Jesus uses the intimate image of a hen gathering her chicks to express his longing to protect Jerusalem, but the heartbreaking emphasis lies on "ye would not"—a stark reminder that human will can tragically reject even the most tender divine invitations. This isn't just about past actions; the present tense "killest" and "stonest" reveals a persistent pattern of defiance, showing how the city’s rejection of God's messengers has become its defining, fatal characteristic.
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus, having just delivered a series of powerful "woes" against the religious leaders, turns his gaze towards Jerusalem itself. He laments the city's history of rejecting and even killing God's messengers, contrasting this with his own deep desire to protect and gather its people under his care, a tender image of a mother hen protecting her chicks. Despite his persistent efforts and compassionate outreach, the city, and by extension its people, ultimately refused his offer of salvation, sealing their own tragic fate.
Why would Jesus call Jerusalem a city that 'kills the prophets' and 'stones those who are sent to it'? This wasn't just a historical fact; it was a defining characteristic.
Jesus' words in Matthew 23:37 paint a stark picture of Jerusalem's history and its ongoing rejection of God's divine messengers.
A Pattern of Violence
Ask a follow-up
Imagine a mother hen desperately trying to protect her chicks. Jesus uses this image to describe His longing for Jerusalem. Why is this image so powerful, and why did Jerusalem refuse?
Jesus' lament over Jerusalem is not just an expression of sorrow, but a profound revelation of God's persistent, tender heart towards His people, a heart that was met with stubborn refusal.
A Mother's Longing
Understand the original words
Ierousalēm · Greek Proper Noun
The capital of Israel, representing the heart of the nation, the site of the Temple, and the center of God's covenantal dealings with His people. It is frequently portrayed in Scripture as the place of spiritual rebellion and the rejection of God's messengers.
prophētēs · Greek Noun
Individuals commissioned by God to declare His word to His people, often calling them to repentance. They were frequently persecuted or killed by those who rejected God’s authority.
pterux · Greek Noun
A metaphorical image signifying divine protection, care, comfort, and the sheltering presence of God. It draws on the imagery of a mother bird protecting her young from danger.
Jesus' lament over Jerusalem wasn't just about a single moment but a deep sorrow reflecting centuries of the city's consistent rejection of God's prophets and messengers, culminating in its final, devastating judgment.
c. 874–605 BC
Prophetic Ministry Flourishes
Throughout this period, prophets like Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, and Jeremiah served, often confronting kings and people with God's word. Many faced persecution and rejection.
c. 627–586 BC
Jeremiah's Ministry and Lament
Jeremiah prophesied in Jerusalem during a time of impending doom, warning of judgment and exile. He faced intense opposition and was imprisoned.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians, and many of its people were exiled, a severe judgment for generations of disobedience and rejection of God's messengers.
c. 516 BC
Temple Rebuilt, but Spiritual Decline Continues
The Second Temple was completed, yet many Jewish leaders and people continued a pattern of religious hypocrisy and resistance to God's will.
c. AD 27–30— this verse
Jesus' Ministry in Judea and Jerusalem
Jesus preached, taught, and performed miracles, particularly in and around Jerusalem, offering salvation and repeatedly calling the city to repentance.
c. AD 30–34
Stephen's Martyrdom and Persecution
After Jesus' ascension, Stephen, a Christian deacon, was stoned to death in Jerusalem, marking a key moment in the early persecution of followers of Jesus.
AD 70
Destruction of Jerusalem
The Roman army besieged and destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, fulfilling Jesus' prophecies of judgment on the city for its persistent rejection of God's messengers.
This passage presents almost identical words spoken by Jesus about Jerusalem, highlighting the deep sorrow He felt over the city's rejection of His messengers and its impending doom.
Deuteronomy 32:11This Old Testament passage uses the powerful image of an eagle protecting its young in its nest, which Jesus echoes with the gentler, yet equally protective, imagery of a hen gathering her chicks, illustrating God's consistent desire to shield His people.
Jeremiah 7:23-24This Old Testament passage shows God's frustration with Israel's disobedience, commanding them to listen and obey Him, but they refused, paralleling Jerusalem's persistent rejection of God's calls, even when expressed by Jesus.
Matthew 23:38Immediately following this lament, Jesus declares their 'house' will be left desolate, directly connecting Jerusalem's rejection of His protective care to its future destruction and abandonment.
Isaiah 1:15-16This prophetic passage speaks of God's weariness with a rebellious people who lift their hands in prayer but whose hands are full of blood, echoing Jesus' lament over Jerusalem's outward religious practice contrasted with its inner rejection of Him and His messengers.
vincentMatthew 23:37: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"
Hen (ὄρνις)Generic: bird or fowl; but hen is used generically of the mother-bird of all species.
bensonMatthew 23:37: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"
Matthew 23:37 . O Jerusalem, Jerusalem — The Lord Jesus having thus laid before the Pharisees and the Jewish nation their heinous guilt and impending ruin, was exceedingly moved at the thought of the calamities coming upon them. A day or two before he had…
Jesus uses the intimate image of a hen gathering her chicks to express his longing to protect Jerusalem, but the heartbreaking emphasis lies on "ye would not"—a stark reminder that human will can tragically reject even the most tender divine invitations. This isn't just about past actions; the present tense "killest" and "stonest" reveals a persistent pattern of defiance, showing how the city’s rejection of God's messengers has become its defining, fatal characteristic.
Jesus, having just delivered a series of powerful "woes" against the religious leaders, turns his gaze towards Jerusalem itself. He laments the city's history of rejecting and even killing God's messengers, contrasting this with his own deep desire to protect and gather its people under his care, a tender image of a mother hen protecting her chicks. Despite his persistent efforts and compassionate outreach, the city, and by extension its people, ultimately refused his offer of salvation, sealing their own tragic fate.
Jesus, having just delivered a series of powerful "woes" against the religious leaders, turns his gaze towards Jerusalem itself. He laments the city's history of rejecting and even killing God's messengers, contrasting this with his own deep desire to protect and gather its people under his care, a tender image of a mother hen protecting her chicks. Despite his persistent efforts and compassionate outreach, the city, and by extension its people, ultimately refused his offer of salvation, sealing their own tragic fate.
"“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" — Jesus uses the intimate image of a hen gathering her chicks to express his longing to protect Jerusalem, but the heartbreaking emphasis lies on "ye would not"—a stark reminder that human will can tra…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
