In response to the Apostles realizing they forgot to bring bread, a comedic misunderstanding takes place.
Matthew 16:10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
Matthew 16:10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?
Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many bushels you took in?
What you start with doesn't determine what you end with.
The KJV translates two different Greek words as "baskets" in the previous verse, Matthew 16:9, and this verses. The word used here is a larger basket. Jesus may be making a point about size here since the number of loaves, in the beginning, is larger and the crowd is smaller.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "either" should be something more like "or" as the second half of the "either/or" construction.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "baskets" is not the Greek word translated as "baskets" int he previous verse.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "up" doesn't exist in the source.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "or" should be something more like "nor."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "baskets" is not the Greek word translated as "basketfuls" in the previous verse.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "gathered" is not the common word usually translated as "gathered."
Neither - (CW) The Greek word for "neither" is an adverb that means "not at all" or "no even." As a conjunction, it works as both parts of the "neither/nor" constructions. It should be "nor" here since this is the second part of the neither/nor.
the - The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
seven -- This is the Greek word for the number seven.
loaves - The word translated as "bread" means "small loaf or cake of bread." It is more like a slice of bread today. It describes a thin 1/2 inch thick round or an oblong loaf of wheat bread, meant to be torn into pieces and not cut. It was closer to a flour tortilla or a piece of naan bread than a loaf of bread. "Bread" is one of Christ's most basic symbols, representing temporary physical nourishment as contrasted with permanent spiritual nourishment.
of -- This word "of" comes from the genitive case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession.
the - The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
four thousand, -- This Greek word means four thousand.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
how many -- The adjective translated as "how much" means "of what quantity," [in distance] "how far." [of number] how far," [of time] "how long," [of value] "how much," "how great," "how many," and "how much."
baskets - (CW) "Baskets" is specifically a large basket, like a creel, woven out of reeds.This is different than the previous verse's word for "basket."
ye -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
took -- The word translated as "take" primarily means "take." However, it means "receive" in the same sense that we use "get" to mean "receive" and has many different uses as we use "get" in English. Among these are the ideas of "understanding" and "possessing."
up? -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "up" in the Greek source.
Or - (WW) The Greek word for "neither" is an adverb that means "not at all" or "no even." As a conjunction, it works as both parts of the "neither/nor" constructions. It should be "nor" here since this is the second part of the neither/nor.
the - The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
seven -- This is the Greek word for the number seven.
loaves - The word translated as "bread" means "small loaf or cake of bread." It is more like a slice of bread today. It describes a thin 1/2 inch thick round or an oblong loaf of wheat bread, meant to be torn into pieces and not cut. It was closer to a flour tortilla or a piece of naan bread than a loaf of bread. "Bread" is one of Christ's most basic symbols, representing temporary physical nourishment as contrasted with permanent spiritual nourishment.
for -- This word "for" comes from the genitive case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession. However, it can also mean "belonging to," "part of," "which is," "than" (in comparisons), or "for," "concerning" or "about" with transitive verbs.
the - The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
four thousand, -- This Greek word means four thousand.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
how many -- The adjective translated as "how much" means "of what quantity," [in distance] "how far." [of number] how far," [of time] "how long," [of value] "how much," "how great," "how many," and "how much."
basketfuls - (CW) "Basketfuls" is specifically a large basket, like a creel, woven out of reeds.This is different than the previous verse's word for "basket."
you -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
gathered -- (CW) The word translated as "gathered" primarily means "take." However, it means "receive" in the same sense that we use "get" to mean "receive" and has many different uses as we use "get" in English. Among these are the ideas of "understanding" and "possessing."
οὐδὲ (conj) "Neither" is from oude , which means "but not," "neither," "nor,"and "not even." -- "Neither" is from a Greek negative meaning "but not" and as both parts of "neither...nor."
τοὺς (article pl masc acc) "The" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun but here is separated by the number below.
ἑπτὰ [5 verses](numeral) "Seven" is from hepta which means the number seven, which was considered a mystical number.
ἄρτους [32 verses](noun pl masc acc) "Loaves" is from artos, which specifies a "cake of whole wheat bread," and generally "loaf," and "bread."
τῶν (article pl masc gen) "The" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun.
τετρακισχιλίων (adj pl masc gen) "Of the Four thousand" is from tetrakischilioi, meaning "four thousand."
καὶ (conj)"And" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you).
πόσας [19 verses](adj sg fem gen ) "How many" is from posos, which means "of what quantity," [in distance] "how far." [of number] how far," [of time] "how long," [of value] "how much," "how great," "how many," and "how much."
σφυρίδας [2 verses](noun pl fem acc) "Baskets" is spyris, which is specifically a large basket, like a creel, woven out of reeds.
ἐλάβετε; (verb 2nd pl aor ind act) "Ye took up" is from lambano means to "take," "take hold of," "grasp," "seize," "catch," "overtake," "find out," "detect," "take as," "take [food or drugs]," "understand," "take in hand," "undertake," "take in," "hold," "get," "receive [things]," "receive hospitably," "receive in marriage," "receive as produce," "profit," "admit," "initiate," "take hold of," "lay hold on," "seize and keep hold of," "obtain possession of," "lay hands upon," "find fault with," "censure," "to apprehend with the senses," "to take hold of," and "to seize." It is also specifically used to mean "seized with emotion."
The word translated as "took up" is also used like we use the phrase "took in" to mean perceiving with your senses.