Matthew 23 37

Matthew 23:37 kjv

O 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!

Matthew 23:37 nkjv

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

Matthew 23:37 niv

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.

Matthew 23:37 esv

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

Matthew 23:37 nlt

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me.

Matthew 23 verses

Matthew 23 37 Meaning

Matthew 23:37 is a profound lament by Jesus over Jerusalem, revealing His deep sorrow and protective love for His people, contrasted sharply with their persistent rejection of God's messengers and His own redemptive offer. It underscores God's repeated desire to gather and shield them, like a mother hen gathers her chicks, and their stubborn refusal, which leads to impending desolation. The verse expresses the heart of divine love confronting human resistance, highlighting the tragic consequences of choosing rebellion over divine grace.

Matthew 23 37 Context

Matthew 23:37 concludes a lengthy discourse by Jesus in Jerusalem, delivered just days before His crucifixion. The entire chapter is characterized by a series of seven "woes" pronounced against the scribes and Pharisees, exposing their hypocrisy, spiritual blindness, and abuse of religious authority. Jesus condemns their outward show of piety while neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness (Mt 23:23). He explicitly holds them responsible for persecuting God's messengers throughout history, implying that they will continue this pattern by rejecting and eventually killing Him, the ultimate Prophet (Mt 23:34-36). This specific verse, Matthew 23:37, shifts from the sharp denunciation of the leadership to a heartfelt lament over the city of Jerusalem itself. It embodies Jesus' profound sorrow, seeing the city that was meant to be the heart of God's presence as continually hostile to divine truth. It foreshadows Jerusalem's impending judgment and destruction, which occurred in 70 AD, linking their persistent rejection to future desolation.

Matthew 23 37 Word analysis

• "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem," (Ἰερουσαλήμ Ἰερουσαλήμ - Ierousalēm Ierousalēm)

  • Word Level: The repetition of the city's name signifies intense emotion, deep lament, sorrow, and urgent appeal. It reflects an intimate yet agonized address, emphasizing the magnitude of the city's rejection.
  • Significance: It is a cry of anguish, highlighting the capital city as a spiritual embodiment of Israel's historic unresponsiveness to God's overtures.

• "thou that killest the prophets," (ἀποκτείνουσα τοὺς προφήτας - apokteinousa tous prophētas)

  • Word Level: apokteinousa is a present participle, indicating an ongoing, characteristic action – "you who are habitually killing." "Prophets" (προφήτας - prophētas) refers to divinely inspired messengers.
  • Significance: Jerusalem's chronic pattern of persecuting those God sent, from Old Testament figures to John the Baptist. It shows a persistent defiance against God's direct revelation.

• "and stonest them which are sent unto thee," (καὶ λιθοβολοῦσα τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους πρὸς αὐτήν - kai lithobolousa tous apestalmenous pros autēn)

  • Word Level: lithobolousa (present participle) again points to a repeated, characteristic action – "you who are habitually stoning." "Them which are sent" (apestalmenous) is a broader term than just "prophets," encompassing all divine envoys, righteous ones, and ultimately Jesus Himself and His apostles.
  • Significance: Stoning was a prescribed Jewish method of execution for serious religious offenses, indicating a severe, ritualistic rejection. This further solidifies the historical charge of hostility against God's messengers, reaching its culmination with Jesus.

• "how often would I have gathered thy children together," (ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυναγαγεῖν τὰ τέκνα σου - posakis ēthelēsa episynagagein ta tekna sou)

  • Word Level: posakis ("how often") highlights the immense patience and repeated attempts of Jesus. ēthelēsa ("I desired" or "I willed") shows His fervent longing. episynagagein ("to gather together") is an intensive verb, implying a desire to gather closely for protection. "Thy children" (ta tekna sou) refers to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and by extension, the Jewish people.
  • Significance: Reveals the divine, yearning heart of Jesus, who made numerous attempts to draw His people to Himself, offering protection and spiritual salvation. It underscores divine grace persistently offered.

• "even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings," (ὄρνις ἐπισυνάγει τὰ νοσσία αὐτῆς ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας - ornis episynagei ta nossia autēs hypo tas pterygas)

  • Word Level: ornis ("fowl/bird") is understood as a mother hen, a universal image of maternal care. nossia are her young chicks. "Under her wings" (hypo tas pterygas) signifies ultimate warmth, protection, and security from external dangers like predators or storms.
  • Significance: This metaphor vividly illustrates Jesus' compassionate, nurturing, and self-sacrificial love. It contrasts His tender disposition with Jerusalem's harsh, violent rejection, and emphasizes the full protection He offered. This imagery resonates with Old Testament descriptions of God's protection (e.g., Ps 91:4).

• "and ye would not!" (καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε - kai ouk ēthelēsate)

  • Word Level: ouk ēthelēsate ("you did not desire" or "you did not will") is a direct, emphatic negation of Jesus' expressed desire. It points to their stubborn, conscious choice. The "you" is plural, addressing the people of Jerusalem/Israel.
  • Significance: This short phrase is pivotal, placing the responsibility squarely on Jerusalem's choice. It highlights the freedom of human will to reject even divine, tender grace. Their refusal leads to tragic self-inflicted consequences, demonstrating that God respects human volition, even when it leads to ruin.

Matthew 23 37 Bonus section

• This lament echoes wisdom literature themes, particularly how Lady Wisdom calls out to those who reject her counsel, ultimately leading to their destruction (Prov 1:20-33). Jerusalem's rejection of the prophets and Jesus himself is seen as a rejection of divine wisdom.
• The "desolation" of Jerusalem (Mt 23:38) is explicitly tied to this refusal. The physical destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD by the Roman Empire is seen by Christian scholars as the direct fulfillment of this prophecy, a direct consequence of the city's (and its leadership's) hardened hearts.
• This lament highlights a tension within God's character often explored in theology: divine sovereignty and human free will. Here, God (through Jesus) clearly wills salvation and protection, but human agency leads to rejection. This demonstrates that while God's purposes are unwavering, He respects humanity's capacity to choose.
• The passage also speaks to the profound love of Jesus, which moved Him to tears over the city (Lk 19:41-44) despite its rebellion and impending role in His crucifixion. It illustrates His personal identification with God's long-suffering love for Israel.

Matthew 23 37 Commentary

Matthew 23:37 is a pivotal verse, offering a rare glimpse into Jesus' personal grief and ultimate divine pathos. Following a series of severe indictments against Jerusalem's religious leadership, Jesus' tone shifts from stern judgment to a lament filled with profound sorrow. He mourns Jerusalem's long-standing pattern of rejecting and persecuting God's divinely sent messengers, effectively declaring that their hands are stained with the blood of righteous people throughout history. The "hen gathering her chickens under her wings" metaphor is particularly poignant, revealing Jesus not as an angry judge but as a tender, yearning Protector, offering a refuge that Jerusalem repeatedly spurned. This imagery speaks to God's inherent desire to shelter His people, provide warmth, safety, and a haven from the world's dangers.

The tragic core of the verse lies in the final phrase, "and ye would not!" This is not a statement of divine powerlessness, but rather a somber acknowledgment of human free will and the devastating consequences of its misuse. Despite God's persistent, tender overtures and countless attempts to gather them, Jerusalem actively chose stubborn disobedience. Their self-willed rejection sealed their fate, leading to the desolation foretold in the following verse (Mt 23:38). The passage thus powerfully conveys both the boundless extent of divine love and grace, as well as the solemn reality of human accountability and the tragic freedom to refuse God's life-giving invitation. This lament serves as a timeless reminder that while God's desire for our salvation is immense, His grace requires our willingness to receive it.