Luke 9:14

14 (There were about five thousand men there.) Jesus said to his followers, "Tell the people to sit in groups of about fifty people."

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 Late in the afternoon, the twelve apostles came to Jesus and said, "Send the people away. They need to go to the towns and countryside around here and find places to sleep and something to eat, because no one lives in this place."

13 But Jesus said to them, "You give them something to eat." They said, "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish, unless we go buy food for all these people."

14 (There were about five thousand men there.) Jesus said to his followers, "Tell the people to sit in groups of about fifty people."

15 So the followers did this, and all the people sat down.

16 Then Jesus took the five loaves of bread and two fish, and looking up to heaven, he thanked God for the food. Then he divided the food and gave it to the followers to give to the people.