Mark 8:3

3 If I send them home hungry, they'll faint along the way - some of them have come a long distance."

Mark 8:3 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 8:3

And if I send them away fasting to their own houses
Greek, "to their own house", or home; but all the Oriental versions render it as we do, in the plural, "their own houses", or habitations; and it seems from hence that they were now tasting, and at least had had no food all that day, whatever they might have the day before, which it not certain.

They will faint by the way;
for want of food their strength will be exhausted, their animal spirits will fail, their nerves will be loosened, they will not be able to perform their journey, or get to the end of it:

for divers of them came from far;
perhaps some had followed him from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, from whence he came last; and others from Decapolis, through the midst of the borders of which he passed hither; and others from different parts, who had heard of his coming; (See Gill on Matthew 15:32).

Mark 8:3 In-Context

1 At about this same time he again found himself with a hungry crowd on his hands. He called his disciples together and said,

2 "This crowd is breaking my heart. They have stuck with me for three days, and now they have nothing to eat.

3 If I send them home hungry, they'll faint along the way - some of them have come a long distance."

4 His disciples responded, "What do you expect us to do about it? Buy food out here in the desert?"

5 He asked, "How much bread do you have?" "Seven loaves," they said.