Definition: And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this passage from Matthew 14:21. It’s a really important story in the Bible! Here's what it means in simple terms: The Basic Story: Jesus was walking through a field with his disciples when he stopped to feed a crowd of about five thousand people. They were eating, and as they ate, some of them began to slip into an incredibly strange and unsettling state. What happened next? They started behaving strangely – they started speaking in tongues (a language without anyone's help), they started dancing and singing, and they seemed…disconnected from the world around them. They were clearly very focused on something else than their own lives. The Significance: This is a very unusual event because it shows that Jesus was powerful and could influence people in ways that go beyond our normal understanding. It suggests he had a special ability to draw people into a trance-like state. What does it tell us? It's generally interpreted as a sign that Jesus was testing their faith, showing them the power of his presence, and perhaps preparing them for something important. It’s not necessarily about what they were eating – it’s about how they were behaving. Important Note: The Bible doesn’t go into detail about why they were acting this way. It's a moment of intense focus and connection that is symbolic and meant to be understood in a broader context. --- Do you want me to explain any specific aspect of this verse in more detail? For example, would you like to know: What “tongues” are? What might Jesus have been trying to communicate with them through this experience?