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!’
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus isn't just predicting a future event; he's dramatically flipping the concept of blessing. In a culture where bearing children was the ultimate sign of favor, he declares that soon, the deepest longing will be not to have children, highlighting the unimaginable horror and destruction about to befall Jerusalem. This isn't a simple prophecy; it's a profound reversal of fortunes, showing the utter devastation that awaits those who reject God's offered mercy.
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!’
English Standard Version (ESV)
As Jesus is led to his crucifixion, a crowd follows, including women who are weeping for him. Jesus turns to them and tells them not to weep for him, but for themselves and their children, because a terrible day of judgment is coming upon Jerusalem. He warns that this future devastation will be so horrific that women will long to be barren, as the suffering will be unimaginable.
Jesus redirects the sorrow of the women following Him. Their tears for His suffering were misplaced. He points to a future, far greater tragedy, one that would make childbearing a curse, not a blessing.
A Shift in Sorrow
As Jesus is led to His crucifixion, a group of women follows, weeping and lamenting for Him. It's a natural human response to see someone suffer. But Jesus, even in His own agony, turns to them with a profound message: "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children." (Luke 23:28)
This isn't a rebuke of their compassion. It's a redirection. Jesus is saying that His suffering, while terrible, is temporary and purposeful. The true, devastating sorrow lies ahead for them and their descendants. He's foretelling the utter destruction of Jerusalem and the immense suffering that will come upon the Jewish people.
Imagine a time so desperate, so filled with anguish, that the greatest blessing would be to have never experienced the joy of motherhood. That's the terrifying future Jesus describes.
The Curse of Motherhood
Luke 23:29 paints a stark picture: "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!’"
This is a complete reversal of the deeply held cultural value in ancient Israel, where having children was seen as a sign of God's favor and a woman's fulfillment. To call barrenness a blessing signals a future of such unimaginable suffering that childbirth itself becomes a source of horror.
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Scholars point to the siege of Jerusalem, likely the one described by the historian Josephus, as a horrifying fulfillment. During extreme famine, mothers were driven to the unthinkable act of eating their own children. In such a context, a woman who had never borne children would be spared witnessing such atrocities and being tempted to such acts. It speaks to a level of desolation where life itself, and the very capacity to bring forth life, becomes a burden and a curse.
Jesus uses a powerful metaphor to explain the severity of the coming judgment. If His innocent suffering is like chopping down a healthy tree, what awaits those who are corrupt?
The Fate of the Wicked
Jesus follows His chilling prophecy with another profound statement: "For if they do these things in the green tree, what will happen when it is dry?" (Luke 23:31)
This is often understood as a metaphor for judgment. The "green tree" represents Jesus – full of life, innocent, and vibrant. The "dry tree" represents the wicked people and leaders of Jerusalem, corrupt and ready for judgment.
Jesus is saying that even His suffering, the suffering of the perfectly innocent Son of God, is severe. But if this is what happens to the "green tree" (Jesus) when it's placed among the "dry" (the unrighteous), then the ultimate destruction awaiting the unrighteous themselves will be far more complete and devastating. It’s a sobering reminder that God’s judgment, while sometimes delayed, is certain and will fall most heavily on those who are hardened in their sin.
Understand the original words
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.
Jesus' words about barrenness being a blessing weren't just theological speculation; they were a stark prophecy of the horrific famine and destruction that would soon engulf Jerusalem during its siege by the Romans, a calamity so profound that the inability to bear children would seem like a mercy.
c. 70 BC - 30 AD
Roman Rule and Jewish Unrest
Judea was under Roman occupation, leading to significant political tension and sporadic uprisings. This period saw a desire for a Messiah who would liberate Israel from foreign rule.
c. AD 29-30
Jesus' Ministry and Growing Crowd Influence
Jesus' public ministry, including miracles and teachings, gained Him a large following. However, this also led to increased scrutiny and opposition from religious authorities.
AD 30-33
The Triumphal Entry and Temple Confrontation
Jesus entered Jerusalem with a crowd proclaiming Him king, followed by confrontations with religious leaders in the Temple. This escalated tensions with Roman and Jewish authorities.
AD 33, Passover Week
Jesus' Arrest and Trial
Jesus was arrested after the Last Supper, tried by Jewish authorities, and then handed over to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate.
AD 33, Passover Week— this verse
Pilate's Acquiescence and Condemnation
Despite finding no guilt in Jesus, Pilate yielded to the crowd's pressure, washed his hands symbolically, and condemned Jesus to crucifixion, releasing Barabbas instead.
AD 33, Passover Week
The Crucifixion and Lamentations
Jesus was crucified, and as He was led to the cross, women from Jerusalem followed, lamenting. Jesus turned to them, warning of a future, far greater calamity for Jerusalem and its people, when childlessness would be seen as a blessing.
AD 70
The Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem
Foretelling Jesus' words, the Roman army under Titus besieged Jerusalem, causing immense suffering, famine, and death. Historical accounts describe women resorting to cannibalism due to starvation, making barrenness a tragic 'blessing'.
This passage describes a curse upon Israel due to their sin, which includes barrenness and the inability to nurse, echoing the future suffering Jesus predicts in Luke 23:29.
Deuteronomy 28:53-57These verses contain Moses' warnings of severe judgment, including the horrific consequence of cannibalism during a siege, where mothers would desire barrenness to avoid such suffering, directly paralleling Jesus' words.
Luke 11:27Here, Jesus is praised by a woman for the womb that bore Him. In Luke 23:29, He flips this blessing, highlighting the extreme suffering ahead where barrenness will be seen as a blessing.
Jeremiah 19:9Jeremiah prophesied a similar judgment upon Judah, where people would eat the flesh of their sons and daughters due to a suffocating siege, a foreshadowing of the desolation Jesus speaks of.
Matthew 24:19Jesus speaks elsewhere about the distress coming upon Jerusalem, specifically mentioning 'woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants' in that day, reinforcing the theme of impending doom on mothers and children.
calvinLuke 23:24-32: "And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required."
- But Pilate, perceiving that he gained nothing by it, but that the tumult became the greater, took water, and washed his hands before the people, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man: see you to it. 25. And the whole people, answering, said, His blood be on us and on our children. 26. Then he released to them Barabbas, and after having scourged Jesus, he delivered him up to be crucified. 27. The…
ellicottLuke 23:29: "For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck."
(29) Blessed are the barren. —We must enter into all the passionate desire of Israelite women for offspring, as we see it, e.g., in Rachel ( Genesis 30:1 ) and in Hannah ( 1Samuel 1:10-11 ), in order to estimate the strangeness of such a beatitude. With some of those who heard it, its force may have been emphasised by its contras…
Jesus isn't just predicting a future event; he's dramatically flipping the concept of blessing. In a culture where bearing children was the ultimate sign of favor, he declares that soon, the deepest longing will be not to have children, highlighting the unimaginable horror and destruction about to befall Jerusalem. This isn't a simple prophecy; it's a profound reversal of fortunes, showing the utter devastation that awaits those who reject God's offered mercy.
As Jesus is led to his crucifixion, a crowd follows, including women who are weeping for him. Jesus turns to them and tells them not to weep for him, but for themselves and their children, because a terrible day of judgment is coming upon Jerusalem. He warns that this future devastation will be so horrific that women will long to be barren, as the suffering will be unimaginable.
As Jesus is led to his crucifixion, a crowd follows, including women who are weeping for him. Jesus turns to them and tells them not to weep for him, but for themselves and their children, because a terrible day of judgment is coming upon Jerusalem. He warns that this future devastation will be so horrific that women will long to be barren, as the suffering will be unimaginable.
"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!’" — Jesus isn't just predicting a future event; he's dramatically flipping the concept of blessing. In a culture where bearing children was the ultimate sign of favor, he declares that soon, the deepest…
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Last reviewed October 2026