Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 23:37

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! 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 (ASV)

Verses 37–39 preserve Jesus’ last recorded public words to Israel. Jerusalem, the city of David, the city where God revealed himself in his temple, had become known as the city that killed the prophets and stoned those sent to her. Throughout his earthly ministry, Jesus longed to gather and shelter Jerusalem (by metonymy, all Jews) as a hen gathers her chicks (cf. Dt 32:11; Psalms 91:4); for despite the woes, Jesus, like the “Sovereign LORD” in Eze 18:32, took “no pleasure in the death of anyone.”