Library Home>Manners and Customs of the Bible>Manners and Customs of the Bible>678. "Two or Three" (#98213)

678. "Two or Three"

From: Manners and Customs of the Bible

By: James M. Freeman

Listen to This Article

Matthew 18:20²⁰For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20). Where two or three are gathered together in my name.

This is a common Oriental form of speech to express an indefinite number. There are other instances of it in the Bible. See 1 Kings 17:12¹²And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. (1 Kings 17:12); Isaiah 7:21; 17:6²¹And it shall come to pass in that day, that a man shall nourish a young cow, and two sheep; (Isaiah 7:21)
⁶Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the Lord God of Israel. (Isaiah 17:6); Jeremiah 3:14¹⁴Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: (Jeremiah 3:14); Hosea 6:2²After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. (Hosea 6:2). Some commentators, however, suppose the passage in Hosea to refer to the resurrection of Christ; but it is by no means certain.

Click here to show subject links in the text for more information.