Jesus redirects their grief not away from suffering, but towards a more profound sorrow. He asks them to weep not for the innocent Son of God being crucified, but for the impending destruction their own city and future generations will face due to their rejection of Him. This is a powerful moment where Jesus, even in his own deepest agony, shows immense compassion and prophetic foresight for those who are too focused on the immediate tragedy to grasp the larger spiritual reality.
But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
As Jesus is led away to be crucified, a crowd follows, including many women from Jerusalem who are weeping for him. Jesus, breaking his silence after enduring scourging and mockery, turns to them with remarkable compassion. He tells them not to weep for him, but rather for themselves and their children, foretelling the terrible destruction that will soon fall upon Jerusalem because of their rejection of him.
Jesus is on his way to the cross, enduring unimaginable pain. Yet, his first words aren't for himself, but for the women weeping for him. What does this reveal about his heart?
Unwavering Compassion
Jesus, facing his own brutal crucifixion, shows incredible empathy. He turns to the weeping women and redirects their sorrow.
Why would Jesus tell people not to weep for him, the suffering Servant? What does this tell us about God's justice and humanity's responsibility?
Echoes of a Choice
Jesus’s instruction to weep for themselves and their children isn't just about a future event; it's about the consequence of a monumental choice made by Jerusalem.
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Jesus uses a stark image: 'If they do these things in the green tree, what will happen in the dry?' What is he warning about?
The Unstoppable Divine Wrath
This powerful metaphor speaks volumes about God's justice and the severity of 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.
steira · Greek Adjective
In a biblical context, it refers to a woman unable to conceive; throughout Scripture, barrenness was often seen as a source of social shame, making the reversal of this sentiment in judgment particularly shocking.
idou · Greek Interjection
A prophetic declaration of impending disaster or divine judgment; often used in the OT to describe the 'Day of the Lord' and echoed here by Jesus to signal the destruction of Jerusalem.
kalyptō · Greek Verb
The act of shielding or hiding from wrath; here, it refers to the desperate desire to be crushed by creation rather than face the terror of impending divine judgment.
xylon chlōron · Greek Noun phrase
A metaphor for the state of a person or nation; 'green wood' implies vitality and life, while 'dry wood' implies deadness and ripeness for judgment or burning.
Jesus' words to the 'Daughters of Jerusalem' powerfully connect his immediate suffering to the future judgment awaiting the city, highlighting his selfless compassion even in his final moments and foretelling a devastating historical event.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Crucifixion
Jesus is condemned to death by Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, and is crucified outside Jerusalem along with two criminals. The events surrounding his trial and execution are intensely political and religious, charged with tension between Roman authority and Jewish leadership.
c. 30 AD
Women Lament Jesus
As Jesus is led to his crucifixion, a crowd follows, including women from Jerusalem who are weeping and mourning for him. This demonstrates compassion and sorrow for Jesus' suffering amidst the prevailing hostility.
c. 30 AD
Jesus' Prophecy of Jerusalem's Fall
Jesus turns to the weeping women and tells them not to weep for him, but for themselves and their children, prophesying the imminent destruction and desolation of Jerusalem and its people.
c. 30 AD
The 'Green Tree' Analogy
Jesus uses the analogy of 'green wood' (representing himself, the righteous one) and 'dry wood' (representing the wicked people of Jerusalem) to illustrate the coming divine judgment. He implies that if such suffering befalls the righteous, the punishment for the wicked will be far more severe.
c. 70 AD
Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem
Fulfilling Jesus' prophecy, the Roman army, under Titus, besieges and brutally destroys Jerusalem and its temple. The immense suffering and loss of life during this event echo Jesus' warning to the women.
This passage speaks of God pouring out a spirit of grace and supplication on Jerusalem, and they will look on Me, whom they have pierced, and mourn as one mourns for an only child. This connects to Jesus' words by highlighting the future grief and repentance Jerusalem will experience for their rejection of the Messiah, echoing His instruction to weep for themselves and their children.
Isaiah 53:3This verse describes the Suffering Servant as 'despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.' It resonates with Luke 23:28 because it foretells the rejection Jesus would face, giving context to why He redirected the women's pity from Himself to the impending judgment they and their children would face due to this rejection.
Matthew 24:19Jesus predicts the great tribulation, saying, 'But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days.' This directly relates to Jesus' warning in Luke 23:28, as it outlines the specific horrors that will befall mothers and children in Jerusalem during its destruction, underscoring the reason for His sorrowful instruction.
Deuteronomy 28:53In the context of curses for disobedience, this verse states, 'And you shall eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of your sons and your daughters, whom the Lord your God has given you, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemies will distress you.' This passage powerfully illustrates the severe future calamity Jesus foresaw for Jerusalem, justifying His command for the women to weep for the devastating fate awaiting their children.
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 grief not away from suffering, but towards a more profound sorrow. He asks them to weep not for the innocent Son of God being crucified, but for the impending destruction their own city and future generations will face due to their rejection of Him. This is a powerful moment where Jesus, even in his own deepest agony, shows immense compassion and prophetic foresight for those who are too focused on the immediate tragedy to grasp the larger spiritual reality.
As Jesus is led away to be crucified, a crowd follows, including many women from Jerusalem who are weeping for him. Jesus, breaking his silence after enduring scourging and mockery, turns to them with remarkable compassion. He tells them not to weep for him, but rather for themselves and their children, foretelling the terrible destruction that will soon fall upon Jerusalem because of their rejection of him.
As Jesus is led away to be crucified, a crowd follows, including many women from Jerusalem who are weeping for him. Jesus, breaking his silence after enduring scourging and mockery, turns to them with remarkable compassion. He tells them not to weep for him, but rather for themselves and their children, foretelling the terrible destruction that will soon fall upon Jerusalem because of their rejection of him.
"But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the b…" — Jesus redirects their grief not away from suffering, but towards a more profound sorrow. He asks them to weep not for the innocent Son of God being crucified, but for the impending destruction their…
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Last reviewed October 2026
