Berean Bible

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Matthew

14

:

19

And having commanded the crowds to sit down on the grass, having taken the five loaves and the two fish, having looked up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. And having broken, He gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the crowds.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Greek: Transliteration:
having commanded To command, order, direct, bid. V-APA-NMS H2753 κελεύσας keleusas
crowds A crowd, mob, the common people. N-DMP H3793 ὄχλους ochlous
to sit down To lay upon, lean against, lay down, make to recline; pass: to lie back, recline. V-ANP H347 ανακλιθῆναι anaklithēnai
the The, the definite article. N-GMS H5528 χόρτου chortou
having taken (a) to receive, get, (b) to take, lay hold of. V-APA-NMS H2983 λαβὼν labōn
five Five. Adj-AMP H4002 πέντε pente
the The, the definite article. N-AMP H740 ἄρτους artous
two Two. Adj-AMP H1417 δύο duo
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016 

fish, A fish. N-AMP H2486 ἰχθύας ichthuas
having looked up To look up, recover my sight. V-APA-NMS H308 ἀναβλέψας anablepsas
to Into, in, unto, to, upon, towards, for, among. Prep H1519 εἰς eis
heaven, Heaven, (a) the visible heavens: the atmosphere, the sky, the starry heavens, (b) the spiritual heavens. N-AMS H3772 οὐρανὸν ouranon
He spoke a blessing. (literal: to speak well of) to bless; pass: to be blessed. V-AIA-3S H2127 εὐλόγησεν eulogēsen
having broken, To break (in pieces), break bread. V-APA-NMS H2806 κλάσας klasas
the The, the definite article. N-AMP H740 ἄρτους artous
He gave To offer, give; to put, place. V-AIA-3S H1325 ἔδωκεν edōken
disciples, A learner, disciple, pupil. N-NMP H3101 μαθηταῖς mathētais
disciples A learner, disciple, pupil. N-NMP H3101 μαθηταὶ mathētai
crowds. A crowd, mob, the common people. N-DMP H3793 ὄχλοις ochlois

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
Berean Bible And having commanded the crowds to sit down on the grass, having taken the five loaves and the two fish, having looked up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. And having broken, He gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the crowds.
King James Bible And having he commanded the crowds multitude to sit down on the grass, having taken and took the five loaves loaves, and the two fish, having looked fishes, and looking up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. And having broken, He he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to the his disciples, and the disciples to the crowds.multitude.
Hebrew Greek English And having commanded Ordering the crowds people to sit down on the grass, having taken He took the five loaves and the two fish, having looked and looking up to toward heaven, He spoke a blessing. And having broken, He gave blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.crowds,
New American Standard Bible 1995 And having commanded Ordering the crowds people to sit down on the grass, having taken He took the five loaves and the two fish, having looked and looking up to toward heaven, He spoke a blessing. And having broken, He gave blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.crowds,