Matthew 21:7 kjv
And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
Matthew 21:7 nkjv
They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.
Matthew 21:7 niv
They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on.
Matthew 21:7 esv
They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them.
Matthew 21:7 nlt
They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it.
Matthew 21 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 21:1-6 | ...sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you... You will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her... and if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” | Disciples' obedience to Jesus' instructions. |
| Matt 21:4-5 | This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “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.’” | Explicit prophecy fulfillment (Zech 9:9). |
| Zech 9:9 | Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. | The primary Messianic prophecy. |
| Isa 62:11 | Behold, the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.’ | Prophecy of the King's coming to Zion. |
| Jn 12:14-15 | Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written: “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” | Jesus actively fulfills Zechariah. |
| Mk 11:7 | And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. | Parallel account in Mark. |
| Lk 19:35 | And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. | Parallel account in Luke. |
| 2 Kgs 9:13 | Then in haste every man of them took his garment and put it under him on the bare steps, and they blew the trumpet and proclaimed, “Jehu is king!” | Act of laying garments as royal acclamation. |
| Lk 19:36 | And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. | Crowd's act of reverence and kingly homage. |
| Phil 2:6-8 | Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself... and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. | Jesus' humility embodied by riding a donkey. |
| Jn 1:11 | He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. | Contrast with later rejection. |
| Jn 12:12-13 | The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord...” | The people's immediate welcome as King. |
| Ps 118:25-26 | Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord. | "Hosanna" (save us, give success) cry applied to Jesus. |
| 1 Cor 1:27-28 | But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong... | Divine wisdom choosing humble means. |
| Lk 1:32-33 | He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. | Announcement of Jesus' rightful kingship. |
| Matt 27:37 | And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." | Irony of the inscription, Jesus is indeed King. |
| Mk 1:15 | "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." | Jesus proclaims the arrival of the Kingdom. |
| Lk 22:7-13 | Instructions for preparing the Passover meal, similar precision in details. | Jesus' divine foreknowledge and control. |
| Isa 9:6 | For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. | Messiah as Prince of Peace. |
| Rev 19:11-16 | Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True... King of Kings and Lord of Lords. | Contrast with second coming as conquering King. |
Matthew 21 verses
Matthew 21 7 Meaning
Matthew 21:7 describes the culmination of Jesus' instructions to His disciples for His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The disciples obediently brought the specified donkey and its colt to Jesus. As an act of homage and to prepare for His ride, they placed their outer garments onto the animals, creating a makeshift saddle or seat. Upon these cloaks, Jesus then seated Himself, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy and publicly presenting Himself as the promised Messiah-King entering His capital in a manner signifying peace and humility.
Matthew 21 7 Context
Matthew 21:7 is embedded within the dramatic narrative of Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, often referred to as Palm Sunday. The preceding verses (21:1-6) detail Jesus' specific, pre-arranged instructions to His disciples to fetch the donkey and colt from a nearby village. This highlights Jesus' divine foreknowledge and sovereign control over events, even small logistical ones. The act of entering Jerusalem on a donkey directly fulfills a messianic prophecy from Zechariah 9:9, a prophecy Matthew explicitly points out in verses 4-5.
Historically and culturally, a king entering a city on a donkey signified a peaceful mission, not a military conquest. Roman generals and earthly kings often rode warhorses or chariots to symbolize might and dominance. Jesus' choice of a donkey conveyed humility, peace, and the righteousness of His spiritual kingdom, subverting the popular Jewish expectation of a warrior-Messiah who would overthrow Roman rule. For the crowds, placing cloaks on the animals and later on the road, alongside waving palm branches and shouting "Hosanna!", were traditional acts of profound honor and acclamation for a king or esteemed figure, recognizing His royal authority and status. This moment marked a public declaration of Jesus' identity and reign, setting the stage for the intense confrontations and passion events of that pivotal week.
Matthew 21 7 Word analysis
- And brought (καὶ ἤγαγον, kai ēgagon): The conjunction "and" immediately links this action to the previous verse (Matt 21:6), emphasizing the disciples' prompt obedience to Jesus' specific command. Ēgagon (from agō) signifies "they led" or "they conducted." It implies careful handling and fulfilling the instruction precisely.
- the ass (τὴν ὄνον, tēn onon): Refers to a female donkey, an ass. This animal was commonly used for transport and labor in ancient Israel. Matthew includes both the mother donkey and the colt, providing a more detailed account consistent with some interpretations of the prophetic text.
- and the colt (καὶ τὸν πῶλον, kai ton pōlon): Refers to the young donkey, still likely accompanying its mother. The synoptic parallels (Mk 11:2; Lk 19:30) clarify this colt was "one on which no one had ever sat," marking it as specially set apart for a sacred purpose, mirroring OT sacrificial requirements (cf. Num 19:2, heifer never yoked).
- and put on them (καὶ ἐπέθηκαν ἐπ' αὐτῶν, kai epethesan ep' autōn): "They placed upon them." The plural "them" refers to both the donkey and the colt, even though Jesus would ride only one (the colt, as confirmed by parallels and scholarly consensus). This might suggest the cloaks were distributed or implied that both animals were presented as part of the messianic scene, creating the royal cushion for whichever animal Jesus chose.
- their clothes (τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν, ta himatia autōn): "Their garments" or "their cloaks." These were outer robes, valuable personal possessions that served as protection from elements and as bedding. Laying them down for a person to sit upon was an act of profound honor and tribute, reminiscent of how people spread garments for Jehu when proclaiming him king (2 Kgs 9:13). It showed personal dedication and sacrifice for their Master.
- and they set him thereon (καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐπάνω αὐτῶν, kai ekathisen epanō autōn): Ekathisen is the aorist form of kathizō, meaning "he sat down" or "he caused to sit." The pronoun autōn ("them") is plural, again referring to the cloaks on the animals. It means Jesus sat on the cloaks which were on the animals. The precise understanding, supported by Mark and Luke, is that Jesus sat specifically on the colt, with the cloaks placed upon it. Matthew's plural wording maintains accuracy to the full scene and the collective preparation, while also resonating with Zechariah's dual description of "donkey" and "colt." The act signifies Jesus taking His rightful place as King.
Matthew 21 7 Bonus section
The seemingly superfluous mention of both the donkey (mother) and the colt in Matthew's account, while Jesus rode only the colt (as clarified by Mark, Luke, and John), serves to meticulously fulfill Zechariah 9:9, which uses similar doubled phrasing: "on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." Matthew, writing primarily for a Jewish audience, often emphasizes how Jesus' life meticulously fulfilled Old Testament prophecy, authenticating His identity as the Messiah. The Greek construction "επανω αυτων" (upon them) when Jesus sits, refers to the cloaks that were spread, and idiomatically implies sitting on one of the two, the significant one, which was the colt. The unridden status of the colt (noted in Mk and Lk) further designates it as unique and set apart for the Lord's special use, signifying the sanctity of the mission.
Matthew 21 7 Commentary
Matthew 21:7 is a powerful snapshot of prophecy fulfilled and the inauguration of Jesus' final week of earthly ministry. It reveals Jesus' divine authority and intentionality; He orchestrates His entry down to the minute details, demonstrating His foreknowledge and control. By riding a donkey, specifically a colt, Jesus deliberately identified Himself as the humble, righteous King prophesied in Zechariah, defying expectations of a military Messiah. The disciples' ready obedience in bringing the animals and then sacrificing their outer garments underscores their allegiance and recognition of His royal status. Their act of homage transformed the humble beasts into a royal mount. Jesus sitting "thereon" (upon the cloaks on the colt) wasn't a casual act, but a kingly enthronement on a prepared, though humble, seat. This moment was His public presentation as the true King of Israel, peaceably entering His capital city to establish His spiritual kingdom, a sharp contrast to the typical triumphant entries of earthly conquerors.
- Practical Usage Example: This verse reminds believers that Jesus’ kingship is characterized by humility and service, not pomp and power. It challenges us to offer our "cloaks"—our valuable possessions, time, and comforts—in service to Him, not for personal gain but out of humble devotion.