Luke 19:43

What does Luke 19:43 mean?

A plain-English look at Luke 19:43 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Luke 19:43 means

Jesus prophesied that a time would come when Jerusalem's enemies would surround it, build a siege-work ("a bank") around it, encircle it completely, and press in from every side. This detailed prediction foretells the Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, highlighting the precision of Jesus's prophetic word and the inevitability of divine judgment upon the unrepentant city.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

For the days shall come upon thee, when thine enemies shall cast up a bank about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

KJV

King James Version · 1611

For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

For the days shall come upon thee, when thine enemies shall cast up a bank about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

For the time will come when your attackers will put a wall round you, and come all round you and keep you in on every side,

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

`Because days shall come upon thee, and thine enemies shall cast around thee a rampart, and compass thee round, and press thee on every side,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For the days shall come upon thee: and thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee and compass thee round and straiten thee on every side,

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

for days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall make a palisaded mound about thee, and shall close thee around, and keep thee in on every side,

Context

This verse details the beginning of Jesus's explicit prophecy concerning Jerusalem's destruction, immediately following his lament and accusation of spiritual blindness. It precisely describes the impending military siege, providing specific details that foreshadow the events of A.D. 70. This sets the grim context for the full extent of the calamity described next.

v.42saying, If thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things which belong unto peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

v.43This passage

v.44and shall dash thee to the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Psalms 37:12

    The wicked plotteth against the just, And gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

  • Ezekiel 26:8

    He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the field; and he shall make forts against thee, and cast up a mound against thee, and raise up the buckler against thee.

  • Matthew 23:37

    O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:15

    who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove out us, and please not God, and are contrary to all men;

  • Isaiah 37:33

    Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come unto this city, nor shoot an arrow there, neither shall he come before it with shield, nor cast up a mound against it.

  • Matthew 22:7

    But the king was wroth; and he sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.

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