God’s Word Translation
Matthew 23:37
37“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you kill the prophets and stone to death those sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings! But you were not willing!
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
35As a result, you will be held accountable for all the innocent blood of those murdered on earth. This includes the murder of Abel, who had God’s approval, to that of Zechariah, son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36I can guarantee this truth: The people living now will be held accountable for all these things. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you kill the prophets and stone to death those sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings! But you were not willing! 38Your house will be abandoned, deserted. 39I can guarantee that you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the one 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 4:14Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart so that you may be rescued. Don’t continue making evil plans.
- Jeremiah 6:8Pay attention to my warning, Jerusalem, or I will turn away from you. I will make your land desolate, a land where no one will live.
- Luke 13:34“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you kill the prophets and stone to death those sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings! But you were not willing!
- Revelation 11:8Their dead bodies will lie on the street of the important city where their Lord was crucified. The spiritual names of that city are Sodom and Egypt.
- Matthew 23:30Then you say, ‘If we had lived at the time of our ancestors, we would not have helped to murder the prophets.’
- Matthew 5:12Rejoice and be glad because you have a great reward in heaven! The prophets who lived before you were persecuted in these ways.
- Matthew 21:35The workers took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned a third to death.
- Matthew 22:6The rest grabbed the king’s servants, mistreated them, and then killed them.
- 2 Chronicles 24:21But they plotted against Zechariah, and by the king’s order they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple.
- Nehemiah 9:26But they were defiant and rebelled against you. They threw your teachings over their shoulders and killed your prophets who warned them to turn back to you. They committed outrageous sins.
- Jeremiah 2:30“I have punished your children without results. They didn’t respond to correction. You killed my prophets like a raging lion.
- Jeremiah 26:23They brought Uriah from Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim. The king executed Uriah and threw his body into the burial ground for the common people.
- Mark 12:3The workers took the servant, beat him, and sent him back with nothing.
- Luke 20:11So he sent a different servant. The workers beat him, treated him shamefully, and sent him back with nothing.
- Acts 7:51“How stubborn can you be? How can you be so heartless and disobedient? You’re just like your ancestors. They always opposed the Holy Spirit, and so do you!
- 1 Thessalonians 2:15who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and who have persecuted us severely. They are displeasing to God. They are enemies of the whole human race
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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