Matthew 23:37
What does Matthew 23:37 mean?
A plain-English look at Matthew 23:37 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Matthew 23:37 means
Jesus expresses a profound lament over Jerusalem, personifying the city as one that consistently kills the prophets and stones God's messengers. He conveys His deep desire to protect and gather its people, comparing Himself to a hen gathering her chicks under her wings, but tragically, the city "would not." This lament reveals Jesus' heartbreak over their stubborn rejection, which ultimately leads to their self-inflicted judgment despite His compassionate yearning to save them.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000O 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!
KJV
King James Version · 1611O 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!
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901O 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!
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, putting to death the prophets, and stoning those who are sent to her! Again and again would I have taken your children to myself as a bird takes her young ones under her wings, and you would not!
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that art killing the prophets, and stoning those sent unto thee, how often did I will to gather thy children together, as a hen doth gather her own chickens under the wings, and ye did not will.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered together thy children, as the hen doth gather her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldst not?
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [the city] that kills the prophets and stones those that are sent unto her, how often would I have gathered thy children as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Context
Following the declaration of judgment upon "this generation," this verse transitions to Jesus' deeply emotional lament over Jerusalem itself. It personifies the city as the historical killer of prophets, connecting its past actions to its present rejection of Jesus. This poignant expression of His tender mercies, tragically spurned, sets the stage for the pronouncement of the city's desolation and His departure, bringing the entire chapter to a sorrowful, prophetic conclusion.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Jeremiah 25:3
From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even unto this day, these three and twenty years, the word of Jehovah hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising up early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened.
- Psalms 36:7
How precious is thy lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge under the shadow of thy wings.
- Matthew 23:30
and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we should not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
- Matthew 22:6
and the rest laid hold on his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them.
- Deuteronomy 32:11
As an eagle that stirreth up her nest, That fluttereth over her young, He spread abroad his wings, he took them, He bare them on his pinions.
- Revelation 11:7
And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that cometh up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them.
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