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Contemporary English Version
Matthew 21:8
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A very large crowd spread their clothes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road.
And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way, others cut downe branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road.
Many people spread their coats on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
Most of the crowd spread their coats on the road [as before a king], while others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road.
Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road.
And most of the crowd spread their garments in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road.
A massive crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
Crowds of people carpeted the road with their clothing, while others cut branches from trees and spread them on the road.
But a very great crowd strewed their own garments on the way, and others kept cutting down branches from the trees and strewing them on the way.
On the way to Jerusalem, many people spread their coats on the road for Jesus. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
And a great multitude spred their garments in the way: and other cut downe branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
And a great many people spread their garments on the road; and others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
A large crowd of people spread their cloaks on the road while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
And a very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road.
And the very great crowd strewed their garments in the road. And others were cutting branches from the trees and were spreading them in the way.
And the most part of the multitude spread their garments in the way; and others cut branches from the trees, and spread them in the way.
And all the people put their clothing down in the way; and others got branches from the trees, and put them down in the way.
A very great multitude spread their clothes on the road. Others cut branches from the trees, and spread them on the road.
Many people in the crowd spread their own coats on the road, while others began cutting down branches from the trees and spreading them on the road.Leviticus 23:40; John 12:13;">[xr]
And many of the crowds spread their vestments in the way; and others cut down branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way.
And a very great throng strewed their clothes in the path; and others cut branches from the trees, and cast them in the path.
And many of the people spread their garmetes in the way. Other cut downe braunches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
And the most part of the multitude spread their garments in the way; and others cut branches from the trees, and spread them in the way.
A very great multitude spread their clothes on the road. Others cut branches from the trees, and spread them on the road.
And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; and others cut down branches from the trees and strewed them in the way.
and most of the crowd kept spreading their garments along the road, while others cut branches from the trees and carpeted the road with them,
And ful myche puple strewiden her clothis in the weie; othere kittiden braunchis of trees, and strewiden in the weie.
And the most part of the multitude spread their garments in the way; and others cut branches from the trees, and spread them in the way.
And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strewed [them] in the way.
A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
Many people put their coats down on the road. Other people cut branches from the trees and put them along the way.
A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
And, the chief multitude, spread their own mantles in the way, and, others, were cutting off young branches from the trees, and spreading them in the way;
And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way: and others cut boughs from the trees and strewed them in the way.
Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
And many of the people spreed their garmentes in ye waye. Other cut doune braunches fro the trees and strawed them in the waye.
and the very great multitude spread their own garments in the way, and others were cutting branches from the trees, and were strewing in the way,
But many of the people spred their garmentes in the waye: other cut downe braunches from the trees, and strawed them in the waye.
abundance of people spread their garments upon the ground; others lop'd down branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way:
A large crowd spread their ponchos, coats, and vests on the road and others cut branches off the trees and covered the ground with them.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
others: Leviticus 23:40, John 12:13
Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 3:12 - my hand 2 Kings 9:13 - and took every Mark 11:7 - and cast Luke 19:36 - General John 6:66 - of his John 12:12 - much
Cross-References
But Lot kept insisting, until they finally agreed and went home with him. He baked some bread, cooked a meal, and they ate.
Isaac gave a big feast for them, and everyone ate and drank.
So Laban gave a big feast and invited all their neighbors.
Three days later, while the king was celebrating his birthday with a dinner for his officials, he sent for his personal servant and the chief cook.
While Samson's father went to make the final arrangements with the bride and her family, Samson threw a big party, as grooms usually did.
Samson told the thirty young men, "This party will last for seven days. Let's make a bet: I'll tell you a riddle, and if you can tell me the right answer before the party is over, I'll give each one of you a shirt and a full change of clothing.
But Hannah stayed home, because she had told Elkanah, "Samuel and I won't go until he's old enough for me to stop nursing him. Then I'll give him to the Lord , and he can stay there at Shiloh for the rest of his life."
Abigail went back home and found Nabal throwing a party fit for a king. He was very drunk and feeling good, so she didn't tell him anything that night.
Abner took twenty soldiers with him, and when they got to Hebron, David gave a big feast for them.
Solomon woke up and realized that God had spoken to him in the dream. He went back to Jerusalem and stood in front of the sacred chest, where he offered sacrifices to please the Lord and sacrifices to ask his blessing. Then Solomon gave a feast for his officials.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And a very great multitude,.... Which consisted partly of the great multitude which followed Christ from Jericho, and partly of the much people that were come up to the feast of the passover from divers parts, and met him from Jerusalem; see John 12:12. These, many of them, for it cannot be thought to be done by them all,
spread their garments in the way; either in the middle of the road, instead of carpets, to ride upon; the Persic version adds, "that he might pass over them": this they did, in honour to him as a king. So when Jehu declared to the princes of Israel, that he was anointed king of Israel, they hastened, and took every man his garment, and put it under him, 2 Kings 9:13 that is, to tread upon; though the Jewish writers x say, it was done that he might be higher than them all, suitable to the dignity of a king: and it is reported y of Cato Uticensis, the emperor, that his soldiers strewed their garments for him to walk upon: or these garments were spread by the way side. Dr. Lightfoot conjectures, that little tents might be raised by them along the road, upon which they spread their garments to make a show, in imitation of the feast of tabernacles, to which there is a very great resemblance in many things which occur in this account; when they used to spread linen cloth, garments, and fruits, over their booths, for decoration and ornament; as appears from their traditions about these things:
"Nydo hyle oryp, "if a man spreads a linen cloth over it", (his booth,) because of the sun, or under it, because of the falling of leaves, c. or spreads it over a canopy, it is not right but he may spread it over the bedposts z.''
That is, for ornament, as the commentators observe a. Again,
"dgb hyle vrp, if a man spreads a garment over it, (his booth,) or if he spreads it under it, because of what falls it is not right; but if he spreads it so as that it is, לנאותה, "for ornament", it is right; and so if he covers it according to the tradition of it, and encompasses it with various kinds of fruits, and precious things, and vessels which hang upon it, whether on its walls, or on its covering, so they be for ornament, it is right b.''
In like manner, the multitude might hang their garments, to make the show the greater, either on such booths, or on the houses and trees, that were upon the road, as they went along.
Others cut down branches from the trees; from the olive trees, as the Persic version expresses it, which grew in great plenty hereabout; and also from the palm trees, the branches of which, with the boughs of other trees, were what the Jews used to carry in their hands on the feast of tabernacles; see Leviticus 23:40 and the Evangelist John expressly says, that the people which met Christ from Jerusalem at this time, did take branches of palm trees in their hands,
John 12:13. And though this was not the time of the feast of tabernacles, but of the passover, yet it was common with the Jews to signify their joy upon any occasion, by such ways and methods they used at that least: so upon the cleansing of the tower of Jerusalem, by Simon Maccabeus, the Jews entered into it with thanksgiving, and branches of palm trees:
"And entered into it the three and twentieth day of the second month in the hundred seventy and first year, with thanksgiving, and branches of palm trees, and with harps, and cymbals, and with viols, and hymns, and songs: because there was destroyed a great enemy out of Israel.'' (1 Maccabees 13:51)
Likewise upon purifying the temple, which had been polluted by Antiochus, they kept eight days with gladness as in the feast of tabernacles, and bare branches and fair boughs, and palms also, as in the Apocrypha:
6 And they kept the eight days with gladness, as in the feast of the tabernacles, remembering that not long afore they had held the feast of the tabernacles, when as they wandered in the mountains and dens like beasts. 7 Therefore they bare branches, and fair boughs, and palms also, and sang psalms unto him that had given them good success in cleansing his place. (2 Maccabees 10)
But here it is said,
and they strawed them in the way: not in the middle of the road, which would have been an hindrance to riding; but by the way side, upon, the booths, or houses in the road, in honour of him; just as the Jews c say,
"the streets were strewed with myrtles, and the courts with purple, when Mordecai went out of the king's gate.''
x R. Levi ben Gersom, & R. Samuel Laniado in loc. y Plutarch in Aleibiade. z Misn. Succa, c. 1. sect. 3. a Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. b Maimon. Hilch. Succa, c. 5. sect. 17. c Targum in Esther viii. 15.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
And a very great multitude ... - Others showed the same respect by throwing their garments before him; others by cutting down branches of trees and casting them in the way. This was the way in which conquerors and princes were often honored. To cast flowers, or garlands, or evergreens before a warrior returning from victory, or a king entering into his kingdom, was a common way of testifying joyful and triumphant feeling. Thus Josephus says that Alexander and Agrippa were received at Jerusalem. So in our own land some of the most acceptable tokens of rejoicing ever bestowed upon Washington were garlands of roses scattered in his path by children. So the path of Lafayette was often strewed with flowers, as a mark of respect and of a nation’s gratitude. John says John 12:13 that these branches were branches of the “palm-tree.” The palm was an emblem of “joy and victory.” It was used by the Roman soldiers, as well as the Jews, as a symbol of peace. See 1 Macc. 13:51; 2 Macc. 10:6, 7; Revelation 7:9.
The “palm-tree” is common in warm climates, and was abundant in Palestine. The finest grew about Jericho and Engedi. Hence, Jericho was called the city of “palm-trees.” The palm has a long and straight body, a spreading top, and an appearance of very great beauty. It produces an agreeable fruit, a pleasant shade, a kind of “honey” little inferior to the honey of bees, and from it was drawn a pleasant “wine” much used in the East. On ancient coins the palm-tree is often a symbol of Judea. On coins made after Jerusalem was taken, Judea is represented by a female sitting and weeping under a palm-tree. A reference to the palm-tree occurs often in the Bible, and its general form and uses are familiar to most readers.
Strictly speaking, the palm has no branches, but at the summit from forty to eighty twigs or leaf-stalks spring forth. These are referred to in Nehemiah 8:15. The leaves are set around the trunk in circles of about six. The lower row is of great length, and the vast leaves bend themselves in a curve toward the earth: as the circles ascend, the leaves are shorter. In the month of February, there sprout from between the junctures of the lower stalks and the trunk little scales, which develop a kind of bud, the germ of the coming fruit. These germs are contained in a thick and tough skin, not unlike leather. According to the account of a modern traveler, a single tree in Barbary and Egypt bears from fifteen to twenty large clusters of dates, weighing from 15 to 20 lbs. each. The palm-tree lives more than 200 years, and is most productive from the 30th until the 80th year. The Arabs speak of 260 uses to which the different parts of the palm-tree are applied.
The inhabitants of Egypt, Arabia, and Persia depend much on the fruit of the palm-tree for their subsistence. Camels feed on the seed, and the leaves, branches, fibres, and sap are all very valuable.
The “branches” referred to by John John 12:13 are the long “leaves” which shoot out from the top of the tree, and which were often carried about as the symbol of victory. Compare the notes at Isaiah 3:26.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Matthew 21:8. Cut down branches from the trees — Carrying palm and other branches was emblematical of victory and success. See 1 Mac. xiii. 51; 2 Mac. x. 7; and Revelation 7:9.
The rabbins acknowledge that the prophecy in Zechariah refers to the Messiah; so Rab. Tancum, and Yalcut Rubeni has a strange story about the ass. "This ass is the colt of that ass which was created in the twilight of the sixth day. This is the ass which Abraham found when he went to sacrifice his son. This is the ass on which Moses rode when he went to Egypt; and this is the ass on which the Messiah shall ride." Some of the Jews seem to think that the zebra is intended; for according to Bab. Sanhedr. fol. 98, when Shapoor, king of Persia, said to Rabbi Samuel: "You say your Messiah will come upon an ass; I will send him a noble horse." To which the rabbi replied, "You have not a horse with a hundred spots (query, streaks) like his ass." See Lightfoot and Schoettgen.
