Matthew 14:18

Simplified Cowboy Version

"Bring 'em over here," Jesus said.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Bring them here to me,”

King James Version (1611)
He said, Bring them hither to me.

King James Version
He said, Bring them hither to me.

English Standard Version
And he said, "Bring them here to me."

New American Standard Bible
And He said, "Bring them here to Me."

New Century Version
Jesus said, "Bring the bread and the fish to me."

Amplified Bible
He said, "Bring them here to Me."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And he saide, Bring them hither to me.

Legacy Standard Bible
And He said, "Bring them here to Me."

Berean Standard Bible
"Bring them here to Me," Jesus said.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus asked his disciples to bring the food to him,

Complete Jewish Bible
He said, "Bring them here to me."

Darby Translation
And he said, Bring them here to me.

Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus said, "Bring the bread and the fish to me."

George Lamsa Translation
Jesus said to them, Bring them here to me.

Good News Translation
"Then bring them here to me," Jesus said.

Lexham English Bible
So he said, "Bring them here to me."

Literal Translation
And He said, Bring them here to Me.

American Standard Version
And he said, Bring them hither to me.

Bible in Basic English
And he said, Give them to me.

Hebrew Names Version
He said, "Bring them here to me."

International Standard Version
He said, "Bring them here to me."

Etheridge Translation
Jeshu said to them, Bring them hither to me.

Murdock Translation
Jesus said to them: Bring them here to me.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
He sayde: bryng them hyther to me.

English Revised Version
And he said, Bring them hither to me.

World English Bible
He said, "Bring them here to me."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
He said, Bring them hither to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass;

Weymouth's New Testament
"Bring them here to me," He said,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to hem, Brynge ye hem hidur to me.

Update Bible Version
And he said, Bring them here to me.

Webster's Bible Translation
He said, Bring them hither to me.

New English Translation
"Bring them here to me," he replied.

New King James Version
He said, "Bring them here to Me."

New Living Translation
"Bring them here," he said.

New Life Bible
Jesus said, "Bring them to Me."

New Revised Standard
And he said, "Bring them here to me."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, he, said - Bring, them, to me, here.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Who said to them: Bring them hither to me.

Revised Standard Version
And he said, "Bring them here to me."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And he sayde: bringe the hyther to me.

Young's Literal Translation
And he said, `Bring ye them to me hither.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he sayde: bringe the hither.

Mace New Testament (1729)
bring them hither, said he.

THE MESSAGE
Jesus said, "Bring them here." Then he had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation. They all ate their fill. They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. About five thousand were fed.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And He said, "Bring them here to Me."

Contextual Overview

¹³When Jesus heard the news, he rode off out into the pasture to be alone. But a bunch of people saw him ride out and they followed him. ¹⁴When Jesus got back from his ride, he felt sorry for all those who had gathered and waited on him. He took pity on 'em and healed all who were ailing. ¹⁵When the sun was goin' down, Jesus's crew came up and told him to send everyone back to town so they could get 'em some supper. ¹⁶But Jesus said it weren't necessary. "Y'all feed 'em." ¹⁷They all looked at him like he'd grown donkey ears. "All we got to feed with is five biscuits and two small catfish." ¹⁸"Bring 'em over here," Jesus said. ¹⁹He told everyone to hunker down while he said grace over the food. He asked God's blessing over the meager meal and then broke the biscuits apart. The cowboys were told to take some to everybody. ²⁰By the time everyone was finished eating, they were all layin' up under the mesquites as full as ticks. There was even twelve baskets of food left over. ²¹Not counting womenfolk and kiddos, there was over five thousand cowboys.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Mark 6:38 - General Mark 8:6 - to sit John 6:10 - Make

Cross-References

Acts 7:48
"But listen close, guys. God doesn't live in a barn made by humans. Remember that prophet who said,

Acts 16:17
She followed along behind us and shouted, "These men are cowboys who gather for the Most High God. They are here to tell you how to be saved!"

Galatians 6:10
So every chance we get, let's help others out, especially those who ride for the brand.

Hebrews 5:6
Another time God said, "You are the last trail guide. You'll finish what Melchizedek started."

Hebrews 5:10
God made him the last trail guide on the trail that Melchizedek started.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

He said, bring them hither to me. The loaves and the fishes, signifying that they were sufficient; or that he would make them so: this he said, to try their faith in him, their obedience to him, and their liberality to others: and indeed, the best way to have an increase of temporal supplies, is to bring what we have, and put it into Christ's hands; whereby not only good is done to others, but that with an overplus is returned to the giver.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A full narrative of the feeding the five thousand is given in each of the other evangelists: in Mark 6:32-44; in Luke 9:10-17; in John 6:1-14.

Matthew 14:13

And when Jesus heard of it, he departed - He went to a place of safety.

He never threw himself unnecessarily into danger. It was proper that he should secure his life until the appointed time had come for him to die.

By a ship into a desert place - That is, he crossed the Sea of Galilee. He went to the country east of the sea, into a place little inhabited. Luke says Luke 9:10 he went to a place called Bethsaida. See the notes at Matthew 11:21. “A desert place” means a place little cultivated, where there were few or no inhabitants. On the east of the Sea of Galilee there was a large tract of country of this description rough, uncultivated, and chiefly used to pasture flocks.

Matthew 14:14

Was moved with compassion - That is, pitied them.

Mark 6:34 says he was moved with compassion because they were as sheep having no shepherd. A shepherd is one who takes care of a flock. It was his duty to feed it; to defend it from wolves and other wild beasts; to take care of the young and feeble; to lead it by green pastures and still waters, Psalms 23:1-6. In Eastern countries this was a principal employment of the inhabitants. When Christ says the people were as sheep without a shepherd, he means that they had no teachers and guides who cared for them and took pains to instruct them. The scribes and Pharisees were haughty and proud, and cared little for the common people; and when they did attempt to teach them, they led them astray. They therefore came in great multitudes to him who preached the gospel to the poor Matthew 11:5, and who was thus the good shepherd, John 10:14.

Matthew 14:15

The time is now past - That is, the day is passing away; it is near night, and it is proper to make some provision for the temporal wants of so many.

Perhaps it may mean it was past the usual time for refreshment.

Matthew 14:16

Jesus said They need not depart; give ye them to eat - John adds John 6:5-6 that previous to this Jesus had addressed Philip, and asked, Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat? and that he “said this to prove him; for he himself knew what he would do;” that is, he said this to try his faith; to test the confidence of Philip in himself.

Philip, it seems, had not the kind of confidence which he ought to have had. He immediately began to think of their ability to purchase food for them. Two hundred pennyworth of bread, said he, would not be enough, John 6:7. In the original it is two hundred denarii. These were Roman coins amounting to about fourteen cents (7d.) each. The whole two hundred, therefore, would have been equal to about twenty-eight dollars. In the view of Philip this was a great sum, a sum which twelve poor fishermen were by no means able to provide. It was this fact, and not any unwillingness to provide for them, which led the disciples to request that they should be sent into the villages around in order to obtain food. Jesus knew how much they had, and he required of them, as he does of all, implicit faith, and told them to give them to eat. He requires us to do what he commands, and we need not doubt that he will give us strength to accomplish it.

Matthew 14:17

We have here but five loaves ... - These loaves were in the possession of a lad, or young man, who was with them, and were made of barley, John 6:9

It is possible that this lad was one in attendance on the apostles to carry their food, but it is most probable he was one who had provision to sell among the multitude. Barley was a cheap kind of food, scarcely one-third the value of wheat, and was much used by poor people. A considerable part of the food of the people in that region was probably fish, as they lived on the borders of a lake that abounded in fish.

Matthew 14:19

And he commanded the multitude to sit down - In the original it is “to recline” on the grass, or to lie as they did at their meals.

The Jews never sat, as we do, at meals, but reclined or lay at length. See the notes at Matthew 23:6. Mark and Luke add that they reclined in companies, by hundreds and by fifties.

And looking up to heaven, he blessed - Luke adds, he blessed “them;” that is, the loaves. The word “to bless” means, often, to give thanks; sometimes to pray for a blessing; that is, to pray for the divine favor and friendship; to pray that what we do may meet his approbation. In seeking a blessing on our food, it means that we pray that it may be made nourishing to our bodies; that we may have proper gratitude to God, the giver, for providing for our wants; and that we may remember the Creator while we partake the bounties of his providence. Our Saviour always sought a blessing on his food. In this he was an example for us. What he did we should do. It is right thus to seek the blessing of God. He provides for us; he daily opens his hand and satisfies our wants, and it is proper that we should render suitable acknowledgments for his goodness.

The custom among the Jews was universal. The form of prayer which they used in the time of Christ has been preserved by their writers, the Talmudists. It is this: “Blessed be thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, who hast produced this food and this drink from the earth and the vine.”

And brake - The loaves of bread, among the Jews, were made thin and brittle, and were therefore broken and not cut.

Matthew 14:20

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 travelers carried their provisions in. They were used commonly by the Jews in their journeys. In traveling 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 as lodging-places for the night, and not to provide food for travelers. 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. John John 6:12 says that Jesus directed them to gather up these fragments, that nothing might 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.

Matthew 14:21

Five thousand men, besides ... - Probably the whole number might have been ten thousand, To feed so many was an act of great benevolence and a stupendous miracle.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 14:18. Bring them hither to me. — No creature of God should be considered as good or safe without the blessing of God in it. If thou have but even a handful of meal and a few herbs, bring them to Christ by prayer and faith, and he will make them a sufficiency for thy body, and a sacrament to thy soul. Let the minister of the Gospel attend also to this-let him bring all his gifts and graces to his Maker - let him ever know that his word can be of no use, unless the blessing of Christ be in it.