Luke 19 43

Luke 19:43 kjv

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,

Luke 19:43 nkjv

For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side,

Luke 19:43 niv

The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.

Luke 19:43 esv

For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side

Luke 19:43 nlt

Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side.

Luke 19 verses

Luke 19 43 Meaning

Luke 19:43 contains Jesus' prophetic lament over Jerusalem, uttered immediately after His Triumphal Entry into the city. He foretells a coming time of intense siege and utter destruction upon Jerusalem by her enemies. This destruction is portrayed as a direct consequence of the city's spiritual blindness and rejection of the Lord's unique time of visitation through His Son. The verse specifically details the tactical methods of siege warfare—the construction of an encircling barricade, the complete surrounding of the city, and the comprehensive hemming in of its inhabitants, leading to inevitable subjugation.

Luke 19 43 Context

Luke 19:43 is part of Jesus' prophetic pronouncements during the final week of His earthly ministry. It immediately follows the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, an event that heightened Messianic expectations among the people. However, rather than accepting the acclaim, Jesus wept over the city (Lk 19:41-42), seeing beyond the present jubilation to its tragic future. He prophesied the city's complete destruction because it "knew not the time of its visitation." This specific verse details the means of that destruction—a brutal military siege. Historically, this prophecy was literally fulfilled by the Roman armies under General (later Emperor) Titus in 70 AD, just forty years after Jesus spoke these words, bringing an end to the city and the Temple as they had stood for centuries.

Luke 19 43 Word analysis

• For (ὅτι - hoti): A causal conjunction, indicating the reason or explanation for Jesus' weeping and prophetic declaration in the preceding verses. It introduces the certainty of what is to come.
• the days (ἡμέραι - hēmerai): Refers to a specific, definite period of time. It emphasizes that this is not a vague prediction but a fixed appointment in the future.
• will come (ἥξουσιν - hēxousin): Future tense, indicating absolute certainty and inevitability. The verb implies arrival or coming forth.
• upon you (ἐπὶ σέ - epi se): Directly addresses Jerusalem. This prophecy is particular to that city and its inhabitants, a specific divine judgment upon them.
• when your enemies (οἱ ἐχθροί σου - hoi echthroi sou): Identifies the agents of destruction. Historically, these were the Roman legions. From a biblical perspective, "enemies" often serves as a divine instrument of judgment against disobedient Israel (e.g., Assyria, Babylon).
• will build (περιβαλοῦσιν - peribalousin): This verb means to "throw around" or "surround." In a military context, it signifies the act of constructing an encirclement.
• a barricade (χάρακα - charaka): Refers specifically to a rampart, palisade, or trench. In ancient siege warfare, this was a formidable military earthwork or wall constructed around a besieged city to prevent escape and entry of supplies, thereby starving the city into submission. It was a well-known Roman siege tactic.
• around you (περί σε - peri se): Emphasizes the complete encirclement of the city by this barricade.
• and will surround you (καὶ περικυκλώσουσιν σε - kai perikyklōsōsin se): The verb means "to completely encircle," or "to encompass round about." It reinforces the previous point, highlighting the totality of the blockade. This speaks to the sheer size and might of the invading army required for such a maneuver.
• and press you (καὶ συνέξουσίν σε - kai synechousin se): This verb means "to hold together," "to confine," "to hem in," or "to distress/cause anguish." It implies relentless pressure and constraint, leaving no escape and causing immense suffering.
• on every side (πάντοθεν - pantothen): Adds emphasis to the complete, inescapable nature of the confinement and distress. There would be no relief or point of entry or exit.

Words-group analysis:

• "For the days will come upon you": Conveys an unalterable divine decree. The phrase emphasizes predestined timing for the judgment, implying God's sovereign hand in allowing these events.
• "your enemies will build a barricade around you": Points to the specificity of the Roman siege. The detailed description of constructing a charax was a highly technical and precise prophecy, not merely a generic "siege." The Romans under Titus indeed built an elaborate circumvallation system, including a rampart, ditch, and twelve forts around Jerusalem, completely cutting it off.
• "and will surround you and press you on every side": Illustrates the extreme suffering and inescapable fate awaiting Jerusalem. The cumulative effect of the actions described – building, surrounding, and pressing from all directions – points to a meticulous and devastating siege strategy designed to ensure no one enters or leaves, leading to starvation, despair, and ultimately, destruction. This group of phrases paints a vivid picture of claustrophobic doom.

Luke 19 43 Bonus section

The historical fulfillment of Luke 19:43 in 70 AD was precise and devastating. Josephus, the Jewish historian who was an eyewitness, provides extensive details in his "The Jewish War," documenting the methodical construction of the Roman circumvallation wall by Titus's legions around Jerusalem. This wall, some 4.5 miles long, with forts at intervals, encircled the entire city, preventing anyone from leaving to escape the famine and pestilence within, and no supplies from entering. The suffering described, including cannibalism, was extreme. This prophecy and its fulfillment highlight not only Jesus' divine foreknowledge but also the concept of a "visitation" in biblical terms, which can be for blessing or for judgment, depending on the response of the visited people. In Jerusalem's case, their rejection of their "visitation" by the Messiah led to a judgment by fire and sword. The destruction of the Temple further signified the end of the old covenant era and pointed towards a new way of worship, not tied to a physical structure but to Christ Himself.

Luke 19 43 Commentary

Luke 19:43 is a powerful expression of prophetic judgment and lament. It reveals Jesus as not just a gentle Savior, but also a sovereign Lord who sees the future and pronounces divine justice. His weeping (v. 41) immediately before this detailed prophecy underscores His compassion, even as He declares inevitable doom. The specific description of a "barricade," complete encirclement, and being "pressed on every side" provides an almost journalistic account of Roman siege tactics (Josephus's historical records attest to this). The reason for this horrific fate is the city's spiritual blindness—their failure to recognize "the time of their visitation" (v. 44) through the presence of God Himself in their midst. This verse stands as a stark warning about the consequences of spiritual indifference and rejecting God's direct revelation, even when delivered with grace and weeping. It demonstrates God's long-suffering patience reaching its limit, and His allowing natural consequences of rejection to run their course, using human instruments to fulfill His purposes.