New English Translation
Matthew 23:37
37“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it!
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 all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36I tell you the truth, this generation will be held responsible for all these things! “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it! 38Look, your house is left to you desolate! 39For I tell you, you will not see me from now 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 4:14“Oh people of Jerusalem, purify your hearts from evil so that you may yet be delivered. How long will you continue to harbor up wicked schemes within you?
- Jeremiah 6:8So take warning, Jerusalem, or I will abandon you in disgust and make you desolate, a place where no one can live.”
- Luke 13:34O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it!
- Revelation 11:8Their corpses will lie in the street of the great city that is symbolically called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was also crucified.
- Matthew 23:30And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have participated with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
- Matthew 5:12Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.
- Matthew 21:35But the tenants seized his slaves, beat one, killed another, and stoned another.
- Matthew 22:6The rest seized his slaves, insolently mistreated them, and killed them.
- 2 Chronicles 24:21They plotted against him and by royal decree stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple.
- Nehemiah 9:26“Nonetheless they grew disobedient and rebelled against you; they disregarded your law. They killed your prophets who had solemnly admonished them in order to cause them to return to you. They committed atrocious blasphemies.
- Jeremiah 2:30“It did no good for me to punish your people. They did not respond to such correction. You slaughtered your prophets like a voracious lion.”
- Jeremiah 26:23and they brought Uriah back from there. They took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him executed and had his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.
- Mark 12:3But those tenants seized his slave, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.
- Luke 20:11So he sent another slave. They beat this one too, treated him outrageously, and sent him away empty-handed.
- Acts 7:51“You stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors did!
- 1 Thessalonians 2:15who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and persecuted us severely. They are displeasing to God and are opposed 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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