Matthew 13 · Verse 32

Matthew 13:32

Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Matthew 13:32, King James Version

Matthew 13:32 in other translations

BSB	Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”
WEB	which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches.”
ASV	which indeed is less than all seeds; but when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven come and lodge in the branches thereof.
YLT	which less, indeed, is than all the seeds, but when it may be grown, is greatest of the herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven do come and rest in its branches.'
DARBY	which is less indeed than all seeds, but when it is grown is greater than herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of heaven come and roost in its branches.
BBE	Which is smaller than all seeds; but when it has come up it is greater than the plants, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of heaven come and make their resting-places in its branches.
Webster	Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge on its branches.

What does Matthew 13:32 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 13:30-39

30-39. Let both grow together--that is, in the visible Church. until the harvest--till the one have ripened for full salvation, the other for destruction. (See on Mt 13:39). and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers--(See on Mt 13:39). Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them--"in the fire" (Mt 13:40). but gather the wheat into my barn--Christ, as the Judge, will separate…

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Barnes' Notes

Verse 32. Mt 13:31

(w) "becometh a tree" Eze 17:23

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds - That is, of all those seeds which produce plants, whose stems and branches, according to the saying of the botanists, are apt δενδριζειν, arborescere, to grow into a ligneous or woody substance. Becometh a tree - That is, it is not only the largest of plants which are produced from such small seeds, but partakes, in its substance, the close woody texture, especially in warm climates, where we are informed it grows to an almost incredible size. The Jerusalem Talmud, tract Peah. fol. 20, says, "There was a stalk of mustard in Sichin, from which sprang out three boughs; one of which, being broken off, served to cover the tent of a potter, and produced three cabes of mustard seed. Rabbi Simeon ben Chalapha said, A stalk of mustard seed was in my field, into which I was wont to climb, as men are wont to climb into a fig tree." See Lightfoot and Schoettgen. This may appear to be extravagant; and it is probable that, in the case of the three cabes of seed, there is considerable exaggeration; but, if it had not been usual for this plant to grow to a very large size, such relations as these would not have appeared even in the Talmud; and the parable of our Lord sufficiently attests the fact. Some soils being more luxuriant than others, and the climate much warmer, raise the same plant to a size and perfection far beyond what a poorer soil, or a colder climate, can possibly do. Herodotus says, he has seen wheat and barley in the country about Babylon which carried a blade full four fingers-breadth: and that the millet and sesamum grew to an incredible size. I have myself seen a field of common cabbages, in one of the Norman isles, each of which was from seven to nine feet in height; and one in the garden of a friend, which grew beside an apple-tree, though the latitude of the place is only about 48 deg. 13 min. north, was fifteen feet high, the stem of which is yet remaining, (September, 1798). These facts, and several others which might be added, confirm fully the possibility of what our Lord says of the mustard-tree, however incredible such things may appear to those who are acquainted only with the productions of northern regions and cold climates.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 13:31-35

The scope of the parable of the seed sown, is to show that the beginnings of the gospel would be small, but its latter end would greatly increase; in this way the work of grace in the heart, the kingdom of God within us, would be carried on. In the soul where grace truly is, it will grow really; though perhaps at first not to be discerned, it will at last come to great strength and usefulness. The preaching of the…

Read the full comment on Matthew 13:31-35 →

Matthew 13:32 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.

ὃhowhichG3739

μικρότερονmikroteronsmallestG3398

μένmenindeedG3303

ἐστινestinisG1510

πάντωνpantōnof allG3956

τῶνtōntheG3588

σπερμάτων,spermatōnseeds,G4690

ὅτανhotanwhenG3752

δὲdehoweverG1161

αὐξηθῇ,auxēthēait may be grown,G837

μεῖζονmeizongreaterG3173

τῶνtōnthan theG3588

λαχάνωνlachanōngarden plantsG3001

ἐστὶνestinit isG1510

καὶkaiandG2532

γίνεταιginetaibecomesG1096

δένδρονdendrona treeG1186

ὥστεhōsteso thatG5620

ἐλθεῖνeltheinto comeG2064

τὰtatheG3588

πετεινὰpeteinabirdsG4071

τοῦtouof theG3588

οὐρανοῦouranouairG3772

καὶkaiandG2532

κατασκηνοῦνkataskēnounperchingG2681

ἐνeninG1722

τοῖςtoistheG3588

κλάδοιςkladoisbranchesG2798

αὐτοῦ.¶autouof it.G846

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

Cross references for Matthew 13:32

Ezekiel 31:6
All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations.
Daniel 4:12
The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
Ezekiel 17:23-24
In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. And all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the Lord have spoken and have done it.
Acts 21:20
And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
Zechariah 8:20-23
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
Romans 15:18-19
For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
Daniel 2:44-45
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
Zechariah 4:10
For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
Psalms 104:12
By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.
Daniel 2:34-35
Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
Micah 4:1-3
But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Zechariah 14:7-10
But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the least.
Ps 72:16-19; Isa 2:2-4; Eze 47:1-5; Da 2:34,35,44,45; Mic 4:1-3
Zec 4:10; 8:20-23; 14:7-10; Ac 1:15; 21:20; *Gr:
Ro 15:18,19; Re 11:15
so that.
Eze 17:23,24; 31:6; Da 4:12

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

Context

Matthew 13:31
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
Matthew 13:32
Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
Matthew 13:33
Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

Read all of Matthew 13

Matthew 13:32 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	El cual á la verdad es la más pequeña de todas las simientes; mas cuando ha crecido, es la mayor de las hortalizas, y se hace árbol, que vienen las aves del cielo y hacen nidos en sus ramas.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	lequel est, il est vrai, plus petit que toutes les semences; mais quand il a pris sa croissance, il est plus grand que les herbes et devient un arbre, de sorte que les oiseaux du ciel viennent et demeurent dans ses branches.
German Elberfelder 1871	das zwar kleiner ist als alle Samen, wenn es aber gewachsen ist, so ist es größer als die Kräuter und wird ein Baum, so daß die Vögel des Himmels kommen und sich niederlassen in seinen Zweigen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	quod minimum quidem est omnibus seminibus: cum autem creverit, majus est omnibus oleribus, et fit arbor, ita ut volucres cæli veniant, et habitent in ramis ejus.