Matthew 21 5

Matthew 21:5 kjv

Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

Matthew 21:5 nkjv

"Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.' "

Matthew 21:5 niv

"Say to Daughter Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'?"

Matthew 21:5 esv

"Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'"

Matthew 21:5 nlt

"Tell the people of Jerusalem,
'Look, your King is coming to you.
He is humble, riding on a donkey ?
riding on a donkey's colt.'"

Matthew 21 verses

Matthew 21 5 Meaning

Matthew 21:5 declares the coming of Jesus into Jerusalem as the promised King to His people, "the daughter of Zion." It portrays Him not as a conquering monarch riding a warhorse, but as a humble, gentle King mounted on a donkey, fulfilling ancient prophecy. This act is a deliberate self-revelation of His true nature as Messiah, contrasting with popular expectations of a powerful earthly ruler.

Matthew 21 5 Context

Matthew 21:5 is situated at the beginning of Jesus's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, often known as Palm Sunday. This event marks the decisive transition into the Passion Week, the final week of Jesus's earthly ministry before His crucifixion and resurrection. For Matthew, it is a crucial moment demonstrating Jesus as the long-awaited Jewish Messiah, not through military conquest, but through prophetic fulfillment and humble kingship. This entry into Jerusalem intentionally presents Jesus to the city's inhabitants and leaders as their rightful King, leading to their choice to accept or reject Him, which in turn sets the stage for the intense conflicts and events that follow in the subsequent chapters (e.g., temple cleansing, debates with religious leaders, parables of judgment). Historically, the Jewish people eagerly awaited a Messiah, often expecting a political and military leader who would overthrow Roman rule and restore Israel's national sovereignty. Jesus's choice to enter humbly on a donkey, directly fulfilling Zechariah 9:9, subtly challenges and redefines this prevalent messianic expectation, highlighting a spiritual kingdom rooted in peace and humility rather than worldly power.

Matthew 21 5 Word analysis

• Say to the daughter of Zion (Εἴπατε τῇ θυγατρὶ Σιὼν, Eipate tē thugatri Siōn):
  • Eipate: An imperative verb, a command to announce, emphasizing the urgency and importance of the message.
  • Thugatri Siōn: A poetic personification, used throughout the Old Testament to refer to the city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants, often specifically the believing remnant of Israel. It invokes a rich biblical heritage of God's intimate relationship with His people and promises concerning them.
• Behold (Ἰδοὺ, Idou): An emphatic interjection, drawing immediate and solemn attention to the following statement. It functions like an exclamation mark, signaling something profound or impending.
• your King (ὁ βασιλεύς σου, ho basileus sou):
  • Basileus: King, ruler. This title asserts Jesus's messianic authority and divine sovereignty.
  • sou: "your." Emphasizes a direct and personal relationship; He is their promised King, the one they have long awaited, challenging anyone else's claim to ultimate authority.
• is coming to you (ἔρχεταί σοι, erchetai soi):
  • Erchetai: Present tense verb, indicating an immediate and active arrival, not a future event. It highlights Jesus's intentional and self-revealing act.
  • soi: "to you." Reiterates the personal direction of His coming to Zion.
• humble (πραῢς, praÿs):
  • This is a profoundly significant word. It means gentle, meek, mild, or unassuming, but not weak. It describes strength under control, exhibiting patient submission to God's will and gentleness toward others. It directly contrasts the expected image of a conquering, mighty king. This word defines the character of Jesus's kingship and kingdom, as also stated in Matt 11:29 where He says "I am gentle (πραῢς) and humble in heart."
• and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden (καὶ ἐπὶ ὄνον, καὶ ἐπὶ πῶλον υἱὸν ὑποζυγίου, kai epi onon, kai epi pōlon huion hypozygíou):
  • onon: donkey/ass. This animal symbolizes peace and humility, contrasting with horses used for war (e.g., in Revelation, the warrior Messiah rides a white horse). Kings in ancient Israel (e.g., King David's sons, judges) rode donkeys for peaceful purposes or ceremonial entries, unlike the grander displays of other empires.
  • pōlon: a young donkey, specifically a colt.
  • huion hypozygíou: literally "son of a beast of burden," meaning the foal of a working animal. This specific description is redundant in the original prophecy (Zech 9:9, which uses a poetic parallelism that can be interpreted as referring to one animal in two ways), but Matthew includes both phrases ("on a donkey" and "on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden") to meticulously highlight the exact fulfillment of the Septuagint translation of Zechariah 9:9.
  • Words-group analysis: The dual phrasing "on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden" reflects Matthew's deep interest in demonstrating precise fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. While the Hebrew poetic parallelism of Zechariah 9:9 refers to a single animal described in two ways, Matthew's literal presentation emphasizes every aspect of the prophecy's accuracy in Jesus's action, a unique feature of his account among the Gospels. This also underlines the humility of the vehicle chosen by the King.

Matthew 21 5 Bonus section

• The particular detail that the colt was "never ridden" (found in parallel accounts like Mark and Luke) underscores its ritual purity and designation for a special, sacred purpose, further highlighting the significance of Jesus's unique use of it for His divine mission.
• The triumphal entry itself, announced by this verse, represents Jesus's last public and unambiguous presentation of Himself as Messiah to the nation, initiating the final drama of redemption.
• The verse sets up a tension that runs through the rest of Matthew's Gospel: the contrast between worldly power and the divine power demonstrated in humility, service, and suffering, culminating in the cross and resurrection.

Matthew 21 5 Commentary

Matthew 21:5 is not merely a historical account but a profound theological declaration. It unveils the radical nature of Jesus's messianic identity and the kingdom He inaugurates. By entering Jerusalem on a donkey, a direct fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, Jesus deliberately subverted the prevalent messianic expectations of a powerful, militaristic king who would liberate Israel from Roman oppression. Instead, He presented Himself as the "humble" King, embodying gentleness, peace, and suffering servitude. This choice underscored that His kingdom was not of this world, operating by principles distinct from worldly power and might. He did not come to conquer by force but to reign through sacrifice and a quiet transformation of hearts. This pivotal act challenges followers to understand that true power in God's kingdom resides in humility, service, and peace, reflecting the very character of its King. His arrival, proclaimed to the "daughter of Zion," called the nation to recognize its true ruler, inviting them to participate in His gentle and saving reign rather than expecting a military triumph.