Matthew 21 · Verse 2

Matthew 21:2

Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.
Matthew 21:2, King James Version

Matthew 21:2 in other translations

BSBsaying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt beside her. Untie them and bring them to Me.
WEBsaying to them, “Go into the village that is opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.
ASVsaying unto them, Go into the village that is over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.
YLTsaying to them, ‘Go on to the village over-against you, and immediately ye shall find an ass bound, and a colt with her--having loosed, bring ye to me;
DARBYsaying to them, Go into the village over against you, and immediately ye will find an ass tied, and a colt with it; loose them and lead them to me.
BBESaying to them, Go into the little town in front of you, and straight away you will see an ass with a cord round her neck, and a young one with her; let them loose and come with them to me.
WebsterSaying to them, Go into the village over against you, and immediately ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her, loose them, and bring them to me.

What does Matthew 21:2 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 2. Go into the village over against you. The village here meant was not far from Bethany, and about two miles east of Jerusalem, (Mark and Luke.) He had lodged at Bethphage [Bethany] the night before, and in the morning sent his disciples to the village over against them; that is, to Bethany, [Bethphage,] Jn 12:1-12.

Ye shall find an ass tied, etc. In Judea there were few horses, and those were chiefly used in war. Men seldom employed them in common life, and in ordinary journeys. The ass, the mule, and the camel, are still most used in eastern countries. To ride on a horse was sometimes an emblem of war; on a mule and an ass the emblem of peace. Kings and princes commonly rode on them in times of peace; and it is mentioned as a mark of rank and dignity to ride in that manner, Jud 10:4, 12:14, 1Sam 25:20. So Solomon, when he was inaugurated as king, rode on a mule, 1Kgs 1:33. Riding in this manner, then, denoted neither poverty nor degradation, but was the appropriate way in which a king should ride, and in which, therefore, the King of Zion should enter into his capital--the city of Jerusalem.

Mark and Luke say, that he told them they should find "a colt tied." This they were directed to bring. They mention only the colt, because it was this on which he rode.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 Ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt - Asses and mules were in common use in Palestine: horses were seldom to be met with. Our blessed Lord takes every opportunity to convince his disciples that nothing was hidden from him: he informs them of the most minute occurrence; and manifested his power over the heart in disposing the owner to permit the ass to be taken away.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 21:1-11

The barren fig-tree cursed. (18-22) Jesus' discourse in the temple. (23-27) The parable of the two sons. (28-32) The parable of the wicked husbandmen. (33-46) Verses 1-11 This coming of Christ was described by the prophet Zechariah, Zec 9:9. When Christ would appear in his glory, it is in his meekness, not in his majesty, in mercy to work salvation. As meekness and outward poverty were fully seen in Zion's King, and…

Read the full comment on Matthew 21:1-11 →

Matthew 21:2 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.

λέγωνlegōnsayingG3004
αὐτοῖς·autoisto them;G846
πορεύεσθεporeuesthedo goG4198
εἰςeisintoG1519
τὴνtēntheG3588
κώμηνkōmēnvillageG2968
τὴνtēnwhich [is]G3588
κατέναντιkatenantiin frontG2713
ὑμῶν.humōnof you.G4771
καὶkaiandG2532
εὐθέωςeutheōsimmediatelyG2112
εὑρήσετεheurēseteyou will findG2147
ὄνονonona donkeyG3688
δεδεμένηνdedemenēntiedG1210
καὶkaiandG2532
πῶλονpōlona coltG4454
μετ᾽met᾽withG3326
αὐτῆς·autēsher;G846
λύσαντεςlusanteshaving untied [them]G3089
ἀγάγετέagagetedo bring [them]G71
μοι.moito Me.G3165

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

Cross references for Matthew 21:2

  • Luke 19:30-32

    Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither. And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him. And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.

  • Mark 11:2-3

    And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.

  • John 2:5-8

    His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

  • Mark 14:13-16

    And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

  • Matthew 26:18

    And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
26:18; Mr 11:2,3; 14:13-16; Lu 19:30-32; Joh 2:5-8

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

Context

  • Matthew 21:1

    And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,

  • Matthew 21:2

    Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

  • Matthew 21:3

    And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

Read all of Matthew 21

Matthew 21:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Diciéndoles: Id á la aldea que está delante de vosotros, y luego hallaréis una asna atada, y un pollino con ella: desatad la, y traédme los.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		leur disant: Allez au village qui est vis-à-vis de vous, et aussitôt vous trouverez une ânesse attachée, et un ânon avec elle; détachez-les et amenez-les-moi.
German
Elberfelder 1871		und sprach zu ihnen: Gehet hin in das Dorf, das euch gegenüberliegt; und alsbald werdet ihr eine Eselin angebunden finden, und ein Füllen bei ihr; bindet sie los und führet sie zu mir.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		dicens eis: Ite in castellum, quod contra vos est, et statim invenietis asinam alligatam, et pullum cum ea: solvite, et adducite mihi: