Luke 19 · Verse 4

Luke 19:4

And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
Luke 19:4, King James Version

Luke 19:4 in other translations

BSBSo he ran on ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see Him, since Jesus was about to pass that way.
WEBHe ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was going to pass that way.
ASVAnd he ran on before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
YLTand having run forward before, he went up on a sycamore, that he may see him, because through that way he was about to pass by.
DARBYAnd running on before, he got up into a sycamore that he might see him, for he was going to pass that way.
BBEAnd he went quickly in front of them and got up into a tree to see him, for he was going that way.
WebsterAnd he ran before, and climbed up upon a sycamore-tree to see him; for he was to pass that way.

What does Luke 19:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 19:2-4

Lu 19:1-10. Zaccheus the Publican. The name is Jewish. 2-4. chief among the publicans--farming a considerable district, with others under him. rich--Ill-gotten riches some of it certainly was. (See on Lu 19:8.)

Read the full comment on Luke 19:2-4 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 4. A sycamore-tree. Lk 17:6

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 He ran before - The shortness of his stature was amply compensated by his agility and invention. Had he been as tall as the generality of the crowd, he might have been equally unnoticed with the rest. His getting into the tree made him conspicuous: had he not been so low of stature he would not have done so. Even the imperfections of our persons may become subservient to the grace of God in our eternal salvation. As the passover was at hand, the road was probably crowded with people going to Jerusalem; but the fame of the cure of the blind man was probably the cause of the concourse at this time.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 19:1-10

Those who sincerely desire a sight of Christ, like Zaccheus, will break through opposition, and take pains to see him. Christ invited himself to Zaccheus' house. Wherever Christ comes he opens the heart, and inclines it to receive him. He that has a mind to know Christ, shall be known of him. Those whom Christ calls, must humble themselves, and come down. We may well receive him joyfully, who brings all good with…

Read the full comment on Luke 19:1-10 →

Luke 19:4 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
προδραμὼνprodramōnhaving runG4390
ἔμπροσθενemprosthenfrontG1715
ἀνέβηanebēhe went upG305
ἐπὶepiintoG1909
συκομορέανsukomoreana sycamore-fig treeG4809
ἵναinaso thatG2443
ἴδῃidēhe may seeG1492
αὐτόν,autonHim,G846
ὅτιhotiforG3754
ἐκείνηςekeinēsthat [way]G1565
ἤμελλενēmellenHe was soonG3195
διέρχεσθαι.dierchesthaito pass.G1330

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 19:4

  • Isaiah 9:10

    The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.

  • Luke 5:19

    And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

  • 1 Chronicles 27:28

    And over the olive trees and the sycomore trees that were in the low plains was Baal–hanan the Gederite: and over the cellars of oil was Joash:

  • Amos 7:14

    Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:

  • 1 Kings 10:27

    And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance.

  • Psalms 78:47

    He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
climbed.
5:19
a sycamore.
1Ki 10:27; 1Ch 27:28; Isa 9:10; Am 7:14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 19:3

    And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

  • Luke 19:4

    And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.

  • Luke 19:5

    And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zaccheus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.

Read all of Luke 19

Luke 19:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y corriendo delante, subióse á un árbol sicómoro para verle; porque había de pasar por allí.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et, courant en avant, il monta sur un sycomore pour le voir; car il allait passer là.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er lief voraus und stieg auf einen Maulbeerfeigenbaum, auf daß er ihn sähe; denn er sollte daselbst durchkommen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et præcurrens ascendit in arborem sycomorum ut videret eum: quia inde erat transiturus.