Amplified Bible
Matthew 23:37
37“ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who murders the prophets and stones [to death] those [messengers] who are sent to her [by God]! How often I wanted to gather your children together [around Me], as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.
Matthew 23:37 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
- New International Version (NIV)“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!
- New King James Version (NKJV)“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
Context of Matthew 23:37
35so that on you will come the guilt of all the blood of the righteous shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah [the priest], the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36I assure you and most solemnly say to you, [the judgment for] all these things [these vile and murderous deeds] will come on this generation. “ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who murders the prophets and stones [to death] those [messengers] who are sent to her [by God]! How often I wanted to gather your children together [around Me], as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38Listen carefully: your house is being left to you desolate [completely abandoned by God and destitute of His protection]! 39For I say to you, you will not see Me again [ministering to you publicly] until you say, ‘Blessed [to be celebrated with praise] is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
Read all of Matthew 23Matthew 23:37 word by word
Ἰερουσαλὴμ Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἡ ἀποκτείνουσα τοὺς προφήτας καὶ λιθοβολοῦσα τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους πρὸς αὐτήν, ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυναγαγεῖν τὰ τέκνα σου, ὃν τρόπον ὄρνις ἐπισυνάγει τὰ νοσσία αὐτῆς ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας, καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- O JerusalemἹερουσαλήμHierousalēm · JerusalemG2419
- that killestἀποκτείνωapokteinō · to killG615
- the prophetsπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- stonestλιθοβολέωlithoboleō · to stoneG3036
- them which are sentἀποστέλλωapostellō · to sendG649
- untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- theeαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- how oftenποσάκιςposakis · how often!G4212
- would I haveθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- gatheredἐπισυνάγωepisunagō · to gatherG1996
- thyσύsu · youG4771
- childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043
- evenὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- asτρόποςtropos · wayG5158
- a henὄρνιςornis · henG3733
- herἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- chickensνοσσίονnossion · chickG3556
- underὑπόhupo · by/under: underG5259
- wingsπτέρυξpterux · wingG4420
- notοὐou · noG3756
Cross-references for Matthew 23:37
- Jeremiah 4:14O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, That you may be saved. How long will your wicked and immoral thoughts Lodge within you?
- Jeremiah 6:8Be wise and be warned, O Jerusalem, Or I will be alienated from you, And make you a desolation, An uninhabited land.”
- Luke 13:34O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones [to death] those [messengers] who are sent to her [by God]! How often I have wanted to gather your children together [around Me], just as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you were not willing!
- Revelation 11:8And their dead bodies will lie exposed in the open street of the great city (Jerusalem), which in a spiritual sense is called [by the symbolic and allegorical names of] Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
- Matthew 23:30and you say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have joined them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
- Matthew 5:12Be glad and exceedingly joyful, for your reward in heaven is great [absolutely inexhaustible]; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
- Matthew 21:35But the tenants took his servants and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third.
- Matthew 22:6The rest [of the invited guests] seized his servants and mistreated them [insulting and humiliating them] and killed them.
- 2 Chronicles 24:21So they conspired against Zechariah and stoned him [to death] at the command of the king, in the courtyard of the house of the Lord.
- Nehemiah 9:26“Yet they were disobedient and rebelled against You, And cast Your law behind their backs And killed Your prophets who warned them To return to You; And they committed great [and contemptible] blasphemies.
- Jeremiah 2:30“In vain I have punished your people [with the consequences of their disobedience]; They received no insight from correction [and refused to change]. Your [own] sword has devoured your prophets Like a destroying lion.
- Jeremiah 26:23And they brought Uriah [God’s spokesman] from Egypt and led him to King Jehoiakim, who executed him with a sword and threw his dead body among the graves of the common people.
- Mark 12:3They took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
- Luke 20:11So he again sent another servant; they also beat him and dishonored and treated him disgracefully and sent him away empty-handed.
- Acts 7:51“You stiff-necked and stubborn people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are always actively resisting the Holy Spirit. You are doing just as your fathers did.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:15who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and harassed and drove us out; and [they] continue to be highly displeasing to God and [to show themselves] hostile to all people,
Commentaries on Matthew 23:37
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 37O Jerusalem, Jerusalem - It is evident that our blessed Lord seriously and earnestly wished the salvation of the Jews. That he did every thing that could be done, consistently with his own perfections, and the liberty of his creatures, to effect this. That his tears over the city, Luke 19:41, sufficiently evince his sincerity. That these persons nevertheless perished. And That the reason was, they would not be gathered together under his protection…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 37O Jerusalem - See the notes at Luke 19:41-42. Would I have gathered - Would have protected and saved. Thy children - Thy people.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 34-39Verses 34-39 Our Lord declares the miseries the inhabitants of Jerusalem were about to bring upon themselves, but he does not notice the sufferings he was to undergo. A hen gathering her chickens under her wings, is an apt emblem of the Saviour's tender love to those who trust in him, and his faithful care of them. He calls sinners to take refuge under his tender protection, keeps them safe, and nourishes them to eternal life. The present dispersion and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 37Even though Jesus had just given a severe judgment against Israel (Matthew 23:29–36), he truly wanted them to repent and accept God's grace. as a hen: This is an image of protective care (see also Deuteronomy 32:11; Ruth 2:12; Psalms 17:8; 36:7; 57:1; 61:4; 91:4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3737. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, &c.--How ineffably grand and melting is this apostrophe! It is the very heart of God pouring itself forth through human flesh and speech. It is this incarnation of the innermost life and love of Deity, pleading with men, bleeding for them, and ascending only to open His arms to them and win them back by the power of this story of matchless love, that has…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 23:37
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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