Luke 19:43
For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
Original Language Analysis
ὅτι
For
G3754
ὅτι
For
Strong's:
G3754
Word #:
1 of 19
demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because
ἥξουσιν
shall come
G2240
ἥξουσιν
shall come
Strong's:
G2240
Word #:
2 of 19
to arrive, i.e., be present (literally or figuratively)
ἡμέραι
the days
G2250
ἡμέραι
the days
Strong's:
G2250
Word #:
3 of 19
day, i.e., (literally) the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours (but several days were usually reckoned by the jews as inclusive of
ἐπὶ
upon
G1909
ἐπὶ
upon
Strong's:
G1909
Word #:
4 of 19
properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e., over, upon, etc.; of re
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
6 of 19
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
περιβαλοῦσιν
about
G4016
περιβαλοῦσιν
about
Strong's:
G4016
Word #:
7 of 19
to throw all around, i.e., invest (with a palisade or with clothing)
οἱ
G3588
οἱ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
8 of 19
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἐχθροί
enemies
G2190
ἐχθροί
enemies
Strong's:
G2190
Word #:
9 of 19
hateful (passively, odious, or actively, hostile); usually as a noun, an adversary (especially satan)
χάρακά
a trench
G5482
χάρακά
a trench
Strong's:
G5482
Word #:
11 of 19
a stake, i.e., (by implication) a palisade or rampart (military mound for circumvallation in a siege)
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
13 of 19
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
περικυκλώσουσίν
compass
G4033
περικυκλώσουσίν
compass
Strong's:
G4033
Word #:
14 of 19
to encircle all around, i.e., blockade completely
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
16 of 19
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
Cross References
Ezekiel 26:8He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the field: and he shall make a fort against thee, and cast a mount against thee, and lift up the buckler against thee.Ezekiel 4:2And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round about.Isaiah 37:33Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it.
Historical Context
Jesus spoke these words around AD 30; Jerusalem fell in AD 70. The Roman general (later emperor) Titus besieged Jerusalem for five months, constructing a siege wall around the entire city. Josephus, the Jewish historian who witnessed the siege, describes mass starvation, cannibalism, and brutal infighting among Jewish factions. The Temple was destroyed on the 9th of Av (Tisha B'Av), the same date Babylon destroyed Solomon's Temple in 586 BC.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Jesus's weeping over Jerusalem challenge notions of divine judgment as cold or vindictive?
- What does the forty-year gap between prophecy and fulfillment teach about God's patience before judgment?
- In what ways might Christ 'weep over' modern churches or nations that don't recognize 'the time of their visitation'?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side (χάρακά σοι...περικυκλώσουσίν σε καὶ συνέξουσίν σε πάντοθεν, charaka soi...perikyklōsousin se kai synexousin se pantothen). Jesus prophesies Jerusalem's destruction with harrowing specificity. Cast a trench (χάρακα, charaka) refers to a siege rampart or palisade; compass round (περικυκλόω, perikykloō) means to encircle completely; keep thee in (συνέχω, synechō) means to hold in a stranglehold. This precisely describes Rome's siege tactics in AD 70 under Titus.
This verse follows Jesus's weeping over Jerusalem (v. 41-42). His tears demonstrate that judgment brings Him no pleasure—God 'weeps' over those who reject His visitation. The days shall come warns of divine patience reaching its limit. Forty years later, Titus's legions did exactly this: built a siege wall (circumvallation), starving Jerusalem into submission. Josephus records that 1.1 million Jews died, fulfilling Jesus's prophecy in horrifying detail.