But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus redirects their sorrow from his immediate suffering to the devastating future calamities awaiting Jerusalem. This moment highlights his profound empathy, showing that even as he faces death, his deepest concern is for the coming destruction that will fall upon his people and their children because of their rejection.
But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
English Standard Version (ESV)
As Jesus is led to His crucifixion, a crowd follows, including women from Jerusalem who are weeping for Him. In this moment, Jesus, having endured mocking and suffering in silence, turns and speaks to them. He directs their grief away from Himself, toward the impending destruction that will fall upon Jerusalem and their children, signaling a profound shift from His own suffering to a prophecy of future judgment.
Imagine being in the absolute worst moment of your life, and instead of focusing on your own pain, you’re thinking about others. That’s Jesus.
Even as Jesus is facing the ultimate injustice – being led to crucifixion – his heart is not focused on his own agony. He turns to the weeping women of Jerusalem and redirects their sorrow.
Shifting the Gaze
He doesn't dismiss their grief entirely, but reframes it. Their tears for him, though understandable, are misplaced when considering the immense judgment coming upon Jerusalem. Jesus’s empathy extends beyond his immediate suffering to the future destruction awaiting the city and its people.
Jesus warns the women not just of a future event, but of a specific, terrifying judgment that would make childlessness a blessing.
Jesus’s instruction to weep for themselves and their children points to a devastating future for Jerusalem. This wasn't just a general prediction of hardship; it was a specific prophecy of the Roman siege and destruction of the city in 70 AD.
A Prophecy of Desolation
The days Jesus speaks of are ones so horrific that barrenness, normally seen as a curse, would be considered a blessing. People would long for death to escape the suffering, wishing for mountains to fall on them. This intense imagery underscores the severity of the divine judgment that would fall upon the city for its rejection of God’s Messiah.
Ask a follow-up
Why does Jesus compare himself to a 'green tree' and the wicked to a 'dry tree'? It’s a stark analogy about justice and consequence.
Jesus uses a vivid metaphor to explain why the coming judgment is so certain and severe. The 'green tree' represents someone who, like Jesus, is righteous and full of life, yet still suffers.
Justice and Retribution
If such suffering befalls the innocent (the green, living tree), what will happen to the wicked (the dry, dead tree) who are already ripe for judgment? This rhetorical question emphasizes that the crucifixion, while unjust to Jesus, is not the end of the story. It signifies the beginning of God's wrath upon those who rejected him. The intense suffering of Christ is a precursor to the far greater, eternal destruction awaiting those who remain in their sin.
Understand the original words
thygatēr Ierousalēm · Greek Noun
A title of endearment and address used by Jesus, identifying the women as belonging to the holy city; it carries a tone of compassion while preparing them for coming judgment.
Jesus' words to the weeping women focus on the impending destruction of Jerusalem and its people, a calamitous event about 40 years later that tragically fulfilled his prophecy.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Crucifixion and Burial
Jesus is condemned by Pontius Pilate, forced to carry his cross, crucified at Golgotha, and then buried in a tomb.
c. 30 AD
Pilate Washes Hands
The Roman governor Pontius Pilate symbolically washes his hands, declaring himself innocent of Jesus' blood, but yields to the crowd's demands.
c. 30 AD
Crowd Curses Themselves
The Jewish crowd declares Jesus' blood be on them and their children, a fateful imprecation in light of future destruction.
c. 30 AD
Simon of Cyrene Carries Cross
Simon, a man from Cyrene, is compelled by soldiers to carry Jesus' cross when Jesus is too weak to continue.
c. 70 AD
Destruction of Jerusalem
The Roman army, under Titus, besieges and destroys Jerusalem, killing hundreds of thousands and enslaving many more, fulfilling Jesus' prophecy.
This passage describes the suffering servant whose wounds bring healing, directly paralleling Jesus' focus on the future suffering of others rather than His own present pain.
Jeremiah 7:29This Old Testament prophecy speaks of God's judgment on His people for their sin, echoing Jesus' somber warning about the coming destruction on Jerusalem and its people.
Zechariah 12:10This verse speaks of mourning for one who was pierced, a concept Jesus alludes to by redirecting the women's sorrow from His present suffering to the impending judgment they will face.
Matthew 27:25This passage shows the crowd taking responsibility for Jesus' blood ('His blood be on us and on our children'), directly contrasting with Jesus' compassionate plea for the women not to weep for Him, but for themselves and their children.
Luke 19:41-42Jesus weeps over Jerusalem in this passage, showing His deep concern for the city's fate and the coming judgment, which aligns with His words in Luke 23:28 where He urges the women to weep for their own future.
pooleLuke 23:28: "But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children."
See Poole on "Luke 23:27"
barnesLuke 23:28: "But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children."
Daughters of Jerusalem - Women of Jerusalem. This was a common mode of speaking among the Hebrews. Weep for yourselves ... - This refers to the calamities that were about to come upon them in the desolation of their city by the Romans.
Jesus redirects their sorrow from his immediate suffering to the devastating future calamities awaiting Jerusalem. This moment highlights his profound empathy, showing that even as he faces death, his deepest concern is for the coming destruction that will fall upon his people and their children because of their rejection.
As Jesus is led to His crucifixion, a crowd follows, including women from Jerusalem who are weeping for Him. In this moment, Jesus, having endured mocking and suffering in silence, turns and speaks to them. He directs their grief away from Himself, toward the impending destruction that will fall upon Jerusalem and their children, signaling a profound shift from His own suffering to a prophecy of future judgment.
As Jesus is led to His crucifixion, a crowd follows, including women from Jerusalem who are weeping for Him. In this moment, Jesus, having endured mocking and suffering in silence, turns and speaks to them. He directs their grief away from Himself, toward the impending destruction that will fall upon Jerusalem and their children, signaling a profound shift from His own suffering to a prophecy of future judgment.
"But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children." — Jesus redirects their sorrow from his immediate suffering to the devastating future calamities awaiting Jerusalem. This moment highlights his profound empathy, showing that even as he faces death, hi…
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Last reviewed October 2026