Luke 9:14

14 (They said this because about five thousand men were present.) Jesus said to his disciples, " Seat them in groups of about fifty."

Luke 9:14 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 9:14

For they were about five thousand men
Beside women and children, ( Matthew 14:21 ) ,

and he said to his disciples, make them to sit down by fifties
in a company;
and by hundreds also; some companies had a hundred apiece in them, and others fifty; and which was done partly, for the more easy numbering of them, and partly and chiefly for the more convenient distribution of food to them; (See Gill on Mark 6:39). (See Gill on Mark 6:40).

Luke 9:14 In-Context

12 When the day was almost over, the Twelve came to him and said, "Send the crowd away so that they can go to the nearby villages and countryside and find lodging and food, because we are in a deserted place."

13 He replied, "You give them something to eat." But they said, "We have no more than five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all these people."

14 (They said this because about five thousand men were present.) Jesus said to his disciples, "Seat them in groups of about fifty."

15 They did so, and everyone was seated.

16 He took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed them, and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.