God’s Word Translation
Matthew 21:5
5“Tell the people of Zion, ‘Your king is coming to you. He’s gentle, riding on a donkey, on a colt, a young pack animal.’ ”
Matthew 21:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
- New International Version (NIV)“Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'"
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
Context of Matthew 21:5
3If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them. That person will send them at once.” 4This happened so that what the prophet had said came true: “Tell the people of Zion, ‘Your king is coming to you. He’s gentle, riding on a donkey, on a colt, a young pack animal.’ ” 6The disciples did as Jesus had directed them. 7They brought the donkey and the colt and put their coats on them for Jesus to sit on.
Read all of Matthew 21Matthew 21:5 word by word
εἴπατε τῇ θυγατρὶ Σιών· ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεύς σου ἔρχεταί σοι, πραῢς καὶ ἐπιβεβηκὼς ἐπὶ ὄνον καὶ ἐπὶ πῶλον υἱὸν ὑποζυγίου.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Tell yeλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- the daughterὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the daughterθυγάτηρthugatēr · daughterG2364
- of SionΣιώνSiōn · ZionG4622
- Beholdὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- thyσύsu · youG4771
- Kingβασιλεύςbasileus · kingG935
- comethἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- meekπραΰςpraus · gentleG4239
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- sittingἐπιβαίνωepibainō · to mount/boardG1910
- uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- an assὄνοςonos · donkeyG3688
- a coltπῶλοςpōlos · coltG4454
- the foalυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- of an assὑποζύγιονhupozugion · donkeyG5268
Cross-references for Matthew 21:5
- Psalms 9:14so that I may recite your praises one by one in the gates of Zion and find joy in your salvation.
- Isaiah 12:6Shout loudly, and sing with joy, people of Zion! The Holy One of Israel is great. He is among you.”
- Isaiah 40:9Go up a high mountain, Zion. Tell the good news! Call out with a loud voice, Jerusalem. Tell the good news! Raise your voice without fear. Tell the cities of Judah: “Here is your God!”
- Isaiah 62:11The Lord has announced to the ends of the earth: “Tell my people Zion, ‘Your Savior is coming. His reward is with him, and the people he has won arrive ahead of him.’ ”
- Zephaniah 3:14Sing happily, people of Zion! Shout loudly, Israel! Celebrate and rejoice with all your heart, people of Jerusalem.
- Mark 11:4The disciples found the young donkey in the street. It was tied to the door of a house. As they were untying it,
- Matthew 2:2They asked, “Where is the one who was born to be the king of the Jews? We saw his star rising and have come to worship him.”
- Genesis 49:10A scepter will never depart from Judah nor a ruler’s staff from between his feet until Shiloh comes and the people obey him.
- Numbers 24:19He will rule from Jacob and destroy whoever is left in their cities.”
- Psalms 2:6“I have installed my own king on Zion, my holy mountain.”
- Psalms 45:1My heart is overflowing with good news. I will direct my song to the king. My tongue is a pen for a skillful writer.
- Psalms 72:1O God, give the king your justice and the king’s son your righteousness
- Psalms 110:1The Lord said to my Lord, “Take the honored position—the one next to me [God the Father] on the heavenly throne until I put your enemies under your control.”
- Isaiah 9:6A child will be born for us. A son will be given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. He will be named: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Jeremiah 23:5“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will grow a righteous branch for David. He will be a king who will rule wisely. He will do what is fair and right in the land.
- Ezekiel 34:24I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be their prince. I, the Lord, have spoken.
Commentaries on Matthew 21:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Tell ye the daughter of Sion - The quotation is taken from Zechariah 9:9, but not in the precise words of the prophet. This entry into Jerusalem has been termed the triumph of Christ. It was indeed the triumph of humility over pride and worldly grandeur; of poverty over affluence; and of meekness and gentleness over rage and malice. He is coming now meek, full of kindness and compassion to those who were plotting his destruction! He comes to deliver up…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-5This part of the Old Testament fulfillment emphasizes the Messiah's peaceful, humble, and saving work (see Matthew 11:28–30; Isaiah 62:11; Zechariah 9:9–10).Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 21:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 21
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries