempter. (See on Ac 9:9). Had we only this Gospel, we should suppose the temptation did not begin till after this. But it is clear, from Mark's statement, that "He was in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan" (Mr 1:13), and Luke's, "being forty days tempted of the devil" (Lu 4:2), that there was a forty days' temptation before the three specific temptations afterwards recorded. And this is what we have called the First Stage. What the precise nature and object of the forty days' temptation were is not recorded. But two things seem plain enough. First, the tempter had utterly failed of his object, else it had not been renewed; and the terms in which he opens his second attack imply as much. But further, the tempter's whole object during the forty days evidently was to get Him to distrust the heavenly testimony borne to Him at His baptism as THE Son of God--to persuade Him to regard it as but a splendid illusion--and, generally, to dislodge from His breast the consciousness of His Sonship. With what plausibility the events of His previous history from the beginning would be urged upon Him in support of this temptation it is easy to imagine. And it makes much in support of this view of the forty days' temptation that the particulars of it are not recorded; for how the details of such a purely internal struggle could be recorded it is hard to see. If this be correct, how naturally does the Second Stage of the temptation open! In Mark's brief notice of the temptation there is one expressive particular not given either by Matthew or by Luke--that "He was with the wild beasts" (Mr 1:12), no doubt to add terror to solitude, and aggravate the horrors of the whole scene.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 2. Had fasted. Abstained from food.

Forty days and forty nights. It has been questioned by some whether Christ abstained wholly from food, or only from bread and the food to which he was accustomed. Luke says, (Lk 4:2,) that he ate nothing. This settles the question. Mark says, Mk 1:13, that angels came and ministered unto him. At first view, this would seem to imply that he did eat during that time. But Mark does not mention the time when the angels performed the office of kindness; and we are at liberty to suppose that he meant to say that it was done at the close of the forty days; and the rather as Matthew, after giving an account of the temptation, says the same thing, Mk 4:2. There are other instances of persons fasting forty days, recorded in the Scriptures. Thus Moses fasted forty days, Ex 34:28. Elijah also fasted the same length of time, 1Kgs 19:8. In these cases, they were no doubt miraculously supported.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 And when he had fasted forty days - It is remarkable that Moses, the great lawgiver of the Jews, previously to his receiving the law from God, fasted forty days in the mount; that Elijah, the chief of the prophets, fasted also forty days; and that Christ, the giver of the New Covenant, should act in the same way. Was not all this intended to show, that God's kingdom on earth was to be spiritual and Divine? - that it should not consist in meat and drink, but in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost? Rom 14:17. Relative to the forty days' fast of Moses, there is a beautiful saying in the Talmudists. "Is it possible that any man can fast forty days and forty nights? To which Rabbi Meir answered, When thou takest up thy abode in any particular city, thou must live according to its customs. Moses ascended to heaven, where they neither eat nor drink therefore he became assimilated to them. We are accustomed to eat and drink; and, when angels descend to us, they eat and drink also." Moses, Elijah, and our blessed Lord could fast forty days and forty nights, because they were in communion with God, and living a heavenly life.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 4:1-11

Concerning Christ's temptation, observe, that directly after he was declared to be the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world, he was tempted; great privileges, and special tokens of Divine favour, will not secure any from being tempted. But if the Holy Spirit witness to our being adopted as children of God, that will answer all the suggestions of the evil spirit. Christ was directed to the combat. If we presume…

Read the full comment on Matthew 4:1-11 →

Matthew 4:2 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
νηστεύσαςnēsteusashaving fastedG3522
ἡμέραςhēmerasdaysG2250
τεσσεράκονταtesserakontafortyG5062
καὶkaiandG2532
νύκταςnuktasnightsG3571
τεσσεράκονταtesserakontafortyG5062
ὕστερονhusteronafterwardG5306
ἐπείνασεν.epeinasenHe was hungry.G3983

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

Cross references for Matthew 4:2

  • Deuteronomy 9:18

    And I fell down before the Lord, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

  • Exodus 34:28

    And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

  • 1 Kings 19:8

    And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

  • Luke 4:2

    Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

  • Deuteronomy 9:9

    When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the Lord made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water:

  • Deuteronomy 9:25

    Thus I fell down before the Lord forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first; because the Lord had said he would destroy you.

  • Exodus 24:18

    And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

  • John 4:6

    Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

  • Deuteronomy 18:18

    I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

  • Mark 11:12

    And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:

  • Hebrews 2:14-17

    Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

  • Matthew 21:18

    Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
fasted.
Ex 24:18; 34:28; De 9:9,18,25; 18:18; 1Ki 19:8; Lu 4:2
he was.
21:18; Mr 11:12; Joh 4:6; Heb 2:14-17

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

Context

  • Matthew 4:1

    Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

  • Matthew 4:2

    And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

  • Matthew 4:3

    And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

Read all of Matthew 4

Matthew 4:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y habiendo ayunado cuarenta días y cuarenta noches, después tuvo hambre.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ayant jeûné 40 jours et 40 nuits, après cela il eut faim.
German
Elberfelder 1871		und als er vierzig Tage und vierzig Nächte gefastet hatte, hungerte ihn danach.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et cum jejunasset quadraginta diebus, et quadraginta noctibus, postea esuriit.