And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.”
We had the story of a miracle very like this before, in this gospel (Mar 6:35), and of this same miracle (Mat 15:32), and here is little or no addition or alternation as to the circumstances. Yet observe, 1. That our Lord Jesus was greatly followed; The multitude was very great (Mar 8:1); notwithstanding the wicked arts of the scribes and Pharisees to blemish him...
Commenting on Mark 8:1-9
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.
And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. (a) Literally, "they will fall apart", or "be dissolved", for when men faint they tear their muscles.