Luke 9:13

13 And he said to them, Give ye to them to eat. And they said, There be not to us more than five loaves and two fishes, but peradventure that we go, and buy meats to all this people [and buy meats for all the company].

Luke 9:13 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 9:13

And he said to them, give ye them to eat
Signifying, that it was not his will to dismiss people, and send them scattering abroad into the adjacent cities, towns, or houses; and that there was no need of it, but that his will was, that they should be supplied with provisions out of their stock:

and they said, we have no more than five loaves and two fishes;
and these loaves were barley loaves, and the fishes small, ( John 6:9 )

except we should go and buy meat for all this people;
which would at least cost them two hundred pence; and which they represent as impossible to be done, either through want of so much money, or the scarcity of provision in those parts; where, had they money, it would be difficult, at least to get such a quantity of provisions at once, which so great a number of persons required.

Luke 9:13 In-Context

11 And when the people knew this, they followed him. And he received them, and spake to them of the kingdom of God; and he healed them that had need of cure [and healed them that had need of cure].

12 And the day began to bow down, and the twelve came, and said to him, Let go the people [Leave the companies of people], that they go, and turn into the castles and towns, that be about, that they find meat [that they find meats], for we be here in a desert place.

13 And he said to them, Give ye to them to eat. And they said, There be not to us more than five loaves and two fishes, but peradventure that we go, and buy meats to all this people [and buy meats for all the company].

14 And the men were almost five thousand. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit to meat by companies, a fifty together.

15 And they did so, and they made all men sit to [the] meat.