Author: Charlie Garrett

Matthew 23 Summary

Charlie Garrett Daily Writing, Matthew (Written)

Wednesday, 4 November 2026

A summary of Matthew Chapter 23.

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen). 

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

To read the CG Translation on YouTube (Click Here), or at Rumble (Click Here).

Daniel also did a link concerning the connection between Matthew 23, the Book of Isaiah, and Isaiah 23. That can be listened to (Clicking Here). His readable notes are (Click Here).

Each chapter of Matthew has provided a broad panorama of what is going on in redemptive history. Reviewing the last few chapters, we saw that Chapter 20 hinted at the transition from the dispensation of the law to the dispensation of grace. It presented the truth that God has made faith in what He has done the necessary condition for man’s salvation.

Chapter 21 continued that thought, dealing specifically with the object of that faith, Jesus Christ. Chapter 21 ended with the parable of the wicked vinedressers, revealing that the vineyard would be taken away from Israel and given to other vinedressers.

Chapter 22 began with the parable of the wedding feast. The symbolism was that the Father was preparing Jesus as a bridegroom. The invitation was made to Israel, but they rejected the offer. Because of this, they were destroyed and their city, Jerusalem, was burned, exactly what later occurred.

From there, the message went throughout the world, inviting anyone to come and share in the banquet. At the end of the parable, it was seen that only those who had the appropriate garments, signifying the righteousness of Christ, were welcome. All others would be cast into outer darkness.

The chapter continued, showing Israel what their true responsibilities are and where their proper doctrine should lie. Though they were destroyed and exiled, it did not mean that the nation was finished as far as God’s redemptive plans are concerned.

Chapter 23 focuses almost all of its attention on the scribes and Pharisees. They represent the spiritual leadership in Israel. Despite Israel being exiled, such leaders have remained among the people all along, in their synagogues and rabbinic schools of instruction.

The scribes and Pharisees essentially got Israel into the mess they were in. The rabbis have continued to mislead the people for the past two thousand years, rejecting Christ and looking to establish their own righteousness apart from Him.

Jesus warned the multitudes concerning such people in verses 1-12, explaining how they should handle such people and with whom their fellowship should be. He stressed the people’s need to focus on the teachings of the Christ and have their affections set on the Father. Verses 10-12 were shown to point specifically to the Christ. They are not merely general statements about followers of Christ.

From verses 13-36, Jesus pronounced eight woes upon the scribes and Pharisees, clearly demonstrating that it is their doctrine and teachings that led the people astray. Sheep follow their shepherds. The scribes and Pharisees were worthless shepherds. A good, comparable chapter in the Old Testament to see the Lord’s attitude toward such worthless leaders is Ezekiel 34. In many ways, the words of that chapter mirror the intent of Jesus in Matthew 23 concerning the scribes and Pharisees and now the rabbis and religious schools.

The final woe pronounced by Jesus went from verses 29-36, warning the scribes and Pharisees that they would be held accountable for all of the blood of the righteous, “from the ‘blood, Abel, the righteous’ until the ‘blood, Zechariah, son, blessed of Yah’ whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.” Jesus assured them that this reckoning would arrive upon that generation.

The conclusion stated in the commentary on verse 36 said, “As such, it would logically follow that the generation referred to by Jesus is the entire span of the time of those curses.” In other words, the reckoning of the blood of the righteous was not merely poured out on the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ time, but it continues to this day.

Any worthless shepherd in Israel who fails to proclaim Christ Jesus will be a part of that sure judgment. Verses 37-39 confirm this. Jesus wept over Jerusalem, the city led by these worthless shepherds who misdirected the people, telling the city that she would not see Jesus again until she (meaning the leaders within her) says, “Having been blessed, the ‘Coming in Name, Lord’.”

In other words, until the religious leaders of Israel acknowledge Christ Jesus and direct the people to Him, He will not return. When they do, He will return and save them, as indicated in Revelation 19.

These events marked out in Chapter 23 occurred after Jesus completed His work, meaning during the time of the church age, but the chapter does not deal with the church. It deals with Israel’s responsibility toward Christ and the Father, something that has been almost wholly neglected by Israel for two thousand years.

Paul assures us in Romans 11 that there has always been a remnant of Israel according to the election as grace, but for the most part, the woes pronounced upon the scribes and Pharisees have come upon the leaders. In turn, they have come upon the people who have been misdirected by these wicked leaders. Much suffering is ahead for Israel because they rejected and continue to reject Christ Jesus.

Life application: Chapter 24 lies ahead. It is a mournful chapter of the woes coming upon Israel because of their rejection of Jesus, but before it arrives, the hope of Matthew 23:39 is that Jesus will, in fact, be called out to by the leaders in Jerusalem, and He will return to save them. Despite being mournful information about the state of Israel’s leaders and the nation as a whole, there is hope for this wayward nation. That hope is found in their long-rejected Messiah, Jesus.

Lord God, thank You for Your covenant faithfulness. Even when Your people are unfaithful to You, You remain steadfast and faithful to the word You have pronounced. Were it not so, heaven would remain barren of people. But because of Your goodness, grace, and covenant-keeping, it will be filled with the saints of all ages. Thank You for Jesus, who has made this possible. Amen.

 

Matthew 23

23 Then, the ‘Jesus’, He spoke to the crowds and to ‘disciples, His’. 2saying, “Upon the ‘Moses’ bench’, they sat, the scribes and the Pharisees.” 3All, therefore, as much if they might say to you to guard, you guard, and you do. According, also, to their works, not you do. They say, indeed, and not they do. 4They bind, indeed, burdens, weighty and oppressive, and they lay upon the ‘shoulders, the men’. The also ‘finger, theirs’, not they will to stir them. 5All, also, the ‘deeds, theirs’, they do to ‘see’, the men. They widen, also, the ‘phylacteries, theirs’, and they enlarge the ‘tassels, the cloaks, theirs’. 6They affectionate, also, the first-reclining in the suppers, and the first-sittings in the synagogues, 7and the greetings in the markets, and to be called by the ‘men’, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ 8You, also, not you should be called ‘Rabbi.’ One, indeed, He is of you the Guide: the Christ. All, also you, brothers – you are. 9And ‘father’, none you should call, of you, upon the earth. One, indeed, He is the ‘Father, yours’, the ‘in the celestial’.

10Not also you should be called guides. One, indeed, of you, He is the Guide: the Christ. 11The ‘also Greater’ of you, He will be your Attendant. 12Who, also, he will elevate himself, he will be humbled, and who, He will humble Himself, He will be elevated*.”

13“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you close the ‘kingdom, the heavens’ before the ‘men’. You, indeed, neither enter, nor those entering you permit to enter. 14Woe, also, to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour the ‘houses, the widows’, and pretense – lengthy praying. Through this, you will receive superabundant judgment.

15“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you traverse the sea and the arid to make one proselyte, and when he might become, you make him ‘son, Gehenna’ two-fold yourselves.

16“Woe to you, ‘conductors, blind’! Those saying, ‘Who, if he should swear ‘in the temple’, nothing, it is. Who, also, if he should swear ‘in the gold, the temple’, he is obligated. 17Moronics and blind! Which, indeed, greater it is, the gold or the temple, the ‘having hallowed the gold’? 18And who, if he should swear ‘in the altar’, nothing, it is. Who, also, if he should swear ‘in the gift, the atop it’, he is obligated. 19Moronics and blind! Which, indeed – greater: the gift or the ‘altar, the hallowing the gift’? 20The ‘therefore having sworn in the altar’, he swears in it and in all those atop it. 21And the ‘having sworn in the temple’, he swears in it and in the ‘dwelling, it’. 22And the ‘having sworn in the heaven’, he swears in the ‘throne, the God’ and in the ‘sitting atop it’.

23“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! Hypocrites! Because you tithe the mint, and the dill, and the cummin, and you left the ‘weightier, the law’: the judgment, and the mercy, and the faith. These, also, it necessitated to do – those, not leave! 24‘Guides, blind’! The ‘through-filtering the gnat’, the ‘also camel gulping’.

25“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! Hypocrites! Because you cleanse the ‘outwardly, the cup and the side-dish’. Inwardly, also, they swell from pillage and unrestraint. 26‘Pharisee, blind’! You cleanse first the ‘within the cup and the side-dish’ that it might be, also the outward of them, clean.

27“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! Hypocrites! Because you resemble tombs having been whitewashed, which outwardly, indeed, they appear beautiful. Inwardly, also, they swell – ‘bones, dead and all impurity’. 28 Thus, also, outwardly – indeed – you appear to the men righteous. Inwardly, also, you are replete – hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! Hypocrites! Because you build the ‘tombs, the prophets’, and you arrange the ‘sepulchers, the righteous’. 30And you say, ‘If we were in the ‘days, the fathers, us’, not if we were ‘sharers with them’ in the ‘blood, the prophets’. 31Thus, you witness to yourselves that sons, you are – the ‘having murdered the prophets’. 32And you, you must fill the measure, the ‘fathers, yours’. 33Serpents! ‘Offspring, vipers’! How might you flee from the ‘judgment, the Gehenna’? 34Through this, you must behold! I, I send to you prophets, and wise, and scribes. From them you will kill, and you will crucify, and from them you will flog in the ‘synagogues, yours’, and you will pursue from town to town. 35That it should come upon you all ‘blood, righteous being outpoured upon the earth’, from the ‘blood, Abel, the righteous’ until the ‘blood, Zechariah, son, blessed of Yah’ whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36Amen, I say to you, it will arrive, these all, upon the ‘generation, this’.

37“Jerusalem! Jerusalem! The ‘killing the prophets and stoning those having been sent to her’! How often I willed to upon-gather the ‘children, yours’, which way ‘upon-gathers, hen the chicks, hers under the wings’, and not you willed. 38You must behold! It is left to you, the ‘house, yours’, desolate! 39I say, indeed, to you, no, not Me you should see from now, until if you should speak, “Having been blessed, the ‘Coming in Name, Lord’.”

*Verses 10-12 – It is undoubtedly the case that Jesus refers to Himself in these verses. They explain the reference to “the Christ” in verse 8. Hence, the capitalization.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew 23:39

Charlie Garrett Daily Writing, Matthew (Written)

Tuesday, 3 November 2026

for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” Matthew 23:39

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“I say, indeed, to you, no, not Me you should see from now, until if you should speak, ‘Having been blessed, the ‘Coming in Name, Lord’.’” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus told the city of Jerusalem, meaning its leaders within it, that its house was left to them desolate. Next, He finishes Chapter 23, saying, “I say, indeed, to you, no, not Me you should see from now.”

There should be no debate about the meaning. Jesus is set to be crucified. The leaders of Israel, of which Jerusalem is emblematic, would have their hand in what was coming. Their continued rejection of Him after the resurrection and growth of the church is what brought about their destruction, something they openly called for –

“When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.’
25 And all the people answered and said, ‘His blood be on us and on our children.’” Matthew 27:24, 25

Jesus is speaking to this group of people. They are representatives of the nation in religious matters. Today, they are the religious elite in Israel, but this extends to the civil leadership as well. Together, they work to direct the nation. This is what leadership does. At this point in Israel’s history, they are in complete personal enmity with the message of Jesus. As such, they will not see Him until there is a change. That is seen in Jesus’ continued words, saying, “until if.”

It is a conditional phrase. Leaving off the word an, if, as most translations do, damages the intent of what is said. Matthew Poole, relying on the word “till” alone, says, “For whereas some interpret the term till, & c. of the day of judgment, or the time when the Jews shall be converted, I take them to be strained interpretations.” Continuing, he says –

“Till here certainly is to be interpreted, as Psalm 110:1, Matthew 1:25; and this comports with the history, for after this time our Saviour appeared in the temple publicly no more. For the disputes raised from Matthew 23:37, about God’s secret will, whether he seriously willed the salvation of the Jews, &c., I take the affirmative part to have no foundation in this text”

It is incredible to think that people can read the Bible and think that God doesn’t will the salvation of the Jews. Further, it makes no sense to make a conditional statement, relaying it as an absolute assertion, just to deny what the conditional statement says. He will do this thing when they do what He says they must do, which is when, as He says to Jerusalem, “you should speak, ‘Having been blessed, the ‘Coming in Name, Lord’.’”

Jesus tells Jerusalem exactly when He will return. There is no ambiguity in His words. He is not speaking to the church (which didn’t exist at the time). If He intended permanent and complete separation from the Jewish people, His proclamation would have been completely different.

Israel, led by Jerusalem, which is led by its civil/religious leaders, must call out concerning Jesus the words of Psalm 118:26, “Blessed the ‘coming in name, Yehovah’.” (CG). In other words, whenever Jerusalem acknowledges Jesus as their Messiah and the One who was sent in the name of the covenant-keeping Lord they committed to at Mount Sinai, Jesus will return to them.

It is solely up to the nation for Him to deliver them. This is the point and purpose of the coming tribulation period, something that has nothing to do with the church. The church will not be here for that. Why? Because they have already called on Jesus as Lord. There is no need for them to enter into the tribulation. They are His.

Life application: There are two predominant positions on Jesus’ words of this verse. We have already heard from Matthew Poole. Here is one more aligned with Poole and then two that take the other view –

“There can be little doubt that our Lord points to the second Advent, and to the welcome that will then be given Him by all the true Israel of God. For that generation, and for the outward Israel as such, the abandonment was final.” Charles Ellicott

“Blessed be he that comes as the Messiah, to bring deliverance. This has not been yet accomplished, but the days will come when the Jews, long cast out and rejected, will hail Jesus as the Messiah, and receive him whom their fathers killed as the merciful Saviour, Romans 11:25-32.” Albert Barnes

“The time intended is that when Israel shall repent of its rejection of the Messiah, and in bitter contrition look on him whom it pierced, owning and receiving Jesus with glad ‘Hosannahs!’ Then shall they behold him coming in power and glory, and shall regain their old position as beloved of God (see Hosea 3:4, 5; Zechariah 12:10). Then ‘all Israel shall be saved’ (Romans 11:26).” Pulpit Commentary

Ellicott says the abandonment of “outward Israel”, meaning the Jews, is final. Barnes and the Pulpit Commentary assert that Israel, meaning the nation comprised of the Jewish people, will be saved when they call out to God through Jesus. Either one view is wrong, and the other is right, or they are both wrong, but they cannot both be right. Which do you think is correct?

If you are not sure, you should start reading your Bible more. Further, when you read the Bible, you should consider what God says as absolutely true at all times. And more, ignoring or mixing the boxes of dispensationalism inevitably leads to very crummy theology. Don’t have very crummy theology by ignoring or mixing dispensations.

If you get what God is doing with the nation of Israel wrong, your doctrine and theology in other areas will inevitably be wrong. Be sure to get what God is doing with Israel right. It really matters.

Lord God, Your faithfulness to Israel is beyond our imagination. They have rejected You continuously for over three millennia. Very few times have they pursued You as they should have during all that time. Mostly, it’s been lip service or completely ignoring You. And yet, You have remained faithfully faithful to them. Thank You for Your faithfulness to those You have covenanted with. Amen.

Matthew 23:38

Charlie Garrett Daily Writing, Matthew (Written)

Monday, 2 November 2026

See! Your house is left to you desolate; Matthew 23:38

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen) or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“You behold! It is left to you, the ‘house, yours’, desolate!” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus spoke to the city of Jerusalem (with the intended meaning that He was addressing its leaders) concerning His desire to have cared for it, gathering her as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but she was not willing. Next, He says, “You behold! It is left to you, the ‘house, yours’, desolate!”

Jesus refers to the temple as “your house.” It was the House of the Lord, but He is about to depart the area for the last time (Matthew 24:1). It is no longer the House of the Lord, but an empty structure that bears no life in relation to the God of Israel. From there, He will go to the Mount of Olives to instruct His disciples (Matthew 24:3). Saying the house is desolate means that destruction lies ahead for the temple.

It is no longer an edifice suitable for ministering to the Lord. Like the temple when destroyed by Babylon, so will this temple be destroyed by Rome.

Notice the symbolism. Jesus is in the temple complex. In Ezekiel 9, the Lord is in His temple. In Ezekiel 9, a mark, a tav (a cross shaped letter) is placed on the forehead of those who follow the Lord while the rest are slain. In Matthew, Jesus will die on the cross. Any who look to the cross will be saved. The rest will be judged and destroyed.

In Ezekiel 10, the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple, standing over the cherubim. In Matthew 24, Jesus departs from the temple accompanied by His disciples. In Ezekiel 11:23, it says that the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain which is on the east of the city. In Matthew 24:3, Jesus is said to have sat on the Mount of Olives, the same mountain referred to in Ezekiel.

The symbolism is clear. Jesus is showing by His movements that what happened in the past is happening again. He is the same Lord who departed from the temple at the time of Ezekiel, but He has now come in human flesh as a tangible, visible manifestation of the Lord for all to see. His traversal from the temple to the Mount is like a signature proclaiming His deity.

Life application: Jesus’ words and movements are intentional, setting a clear pattern that He is the Lord and that what happened in the past is set to be repeated. Just as Babylon came and destroyed the temple and exiled the people, so will Rome (called Babylon by Peter in 1 Peter 5:13) come, destroy the temple, and exile the people.

The temple after the Babylonian exile was rebuilt and continued to be a place of mediation between the people and the Lord until the coming of Jesus. However, the temple will never again be considered an appropriate place of mediation between God and man.

Jesus clearly revealed this in the cursing of the fig tree. There is only one suitable point of mediation between God and man, that is the Man, Christ Jesus, as Paul explicitly states in 1 Timothy 2:5. Today, Christian teachers around the world actively support Israel’s Temple Institute. They excitedly teach about the coming temple and its sacrifices, as if these are good things.

But this is just the opposite of what should be. The temple is the antichrist’s temple. The people will be following the devil, not the Lord. They will have set themselves at complete enmity with the God of the Bible. It will take the antichrist appearing in the temple for the people to begin to wake up from their apostasy.

Instead of supporting this unholy temple, pastors, preachers, and teachers should be preaching the gospel, speaking against what is being prepared in Israel, and warning those who believe that observing Moses is acceptable that it is rather a path to perdition. The book of Hebrews sets this warning out in clear and precise terms for the Hebrew people to know this and to turn to Jesus.

Be sure to not get caught up in the hype of what is going on in regard to the building of the temple in Israel. It is sadness heaped upon thousands of years of sadness because it is a sign of the people’s continued rejection of the Lord Jesus.

Lord God, help us to have our thinking caps on as we consider what is going on in the world. May we hold fast to what is right, sound, and proper in regard to our relationship with You through Jesus Christ our Lord. Yes, help us in this, O God. Amen.

 

2 Samuel 2:1-11 (Man of Shame, Part I)

Charlie Garrett 2 Samuel (Written), Recent Sermons (Written)

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson

2 Samuel 2:1-11
Man of Shame, Part I

(Typed 29 June 2026) There are things in life which are axiomatic: If you want the house to go up properly and according to budget (well, hopefully), you will follow the blueprint. If you want the TV to work properly, you will follow the setup instructions. And if you want to avoid a speeding ticket, then don’t speed.

What should also be obvious to every Christian is that if you want to be pleasing to the Lord, you will follow His word. It makes no sense to assume that things will go well for you when you are disobedient to His will. And you cannot know what His will is unless you have access to it.

Your church may provide proper instruction in what it teaches, but considering that there are 18 billion denominations out there (plus or minus a few), each with its own doctrine, is it wise to put your life in the hands of someone else’s teaching?

It’s fine to listen to your pastor, but the old saying, “trust, but verify”, doesn’t go far enough. I would drop the trust part and go straight to the verify if I were you.

Israel has the choice between two directions in this passage. One of them is by the will of the Lord. The other isn’t. Which do you think will ultimately succeed?

Text Verse: “When You said, ‘Seek My face,’
My heart said to You, ‘Your face, Lord, I will seek.’” Psalm 27:8

The first sentence of this chapter says that David inquired of the Lord. He indeed had a source of inquiry that we do not possess today. But I would suggest that our means of inquiring of the Lord is preferable to what David possessed.

God is not directing the redemption of the world to get us to Jesus. If He were, we would still have prophets occasionally telling people what to do. Rather, Jesus came. We now have the completed word of God that tells about it.

We don’t need to be directed by prophets any longer. Instead, we are instructed to live according to the word that has been provided. People who expect a prophetic word today have misunderstood what the Bible says, or maybe they are looking for an easy way out by not picking it up and reading it.

Whatever the case is, we have the blueprint. We are expected to know what it says and apply it to our lives. If we do this, we will know if we are in the will of the Lord.

That doesn’t mean our lives will be great. Troubles, trials, and temptations are a part of human existence. But we can know that even through those things, we are doing what He expects when we follow His word. Let each of us determine to read His word daily.

Remaining in the will of the Lord is an important tenet that is found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. They Sat in ‘Cities, Hebron’ (verses 1-7)

It happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?”

vayhi akhare khen vayishal david bəyehovah lemor ha’eeleh bəakhath are yəhudah – “And it was, after thus, and he asked, David, in Yehovah, to say, ‘I will ascend in one, ‘cities, Judah’?’” David was in Ziklag when word about Saul and Jonathan came to him, as detailed in 2 Samuel 1.

With Saul dead, he now has the opportunity to return to Judah and prepare to reign over the people. David means Beloved. Thus far, he has typologically pictured accepting the doctrines of Christ. This may change as he assumes his new role in the redemptive narrative. Either way, we will continue to look carefully for each bit of typology. Judah means Praise.

The words contain a chronological timestamp, akhare khen, after thus. It doesn’t say how long after Saul and Jonathan’s deaths it was, but it can be assumed it was not long. There would be no need to lollygag around Ziklag if Saul was dead.

David had the anointing oil and knew he would rule. Therefore, he probably very quickly asked the Lord for guidance. With Abiathar and an ephod, David is able to directly inquire of the Lord concerning what he should do next. In response…

1 (con’t) And the Lord said to him, “Go up.”

The verb is imperative: vayomer Yəhovah elav aleh – “And He said, Yehovah, unto him, ‘You must ascend!’” The time has come for David’s reign to begin. Therefore, it is time to leave the lower coastal area and ascend into the higher terrain where he will establish a foothold in the land.

The next question is an obvious one. Instead of going where he wished, David again inquires of the Lord…

1 (con’t) David said, “Where shall I go up?”

vayomer david anah eeleh – “And he said, David, ‘Whither I will ascend?’” The Lord has directed David’s movement. Therefore, He has a plan and a purpose for him. To ensure that he remained in the will of the Lord, he asks for specificity concerning his destination. Where the Lord directed, he would go…

1 (con’t) And He said, “To Hebron.”

vayomer khevronah – “And He said, ‘Hebron-ward.’” Hebron is a logical choice. It is in the mountains, and thus readily defensible. The main city is a priestly one. In verse 3, the plural “cities” means it was essentially a metropolis at this point, being filled with agriculture and trade.

Hebron is not just a city, but it includes the surrounding area. It is within Judah, so David would be among those of his tribe.

Hebron also had connections to the promises of the past. Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob were buried there. The area was granted to Caleb after the land was subdued, as seen in Joshua 14:6-15.

At this time, Jerusalem was under the control of the Jebusite. It was also on the border of Judah and Benjamin. Therefore, because of the coming events, starting in Jerusalem was not a proper choice. The Lord directed David first to Hebron.

Only later will Jerusalem get its special standing within the nation. Hebron means Alliance.

2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.

vayaal sham david vəgam shəte nashav akhinoam ha’yizrəelith va’avigayil esheth naval ha’karməli – “And he ascended there, David, and also ‘two, his wives’, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, ‘wife, Nabal, the Carmelite’.” Rather than a general statement, such as, “And David took his wives…,” the record carefully details their names.

This has happened a couple of times already, allowing for typology to be considered in relation to their names. Ahinoam means Kindred to Sweetness. Jezreel comes from zara, to scatter seed or sow, and el, God. Thus, it means God Sows.

Abigail is derived from av, father, and giyl, joy or exultation. That is derived from gil, to spin around, which gives the sense of rejoicing. Her name means Father of Joy, she being the source of the joy. Nabal means Dolt. Carmel means Vineyard of God.

3 And David brought up the men who were with him, every man with his household. So they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

va’anashav asher imo heelah david ish uveitho vayeshəvu bəare khevron – “And his mortals who with him, he caused to ascend, David, man and his house. And they sat in ‘cities, Hebron’.” This would be a very large contingent.

First are the six hundred men noted in 1 Samuel 30:9. This also would have included the wives, children, and livestock. That alone would be a large caravan of people pulling into Hebron all at once.

Along with them, 1 Chronicles 12 details men from various tribes who defected to David prior to Saul’s death , including Benjamin, Gad, Manasseh, Judah, etc. In 1 Chronicles 12:22, it says, “it was a great army, like the army of God.”

Thus, it was a sizeable contingent moving into the cities of Hebron. From that point, the number will increase significantly as David solidifies his position before the people. That establishment of power begins to be seen next…

4 Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.

vayavou anshe yəhudah vayimshəkhu-sham eth-david ləmelekh al-beith yəhudah – “And they came, ‘mortals, Judah’, and they anointed, there את David to king upon ‘house, Judah’.” The tribe of Judah knew David was to be king. With Saul dead, they knew this was the time for that to take place, at least in Judah.

Therefore, they came to him at Hebron intending to bring about this new kingdom. Samuel first anointed David in 1 Samuel 16:13 –

“And he took, Samuel, ‘horn, the oil’, and he anointed him in ‘inward, his brothers’. And it surged, Spirit Yehovah, unto David from the day, the it, and upward. And he arose, Samuel, and he walked the Ramah-ward.” (CG)

That anointing gave David the right to the kingdom at whatever time God determined. Saul was still the king, and that continued as the Lord saw fit.

With Saul dead, there could be no hint of David having attempted to usurp the throne from him. Saul’s kingdom was prophesied to end. Therefore, because of what transpires between David in the coming verse, it cannot be seen as a rebellion against the duly established government.

In Hebron, with the approval and anointing of the men of Judah, David has been granted authority over the kingdom of Judah.

The rest of the land was still under the reign of Saul’s house, despite Samuel’s prophecy that Saul’s reign would end and be given to another. In 1 Samuel 28, the name of that person was made explicit –

“And He did, Yehovah, to Him according to which He spoke in my hand. And He rent, Yehovah, the kingdom from your hand, and He gave it to your associate, to David.” 1 Samuel 28:17 (CG)

While with David, these men of Judah inform him of something that would help him solidify power. This is his first recorded official act as king. It is a means of establishing an alliance outside of Judah…

4 (con’t) And they told David, saying, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul.”

vayagidu lədavid lemor anshe yavesh gilad asher qavəru eth-shaul – “And they caused to declare to David, to say, ‘Mortals, Jabesh Gilead’, who, they interred את Saul.’” The sentence seems abrupt and out of place unless, as seems likely, David asked about Saul’s burial. With that being supposed, the form of the words is natural.

It could also be that this was prompted by the men of Judah as a means of spurring David toward securing favor with those east of the Jordan. Without such suppositions, the reason for the inclusion of the clause is abrupt and mystifying.

Jabesh Gilead is on the other side of the Jordan. Jabesh comes from the verb yavesh, to be dry, dried up, or withered. It is used to describe the drying up of a river, land, bones, etc. It also applies to the withering of grass. Gilead means Perpetual Fountain. Thus, Jabesh Gilead means Dry Perpetual Fountain. Saul means Asked.

The details of the disposition of the bodies of Saul and his sons was recorded in 1 Samuel 31:11-13 –

“And they heard, unto it, ‘sitting Jabesh Gilead’ what they did, Philistines, to Saul. 12And they arose, all ‘man, valorous’, and they walked all the night, and they took ‘body, Saul’, and ‘bodies, his sons’, from ‘rampart, Beth Shan’. And they came Jabesh-ward, and they burned them there. 13And they took their bones, and they interred under the tamarisk in Jabesh-ward. And they fasted seven days.”

Because of their actions…

5 So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead,

vayishlakh david malakhim el-anshe yavesh gilad – “And he sent, David, messengers unto ‘mortals, Jabesh Gilead’.” This is a sign of gratitude for their bravery and honoring of the fallen king. However, it is also more than that. It is an opportunity for conveying news of the new kingdom and giving them a chance to align with David…

5 (con’t) and said to them, “You are blessed of the Lord, for you have shown this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him.

vayomer alehem bərukhim atem ləYəhovah asher asithem ha’khesed ha’zeh im-adonikhem im-shaul vatiqbəru otho – “and he said unto them, ‘Blessed, you, to Yehovah, for you did the kindness, the this, with your (exalted) lord, with Saul, and you interred him.’” David acknowledged that their kindness toward Saul means he would have done the same if the opportunity was given to him.

It means that David was kindly disposed toward Saul, not a usurper of him. This understanding is important to convey the sense that what has transpired since Saul’s death was only because of Saul’s death.

Had Saul still been alive, David would have remained subject to him. However, with Saul now dead and the anointing resting on David, it was time for a new direction in the leadership of Israel. And so…

6 And now may the Lord show kindness and truth to you.

vəatah yaas-Yəhovah imakhem khesed və’emeth – “And now, may he do, Yehovah, with you kindness and stability.” David brings in the name of the Lord, petitioning for His hand to bless those in Jabesh Gilead. He then tells them how that kindness and stability will come about, saying…

6 (con’t) I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing.

Rather: vəgam anokhi eeseh itəkhem ha’tovah ha’zoth asher asithem ha’davar ha’zeh – “and also, I myself I will do with you the goodness, the this, for you did the word, the this.” David is not offering repayment but to act as Yehovah’s instrument for bringing about the blessing of kindness and stability upon them –

“And now, may he do, Yehovah, with you kindness and stability.”
“and also, I myself I will do with you the goodness, the this.”

In other words, “the goodness” David promises them is the “kindness and stability” that he has petitioned the Lord to grant them. He essentially says to them, “I will be the Lord’s representative to do this for you.” The reason he can do this is found in the next verse…

7 Now therefore, let your hands be strengthened, and be valiant;

vəatah tekhĕzaqnah yədekhem vihyu livne-khayil – “And now, they will seize, your hands, and you must be to ‘faces, valor’.” Jabesh Gilead was the location attacked by Nahash the Ammonite in 1 Samuel 11. The first engagement Saul took on was saving them. It is what truly established him as king in the minds of the people.

David telling them to strengthen themselves and be valiant means that they are probably going to face an onslaught of enemies, just as they had before. This is because…

7 (con’t) for your master Saul is dead,

ki-meth adonikhem shaul – “For he died, your (exalted) lord, Saul.” Saul, the great defender of Jabesh Gilead, was dead. Without him, the surrounding nations would be tempted to return to Jabesh and take it, paying Israel back for the loss they had suffered in the past.

However, David said he would deal with Jabesh Gilead with the goodness of Yehovah (kindness and stability). And how could he do that? It is because…

7 (con’t) and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

vəgam-othi masəhkhu veith-yəhudah ləmelekh-alehem – “And also את me, they anointed, ‘house, Judah’ to king upon them.” David acknowledged his allegiance to Saul while he was alive. He thanked those who tended to Saul in his death, and he said he would do the Lord’s goodness to them.

He reminded them of what the peril of Saul’s death meant for them, and he informed them that he now stands as the anointed king of Judah in Saul’s place, ready to tend to them as Saul did.

The whole package of thought is complete. It basically says, “Align with me and I will tend to you as our beloved Saul did.” The first act of David as king somewhat mirrors the first act of Saul as king.

Both have been directed toward the security of the men of Jabesh Gilead. Having them align with David would mean the rest of those east of the Jordan would possibly side with him as well.

While David presses his diplomacy toward them, something else is happening that could interfere with David’s petition…

When vying for control, you must do what’s right
Following what the Lord would have you do
With all your soul, and with all your might
Doing His will is what is proper for you

To usurp His will can only lead to a bad end
So stay away from that dangerous path
Be sure that the things you intend
Will add up to His approval, so do the math!

When David was patient and did what was right
Things came out as they should
But when he strayed and diverted his sight
Things ended up not so good

Ishbosheth started out wrong
And his two years to reign weren’t that long

II. Surely, ‘House, Judah’, They Were After David (verses 8-11)

8 But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army,

və’avner ben-ner sar-tsava asher ləshaul – “And Abner, ‘son, Ner, commander, host’ which to Saul.” Abner somehow managed to survive the battle with the Philistines that took the lives of Saul and his sons.

Abner was related to Saul in some manner. The difficulty rests in the names found in 1 Samuel 9. Abner’s father is Ner. In 1 Samuel 9:1, it says that Kish, Saul’s father, is the son of Abiel. In 1 Chronicles 8 & 9, it says that Kish is the son of Ner.

Several suggestions were given to rectify the matter. Ner means Lamp. Abner means Father Is a Lamp and thus, Father of Light. Whatever the case, Abner and Saul were somehow related in their genealogies.

Abner was also Saul’s commander. It was an army that was significantly reduced in the battle with the Philistines. As the Philistines moved into the areas of Israel east of Jezreel and west of the Jordan, Abner…

8 (con’t) took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim;

laqakh eth-ish-bosheth ben-shaul vayaavirehu makhanayim – “he took את ‘Ishbosheth, son, Saul’ and he caused to traverse him – Mahanaim.” Ishbosheth is introduced here. He is noted as a son of Saul, but he is not in the listing of Saul’s sons in 1 Samuel 14:49.

Based on what it says later in the chapter, when rightly understood, it is likely he was born after Saul became king. Ishbosheth means Man of Shame. He is named as Esh-baal in 1 Chronicles 8 & 9.

Names that include baal, master, in Chronicles are commonly given names with a form of bosheth, shame, here. The reason normally given is that baal eventually became synonymous with something shameful rather than indicating “master.”

This view is held by pretty much everyone. However, that is a poor explanation for two reasons. The first is that it is putting the cart before the horse.

The Chronicles were compiled long after these names were recorded in 2 Samuel. Using that logic, it would be the other way around, where baal would be noted here and bosheth would be noted there.

The second problem with this view is that the term baal continued to be used as “master” even until the time of the pre-exilic minor prophets, and even when referring to the Lord, such as in Nahum 1:2, where Yehovah is called baal khemah, Master of Heat (meaning fury).

Because of this, it would be ridiculous to say that using baal had pagan intent. The word simply means master, regardless of whether it is used by pagans in relation to their false gods.

As Chronicles was compiled later, this should not be taken as Chronicles changing “shame” back to “Baal.” Rather, Chronicles likely preserves an older genealogical name-form, while Samuel reflects a form of shame-substitution, replacing baal, “lord/master,” with bosheth, “shame.”

As the common noun baal continued in Hebrew usage, the concern was not the word itself, but its presence as a rhetorical shame-tag. This is seen in the change of the name Jerubbaal found in Judges to Jerubbesheth in 2 Samuel 11:21.

Gideon was named Jerubbaal as an honorific. The name Jerubbaal is not a name honoring Baal, but a taunt. It means Let Baal Contend, and it was given because Gideon had torn down Baal’s altar.

Samuel even used the name Jerubbaal in 1 Samuel 12:11. Therefore, the substitution of besheth/bosheth, “shame,” cannot be explained simply as avoiding a pro-Baal name.

Instead, it reflects a broader textual tendency in 2 Samuel alone to replace baal in personal names with bosheth/besheth, regardless of whether the original use of baal was positive, neutral, or polemical.

It is not merely because the word baal could no longer be spoken, as scholars suggest, since Jerubbaal remains unchanged in 1 Samuel 12:11, and the older baal forms are preserved in Chronicles.

Rather, 2 Samuel employs these shame-forms of the names in the aftermath of Saul’s death, where the narrative repeatedly displays the humiliation and decline of Saul’s house.

In the case of Jerubbesheth in place of Jerubbaal, it recalls the shameful death of Abimelech the son of Gideon (called Jerubbesheth in 2 Samuel 11:21) brought on by foolish military actions which cost him his life. In Judges 9, Abimelech pictured those who reject Christ, ultimately fulfilled in the Antichrist.

Summed up, the evidence suggests not a universal ban on baal in names, but a localized shame-substitution found only here in 2 Samuel, especially suited to the post-Saul narrative world of humiliation, dynastic collapse, and exposed folly.

Mahanaim is east of the Jordan. It was a Levitical city not too far from the Jabbok River. It means Two Camps. Abner took Ishbosheth there…

9 and he made him king over Gilead,

Rather: vayamlikhehu el-ha’gilad – “And he caused to reign, him, unto the Gilead.” With the prefixed article, the Gilead means The Perpetual Fountain. It says he reigned unto the Gilead. Also…

9 (con’t) over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

və’el-ha’ashuri və’el-yizrəel və’al-ephrayim və’al-binyamin və’al-yisrael kuloh – “and unto the Ashurite, and unto Jezreel, and upon Ephraim, and upon Benjamin, and upon Israel, it all.” Other than the SLT, all translations I checked botch the intent. In this clause, there are two more untos and then three upons.

The intent is that of showing continual growth. First, Ishbosheth was made king in Mahanaim up to the point of the Gilead, then up to the point of the Ashurite, and then up to the point of Jezreel.

He did not necessarily reign over them all at once. Rather, it indicates that there is expansion. He reigned over those in the named areas “up to” and possibly including the “untos.”

Later, his rule became inclusive of Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel. The “over all Israel” is a general statement that any of Israel not ruled by David were, by default, under the rule of Ishbosheth.

Who the Ashurite is referring to is highly debated. The term normally signifies the Assyrians, but at this point in history, they were too far east for it to mean them.

Some take it as a misspelling of Asher, but that would mean he probably ruled the area at the very northwest of Israel while the Philistines were still in control of some of the areas. Further, the definite article before Ashurite negates the thought of it being Asher.

Regardless of where he dwelt, the Ashurite is defined by Abarim as Level Plain, Step, Happy, or Just. Jezreel means God Sows. Ephraim has two meanings: Twice Fruitful and Of the Dust. Benjamin means Son of the Right Hand. Israel means He Strives with God.

The reign of Ishbosheth, because of the military prowess of Abner, slowly expanded outward from Mahanaim…

10 Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel,

ben-arbaim shanah ish-bosheth ben-shaul bəmaləkho al-yisrael – “‘Son forty year, Ishbosheth, son, Saul’, in his reigning upon Israel.” The numbers seem so incomprehensible to scholars that there is little agreement among them. Nothing seems to match in relation to what is said, including Saul’s age, the timing of David’s reign, meaning before or after these two years, etc.

However, there is no need for consternation. The way to reconcile the many conflicting things that surround Ishbosheth’s age and time of rule is to tie them to the contents of verse 9, which is why that lengthy detail was provided.

Ishbosheth was made king from Mahanaim unto the Gilead and all the other untos, and then he ruled over Ephraim, then Benjamin, then all Israel. The verse gives a step-by-step process until he reigned over all Israel. Until that happened, it could not be stated that he was king over Israel.

But once the progressive steps were complete, some years after going to Mahanaim, he finally began to rule over all Israel. This occurred at the time when he was forty years old.

This is why it said that Abner made him king unto the Gilead, and then it later says that he reigned over Israel. It is the same person reigning, but it does not refer to the same scope of his reign. The latter is the culmination of the process. As for his age, Bullinger says forty is –

“…associated with a period of probation, trial, and chastisement—(not judgment, like the number 9, which stands in connection with the punishment of enemies, but the chastisement of sons, and of a covenant people). It is the product of 5 and 8, and points to the action of grace (5), leading to and ending in revival and renewal (8). This is certainly the case where forty relates to a period of evident probation. But where it relates to enlarged dominion, or to renewed or extended rule, then it does so in virtue of its factors 4 and 10, and in harmony with their signification.”

10 (con’t) and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David.

u-shətayim shanim malakh akh beith-yəhudah hayu akhare David – “and two years he reigned. Surely ‘house, Judah’, they were after David.” This is referring to the point that Ishbosheth ruled over all of Israel, minus Judah. At that point, he reigned. This reign then lasted for two years.

Two is the number of division or difference. This would make him forty-two at the time of his death. It’s a fun number associated with the antichrist. Bullinger says –

“Being a multiple of seven, it might be supposed that it would be connected with spiritual perfection. But it is the product of six times seven. Six, therefore, being the number of Man, and man’s opposition to God, forty-two becomes significant of the working out of man’s opposition to God.”

11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

vayhi mispar ha’yamim asher hayah david melekh bəkhevron al-beith yəhudah sheva shanim vəshishah khodashim – “And it was, ‘number, the days’ that he was, David, king in Hebron upon ‘house, Judah’ seven years and six renewals.” This shows that the analysis concerning Ishbosheth’s rule is correct.

The words of this verse only deal with David’s rule over Judah. In 2 Samuel 5, it will say –

“Son, thirty year’, David, in his reigning. Forty year, he reigned. 5In Hebron, he reigned upon Judah seven years and six renewals. And in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three year upon all Israel and Judah.” 2 Samuel 5:4, 5

One is only ruler over the extent of the kingdom he rules. David first ruled over Judah only, and that happened all at once, not progressively, like Ishbosheth. David’s rule over Judah was for seven years and six renewals of the moon.

If Ishbosheth and David began ruling at the same time, Ishbosheth was about thirty-five when he began to reign from Mahanaim. At forty, he reigned over all Israel, and he died at forty-two.

If Ishbosheth’s death occurred closer to the time when David began his reign over all of Israel, then the numbers would be different by that much, up to two years. If so, it would mean he was closer to 37 when he began to reign in Mahanaim. It would just make the progression over all Israel that much less. Either way, there is no problem with the dating.

What will happen in the coming verses occurs during the period just examined. They detail an interesting story that would be improper to divide at some random point. Because of that, this is a good place to finish up for now.

As we have seen, David took the time to consult the Lord before acting. By doing so, he was in line with the Lord’s will and was directed accordingly. Abner surely knew that the kingdom was to pass to David.

Saul would not have kept that from him once he was told by Samuel. This means that Abner was working against the will of the Lord by attempting to reestablish the house of Saul under Ishbosheth. It was a plan destined to fail.

We can look at the world around us and, in many cases, we can tell what will fail and what will succeed by using this same metric. Iran says that Israel will disappear as a nation.

They have come out over the years with definite dates by which Israel will be gone. But Israel is still here, and it will continue to be here even after a giant coalition, which includes Iran, comes against them in the days ahead.

Israel will continue to exist through the tribulation period, and throughout the millennium. How can we know this? Because the Lord’s word says so.

We can know which churches will still be here when the rapture happens. Faithful Christians will be taken out while innumerable others will be left behind. How can we know? All we need to do is pick up the Bible and see what it says.

When we follow the will of the Lord, we can be certain of the outcome. When His will is rejected, we can be certain of another outcome. This isn’t complicated. It is a simple equation.

If you want to receive eternal life, receive Jesus by believing the gospel. When you do, you will be saved. If you want to be pleasing to the Lord after that, read His word and do what He says. In doing so, you will receive rewards. If you don’t, you will lose them. Again, this is not complicated.

David asked the Lord if he should go and where he should go. The Lord directed him. We can be certain that David did not ask the Lord what he should do about Bathsheba, and he certainly didn’t adhere to the written word of the Lord when he went into her. In failing to do so, it cost him.

Follow the simple steps God has laid out for us, and things will go well for you. Believe the gospel, follow His word, and be sure to give Him thanks and praise in all you do. In this, you will do well.

Closing Verse: “Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:26, 27

Next Week: 2 Samuel 2:12-23 Who is to blame, who who who?… (Man of Shame, Part II) (4th 2 Samuel Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He is the One who abases the haughty and exalts the humble. He regards the lowly, and the proud, He knows from afar. So yield yourself to Him, trust Him, and believe His word. In this, He will do great things for you and through you.

2 Samuel 2:1-11 (CG)

2 And it was, after thus, and he asked, David, in Yehovah, to say, “I will ascend in one, ‘cities, Judah’?”

And He said, Yehovah, unto him, “You must ascend!”

And he said, David, “Whither I will ascend?”

And He said, “Hebron-ward.”

2And he ascended there, David, and also ‘two, his wives’~ Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, ‘wife, Nabal, the Carmelite’. 3And his mortals who with him, he caused to ascend, David, man and his house. And they sat in ‘cities, Hebron’.

4And they came, ‘mortals, Judah’, and they anointed, there את David to king upon ‘house, Judah’. And they caused to declare to David, to say, “‘Mortals, Jabesh Gilead’, who, they interred את Saul. 5And he sent, David, messengers unto ‘mortals, Jabesh Gilead’. And he said unto them, “Blessed, you, to Yehovah, for you did the kindness, the this, with your (exalted) lord, with Saul, and you interred him. 6And now, may he do, Yehovah, with you kindness and stability. And also, I myself I will do with you the goodness, the this, for you did the word, the this. 7And now, they will seize, your hands, and you must be to ‘faces, valor’. For he died, your (exalted) lord, Saul. And also את me, they anointed, ‘house, Judah’ to king upon them.”

8And Abner, ‘son, Ner, commander, host’ which to Saul. He took את ‘Ishbosheth, son, Saul’ and he caused to traverse him – Mahanaim. 9And he caused to reign, him, unto the Gilead, and unto the Ashurite, and unto Jezreel~ and upon Ephraim, and upon Benjamin, and upon Israel, it all. 10‘Son forty year, Ishbosheth, son, Saul’, in his reigning upon Israel, and two years he reigned. Surely ‘house, Judah’, they were after David. 11And it was, ‘number, the days’ that he was, David, king in Hebron upon ‘house, Judah’~ seven years and six renewals.

 

2 Samuel 2:1-11 (NKJV)

It happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?”

And the Lord said to him, “Go up.”

David said, “Where shall I go up?”

And He said, “To Hebron.”

2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 3 And David brought up the men who were with him, every man with his household. So they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

4 Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul.” 5 So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “You are blessed of the Lord, for you have shown this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him. 6 And now may the Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing. 7 Now therefore, let your hands be strengthened, and be valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

8 But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim; 9 and he made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 10 Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David. 11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

 

 

Matthew 23:37

Charlie Garrett Daily Writing, Matthew (Written)

Sunday, 1 November 2026

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Matthew 23:37

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Jerusalem! Jerusalem! The ‘killing the prophets’ and ‘stoning those having been sent to her’! How often I willed to upon-gather the ‘children, yours’, which way ‘upon-gathers, hen’ the ‘chicks, hers’ under the wings, and not you willed.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees that all the things He said would come upon “this generation.” The meaning of “this generation” was not detailed in that verse, but an explanation of it begins to be seen in this verse. Jesus starts with, “Jerusalem! Jerusalem!”

This is a standard type of Hebraism where repetition forms a strong stress. Calling out the name of the city in this manner sets an unambiguous definition of whom He is referring to. The form of the name is different than that used eleven times already in Matthew. Rather, this is probably the exact term Jesus used. It is the transliterated Aramaic form of the name, Ierousalém. It is the form commonly employed by Luke.

Jerusalem is the seat of power within the nation. Those who rule from Jerusalem, then, are the focus of what Jesus will say. Of this city, meaning those who rule from it, He says, “The ‘killing the prophets’ and ‘stoning those having been sent to her’!”

Jesus personifies the city, using it as emblematic of those within her who actually do what He ascribes to it. The people of Jerusalem had rejected the words of the prophets. They had treated them shamefully and resorted to killing them. Some of this is highlighted by the author of Hebrews –

“Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword.” Hebrews 11:36, 37

Although the author of Hebrews is not specifically speaking of only Jerusalem, his words describe the general treatment that faithful followers of the Lord faced. The words of Jesus mirror what He said in the Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers found in Matthew 21.

Jerusalem, being the capital and place of the king, was the key city in which such treatment took place. Despite their treatment of the people of God, Jesus continues His address to the city, saying, “How often I willed to upon-gather the ‘children, yours’.”

A new word is seen here, episunagó, to upon-gather. It is derived from epi, upon, and sunagó, to lead or gather together. Thayer’s says, “to gather besides, to bring together to others already assembled.” One can think of gathering together and then heaping more into the gathering.

Jesus clearly indicates preexistence, and thus deity, with these words. How could He otherwise have been present to desire such a thing? But His words indicate that He is the Lord, Yehovah of the Hebrew Scriptures, having come in human form.

One can see Him having pled with the city for eons, sending prophets with messages and petitions for them to turn and call out to Him. Continuing, He describes the manner in which He willed to upon-gather them, saying, “which way ‘upon-gathers, hen’ the ‘chicks, hers’ under the wings.”

Three more new words are seen. The first is tropos, a turn and thus, by implication, a manner, mode, way, or style. The next word is ornis, a bird, especially a hen. It will only be seen here and in a comparable exclamation in Luke 13:34. The third word is nossion, a birdling. In this case, it refers to the chicks of a hen. The last word is pterux, a wing, coming from petomai, to fly.

A hen will gather her chicks under her wings to keep them safe, protect them from predators and the elements, etc. Jesus states that this is how He desired the people of Jerusalem to be to Him, again, clearly indicating preexistence. The Lord of the Hebrew Scriptures had reached out to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, begging them for a right and loving relationship. However, Jesus next says, “and not you willed.”

No matter how many times the Lord sent prophets to correct the people, they went about their evil ways, rejecting His word, ignoring Him except through lip service, and they greedily lived their lives as they saw fit, regardless of His care for them.

In His incarnation, He came to them, more perfectly expressing the love of God than had ever been done before. The Lord was willing to suffer the indignity of wearing the garments of humanity, coming in the likeness of fallen man to demonstrate the pure love of God for His children. And yet, they rejected Him, crucified Him, and continue to deny Him two thousand years later.

Life application: Who can truly understand the magnificence of what God has done in sending Jesus? And who can truly understand the blackness of the human heart to ignore what He has done, speaking against it, spitting on the thought of it, and condemning God with our lips for His having humbled Himself through the incarnation and Christ’s death on the cross?

And more, Jesus rose again, proving that it is God who had done it. Despite this, the world continues to speak against God, refusing to accept the marvelous gift of grace that has been poured out on us.

Even in churches around the world where people claim Jesus’ name, they deny Him and His work by relying on observing the Law of Moses to obtain God’s favor. It is as if what Jesus did is reprehensible to them. And so they ignore it and set about to establish their own righteousness before God.

May we learn to trust God, holding fast to what He alone has done in the giving of Jesus. Let us take ourselves and our pitiful attempts to merit His favor out of the salvation equation. May we rest solely and completely in the merits of Jesus Christ for our righteousness before God.

Lord God, help us to set aside any thought of meriting Your favor. May we place our full trust and hope in the work of Jesus Christ, knowing that it alone can restore us to You. May it be so, to Your glory. Amen.