{Had nothing to eat} (m(8820)echont(936e) ti phag(9373)in). Genitive
absolute and plural because ochlou a collective substantive.
Not having what to eat (deliberative subjunctive retained in
indirect question). The repetition of a nature miracle of feeding
four thousand in Decapolis disturbs some modern critics who
cannot imagine how Jesus could or would perform another miracle
elsewhere so similar to the feeding of the five thousand up near
Bethsaida Julias. But both Mark and Matthew give both miracles,
distinguish the words for baskets (kophinos, sphuris), and both
make Jesus later refer to both incidents and use these two words
with the same distinction ( Mr 8:19f.  Mt 16:9f. ). Surely it is
easier to conceive that Jesus wrought two such miracles than to
hold that Mark and Matthew have made such a jumble of the whole
business.