and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus highlights that the praise from these children isn't just cute noise; it's the "perfection" or completion of praise that God Himself orchestrates. Even though they are young and seemingly insignificant, they are used by God to powerfully declare His glory, especially when those in authority are resistant.
and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The chief priests and scribes are furious because the children in the temple are shouting praises to Jesus, calling him the Son of David. They confront Jesus, implicitly asking if he will stop this praise from the children, which they find offensive. Jesus responds by affirming he hears them and then quotes Scripture, explaining that God is glorified even through the mouths of infants.
Why did Jesus quote Scripture about 'infants and nursing babies' when the religious leaders challenged Him? It's a powerful statement about who God uses.
When the chief priests and scribes confronted Jesus, furious about the children shouting 'Hosanna to the Son of David!', they were deeply offended. Their question, 'Do you hear what these are saying?' was loaded with disdain. They saw these children as insignificant, their praise as unworthy.
But Jesus calmly turns their accusation into a theological point by quoting Psalm 8:2. He doesn't just hear; He approves and validates this praise. The original Hebrew of the Psalm speaks of God 'ordaining strength,' but the Septuagint (the Greek translation commonly used) and Matthew render it as 'prepared' or 'perfected' praise.
This highlights a profound truth: God can and does bring about His perfect praise through those we might consider least likely – the very young, the vulnerable, the marginalized. Their simple, unadulterated faith and recognition of who Jesus is become a powerful testament that silences worldly objections. God isn't limited by human expectations of who should or can praise Him.
It's strange that praise would make religious leaders angry. What was really bothering them about the children's shouts?
The religious leaders' fury wasn't just about noise; it was about what the children represented and the implications of their shouts. These children, by crying 'Hosanna to the Son of David!', were acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah, the King foretold in their Scriptures. This directly challenged the authority and understanding of the established religious elite.
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Their anger stemmed from:
Their attempt to silence the children was an attempt to silence God's truth proclaimed through unexpected voices.
Understand the original words
‘ōz · Hebrew Noun
A formal expression of adoration, honor, and worship directed toward God, acknowledging His greatness, attributes, and works. In Scripture, it is a response to divine revelation or action and is often linked to the spirit of humility.
This verse is embedded in Jesus' final week in Jerusalem, a period of intense confrontation. The cleansing of the temple, His miraculous healings, and His triumphal entry all preceded this moment. The religious leaders' outrage at the children's praise, and Jesus' response by quoting Scripture, highlights the divine purpose behind even the simplest expressions of faith, challenging those who sought to silence God's truth.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
Jesus drives out merchants and money-changers from the Jerusalem Temple, asserting His authority over the sacred space.
c. AD 27-30
Healing of the Blind and Lame
In the temple, Jesus heals blind and lame individuals, to whom He responds to their praise by quoting Psalm 8:2.
c. AD 30
Palm Sunday Entry into Jerusalem
Jesus makes His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, hailed by the crowds as the Son of David and a prophet.
c. AD 30
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
Jesus curses a fig tree that had only leaves, symbolizing the spiritual barrenness of the Jewish leadership and nation.
This is the direct Old Testament passage Jesus quotes, highlighting that God's praise can come from the most unexpected and seemingly weak sources, even infants, revealing divine strength.
1 Corinthians 1:27This passage echoes the theme by showing how God chooses the weak and foolish things of the world to shame the wise and strong, mirroring how He used children to praise Him when religious leaders were silent.
Luke 19:37-40This parallel account of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem shows the same event from a slightly different angle, emphasizing the disciples' joy and the Pharisees' demand that Jesus silence the crowd, reinforcing the conflict Jesus addresses.
Isaiah 56:7Jesus alludes to this passage, which speaks of His house being a house of prayer for all nations, contrasting the intended purpose of the Temple with its current commercialization, which the children's praise implicitly condemned.
bengelMatthew 21:16: "And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?"
Matthew 21:16 . Ἀκούεις , κ . τ . λ ., dost Thou hear? etc.) Every thing which is not commonplace and traditional, is too much for hypocrites.[920]— ΘΗΛΑΖΌΝΤΩΝ , sucklings ) who might be as much as three years old.[921] See 2Ma 7:27 . [920] νηπίων ) They who to the world seem still infants, may notwithstanding ha…
pooleMatthew 21:16: "And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?"
Ver. 15,16. The other evangelists say nothing of this part of this history. The wonderful things here mentioned, are his healing the blind and lame, of which we read Matthew 21:14 . The cry of the children doubtless more displeased them; it was of the same nature with that of the multitude in the way, and in the…
Jesus highlights that the praise from these children isn't just cute noise; it's the "perfection" or completion of praise that God Himself orchestrates. Even though they are young and seemingly insignificant, they are used by God to powerfully declare His glory, especially when those in authority are resistant.
The chief priests and scribes are furious because the children in the temple are shouting praises to Jesus, calling him the Son of David. They confront Jesus, implicitly asking if he will stop this praise from the children, which they find offensive. Jesus responds by affirming he hears them and then quotes Scripture, explaining that God is glorified even through the mouths of infants.
The chief priests and scribes are furious because the children in the temple are shouting praises to Jesus, calling him the Son of David. They confront Jesus, implicitly asking if he will stop this praise from the children, which they find offensive. Jesus responds by affirming he hears them and then quotes Scripture, explaining that God is glorified even through the mouths of infants.
"and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,
“‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies
you have prepared praise’?”" — Jesus highlights that the praise from these children isn't just cute noise; it's the "perfection" or completion of praise that God Himself orchestrates. Even though they are young and seemingly insig…
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Last reviewed October 2026