Matthew 21 · Verse 5

Matthew 21:5

Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
Matthew 21:5, King James Version

Matthew 21:5 in other translations

BSB“Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
WEB“Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
ASVTell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, Meek, and riding upon an ass, And upon a colt the foal of an ass.
YLT‘Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Lo, thy king doth come to thee, meek, and mounted on an ass, and a colt, a foal of a beast of burden.'
DARBYSay to the daughter of Zion, Behold thy King cometh to thee, meek, and mounted upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
BBESay to the daughter of Zion, See, your King comes to you, gentle and seated on an ass, and on a young ass.
WebsterTell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

What does Matthew 21:5 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 5. Mt 21:4

(y) "daughter of Zion" Isa 62:11, Mk 11:4, Jn 12:15

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion - The quotation is taken from Zac 9:9, but not in the precise words of the prophet. This entry into Jerusalem has been termed the triumph of Christ. It was indeed the triumph of humility over pride and worldly grandeur; of poverty over affluence; and of meekness and gentleness over rage and malice. He is coming now meek, full of kindness and compassion to those who were plotting his destruction! He comes to deliver up himself into their hands; their king comes to be murdered by his subjects, and to make his death a ransom price for their souls!

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 21:5 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.

εἴπατεeipatedo sayG2036
τῇtēato theG3588
θυγατρὶthugatridaughterG2364
Σιών·Siōnof Zion;G4622
ἰδοὺidouBeholdG2400
ὁhotheG3588
βασιλεύςbasileusKingG935
σουsouof youG4771
ἔρχεταίerchetaicomesG2064
σοι,soito you,G4771
πραῢςprausgentleG4235
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐπιβεβηκὼςepibebēkōsalready ridingG1910
ἐπὶepionG1909
ὄνονonona donkeyG3688
καὶkaievenG2532
πῶλονpōlona coltG4454
υἱὸνhuion[the] foalG5207
ὑποζυγίου.¶hupozugiouof a beast of burden.G5268

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

Cross references for Matthew 21:5

  • Zechariah 9:9-10

    Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

  • Isaiah 62:11

    Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

  • Isaiah 9:6-7

    For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

  • Isaiah 12:6

    Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

  • Genesis 49:10

    The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

  • Hosea 1:7

    But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.

  • Zephaniah 3:14-15

    Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.

  • Isaiah 40:9

    O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

  • Jeremiah 23:5-6

    Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

  • Micah 5:2

    But thou, Beth–lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

  • Matthew 2:6

    And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

  • Psalms 110:1-4

    A Psalm of David. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the daughter.
Ps 9:14; Isa 12:6; 40:9; 62:11; Zep 3:14,15; Mr 11:4-11
thy King.
2:2,6; Ge 49:10; Nu 24:19; Ps 2:6-12; 45:1-17; 72:1-20
Ps 110:1-4; Isa 9:6,7; Jer 23:5,6; Eze 34:24; 37:24; Da 2:44,45
Da 7:13,14; Mic 5:2; Zec 6:12,13; Joh 1:49; 19:15-22
meek.
11:29; 12:19,20; 2Co 10:1; Php 2:3-5
sitting.
De 17:16; Jud 5:10; 12:14; 2Sa 16:2; 1Ki 1:33; 10:26; Ho 1:7
Mic 5:10,11; Zec 9:10

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

Context

  • Matthew 21:4

    All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

  • Matthew 21:5

    Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

  • Matthew 21:6

    And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,

Read all of Matthew 21

Matthew 21:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Decid á la hija de Sión: He aquí, tu Rey viene á ti, manso, y sentado sobre una asna, y sobre un pollino, hijo de animal de yugo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
« Dites à la fille de Sion: Voici, ton roi vient à toi, débonnaire et monté sur une ânesse et sur un ânon, le petit d’une ânesse ».
German
Elberfelder 1871
"Saget der Tochter Zion: Siehe, dein König kommt zu dir, sanftmütig und reitend auf einer Eselin und auf einem Füllen, des Lasttiers Jungen."
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Dicite filiæ Sion: Ecce rex tuus venit tibi mansuetus, sedens super asinam, et pullum filium subjugalis.