Luke 19:41

THE MESSAGE

When the city came into view, he wept over it. "If you had only recognized this day, and everything that was good for you! But now it's too late. In the days ahead your enemies are going to bring up their heavy artillery and surround you, pressing in from every side. They'll smash you and your babies on the pavement. Not one stone will be left intact. All this because you didn't recognize and welcome God's personal visit."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
As he approached and saw the city, he wept for it,

King James Version (1611)
And when he was come neere, he beheld the city and wept ouer it,

King James Version
And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

English Standard Version
And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,

New American Standard Bible
When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it,

New Century Version
As Jesus came near Jerusalem, he saw the city and cried for it,

Amplified Bible
As He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it [and the spiritual ignorance of its people],

New American Standard Bible (1995)
When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it,

Legacy Standard Bible
And as He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He cried over it,

Berean Standard Bible
As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it

Contemporary English Version
When Jesus came closer and could see Jerusalem, he cried

Complete Jewish Bible
When Yeshua had come closer and could see the city, he wept over it,

Darby Translation
And as he drew near, seeing the city, he wept over it,

Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus came near Jerusalem. Looking at the city, he began to cry for it

Geneva Bible (1587)
And when he was come neere, he behelde the Citie, and wept for it,

George Lamsa Translation
And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it;

Good News Translation
He came closer to the city, and when he saw it, he wept over it,

Lexham English Bible
And when he approached and saw the city, he wept over it,

Literal Translation
And as He drew near, seeing the city, He wept over it,

American Standard Version
And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it,

Bible in Basic English
And when he got near and saw the town, he was overcome with weeping for it,

Hebrew Names Version
When he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it,

International Standard Version
When he came closer and saw the city, he began to cry over it,John 11:35;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
AND when he approached, and saw the city, he wept over her, saying,

Murdock Translation
And as he drew near, and beheld the city, he wept over it:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when he was come neare, he behelde the citie, and wept on it.

English Revised Version
And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it,

World English Bible
When he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And as he drew near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

Weymouth's New Testament
When He came into full view of the city, He wept aloud over it, and exclaimed,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne he neiyede, `he seiy the citee,

Update Bible Version
And when he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it,

Webster's Bible Translation
And when he had come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

New English Translation
Now when Jesus approached and saw the city, he wept over it,

New King James Version
Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it,

New Living Translation
But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep.

New Life Bible
When Jesus came near the city, He cried as He saw it.

New Revised Standard
As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when he drew near, beholding the city, he wept over it, saying -

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when he drew near, seeing the city, he wept over it, saying:

Revised Standard Version
And when he drew near and saw the city he wept over it,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And when he was come neare he behelde the citie and wept on it

Young's Literal Translation
And when he came nigh, having seen the city, he wept over it,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whan he was come neare, he behelde the cite, and wepte vpo it,

Mace New Testament (1729)
as he drew nigh, he beheld the city, and bewail'd its fate,

Simplified Cowboy Version
When Jesus got closer to the city, his eyes filled with tears.

Contextual Overview

⁴¹When the city came into view, he wept over it. "If you had only recognized this day, and everything that was good for you! But now it's too late. In the days ahead your enemies are going to bring up their heavy artillery and surround you, pressing in from every side. They'll smash you and your babies on the pavement. Not one stone will be left intact. All this because you didn't recognize and welcome God's personal visit." ⁴⁵Going into the Temple he began to throw out everyone who had set up shop, selling everything and anything. He said, "It's written in Scripture, My house is a house of prayer; You have turned it into a religious bazaar." ⁴⁷From then on he taught each day in the Temple. The high priests, religion scholars, and the leaders of the people were trying their best to find a way to get rid of him. But with the people hanging on every word he spoke, they couldn't come up with anything.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

and wept: Psalms 119:53, Psalms 119:136, Psalms 119:158, Jeremiah 9:1, Jeremiah 13:17, Jeremiah 17:16, Hosea 11:8, John 11:35, Romans 9:2, Romans 9:3

Reciprocal: Genesis 6:6 - grieved Genesis 42:24 - wept Deuteronomy 32:29 - O that Judges 10:16 - his soul Judges 21:6 - repented them 1 Samuel 15:11 - it grieved 2 Samuel 3:32 - lifted 2 Samuel 15:30 - and wept as he went up 2 Kings 8:11 - wept 2 Kings 22:19 - wept 2 Chronicles 36:15 - because Ezra 10:1 - weeping Esther 8:6 - For how Job 30:25 - Did not I Psalms 34:21 - they Psalms 35:14 - I behaved Psalms 59:10 - let Psalms 81:13 - Oh that Psalms 137:1 - we wept Psalms 139:21 - and am not Isaiah 15:5 - My heart Isaiah 28:21 - his strange Isaiah 42:22 - a people Isaiah 48:18 - that thou Isaiah 53:3 - a man Isaiah 65:2 - spread Jeremiah 4:19 - My bowels Jeremiah 8:21 - the hurt Jeremiah 9:18 - our eyes Jeremiah 30:5 - a voice Lamentations 1:16 - I weep Lamentations 3:51 - eye Ezekiel 19:14 - This is Ezekiel 32:18 - wail Daniel 7:15 - was grieved Hosea 6:4 - what Joel 1:15 - the day of Obadiah 1:12 - rejoiced Jonah 4:5 - till Zechariah 11:1 - that Zechariah 11:4 - Feed Zechariah 13:8 - two Malachi 4:6 - lest Matthew 12:45 - Even Matthew 14:14 - and was Matthew 18:31 - they Matthew 21:41 - He will Mark 7:34 - he sighed Mark 8:12 - he sighed Mark 10:21 - loved Mark 11:11 - Jesus Mark 12:9 - he will Mark 13:2 - there Luke 13:34 - Jerusalem Luke 20:17 - beheld John 5:34 - that John 11:48 - and the Acts 20:19 - many Acts 26:29 - that not 1 Corinthians 13:6 - Rejoiceth not 2 Corinthians 2:4 - out Philippians 3:18 - even

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when he was come near, he beheld city,.... Of Jerusalem; being now nearer, and in a situation to take a full view of it, he lift up his eyes, and looking wistfully on it, and beholding the grandeur and magnificence of it, the number of the houses, and the stately structures in it, and knowing what calamities, in a few years, would come upon it; with which being affected, as man, he looked upon it,

and wept over it; touched with a tender concern for it, his natural passions moved, and tears fell plentifully from his eyes. This must be understood of Christ merely as man, and is a proof of the truth of his human nature, which had all the natural properties, and even the infirmities of it; and as affected with the temporal ruin of Jerusalem, and as concerned for its temporal welfare; and is not to be improved either against his proper deity, or the doctrines of distinguishing grace, relating to the spiritual and eternal salvation of God's elect; things that are foreign from the sense of this passage: some ancient Christians, and orthodox too, thinking that this was not so agreeable to Christ, but reflected some weakness and dishonour upon him, expunged this clause concerning his weeping; but we have another instance besides this; see John 11:35 and even the Jews themselves cannot think this to be unsuitable to the Messiah, when they represent the Shekinah, and God himself weeping over the destruction of the temple p; and it is particularly q said by them of the Messiah, that he shall weep over the wicked among the Jews, according to Isaiah 53:5 and they encourage persons to mourn over Jerusalem: they say r whoever does any business on the ninth of Ab, (the day that city was destroyed,) and does not mourn over Jerusalem, shall not see its joy; but whoever does mourn over it, shall see its joy, according to Isaiah 66:10 s.

p Zohar in Gen. fol. 114. 4. & in Exod. fol. 76. 1. T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 3. 2. Prafat Echa Rabbati, fol. 89. 4. q Zohar in Exod. fol. 85. 2. r T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 30. 2. s T. Bab Bathra, fol. 60. 2. & Caphtor, fol. 118. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He wept over it - Showing his compassion for the guilty city, and his strong sense of the evils that were about to come upon it. See the notes at Matthew 23:37-39. As he entered the city he passed over the Mount of Olives. From that mountain there was a full and magnificent view of the city. See the notes at Matthew 21:1. The view of the splendid capital - the knowledge of its crimes - the remembrance of the mercies of God toward it - the certainty that it might have been spared if it had received the prophets and himself - the knowledge that it was about to put “him,” their long-expected Messiah, to death, and “for” that to be given up to utter desolation - affected his heart, and the triumphant King and Lord of Zion wept! Amid all “his” prosperity, and all the acclamations of the multitude, the heart of the Redeemer of the world was turned from the tokens of rejoicing to the miseries about to come on a guilty people. Yet they “might” have been saved. If thou hadst known, says he, even thou, with all thy guilt, the things that make for thy peace; if thou hadst repented, had been righteous, and had received the Messiah; if thou hadst not stained thy hands with the blood of the prophets, and shouldst not with that of the Son of God, then these terrible calamities would not come upon thee. But it is too late. The national wickedness is too great; the cup is full: mercy is exhausted; and Jerusalem, with all her pride and splendor, the glory of her temple, and the pomp of her service, “must perish!”

For the days shall come ... - This took place under Titus, the Roman general, 70 a.d., about thirty years after this was spoken.

Cast a trench about thee - The word “trench” now means commonly a “pit or ditch.” When the Bible was translated, it meant also “earth thrown up to defend a camp” (Johnson’s “Dictionary”). This is the meaning of the original here. It is not a pit or large “ditch,” but a pile of earth, stones, or wood thrown up to guard a camp, and to defend it from the approach of an enemy. This was done at the siege of Jerusalem. Josephus informs us that Titus, in order that he might compel the city to surrender by “famine,” built a wall around the whole circumference of the city. This wall was nearly 5 miles in length, and was furnished with thirteen castles or towers. This work was completed with incredible labor in ten days. The professed design of this wall was “to keep” the city “in on every side.” Never was a prophecy more strikingly accomplished.

Shall lay thee even with the ground ... - This was literally done. Titus caused a plow to pass over the place where the temple stood. See the notes at Matthew 24:0. All this was done, says Christ, because Jerusalem knew not the time of its visitation - that is, did not know, and “would not” know, that the Messiah had come. “His coming” was the time of their merciful visitation. That time had been predicted, and invaluable blessings promised as the result of his advent; but they would not know it. They rejected him, they put him to death, and it was just that they should be destroyed.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 41. And wept over it — See Matthew 23:37.