Luke 23:30

30 Then “ ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ’^[a]

Luke 23:30 in Other Translations

30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.

30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.'

30 People will beg the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and plead with the hills, ‘Bury us.’

30 Then they'll start calling to the mountains, 'Fall down on us!' calling to the hills, 'Cover us up!'

30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us!' and to the hills, 'Cover us!'

Luke 23:30 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 23:30

Then shall they begin to say
The Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions read, "then shall ye begin to say"; the tribulation being so great, as never was the like since the creation of the world, nor never will be to the end of it; and being so sore pressed with the sword and famine; with the enemy without, and divisions, robberies, and murders within; and their miseries being inexpressible, and intolerable, they will seek to go into the holes of the rocks, and caves of the earth, as is prophesied of them, ( Isaiah 2:19 ) and as Josephus says, many of them did, when the city was taken; and, like those in ( Hosea 10:8 ) will say, "to the mountains fall on us, and to the hills cover us"; will choose rather that the mountains and hills round about Jerusalem, should fall upon them, and they be buried under the ruins of them, than live in such terrible distress, or fall into the hands of their enemies! Compare with this ( Revelation 6:15 Revelation 6:16 ) .

Luke 23:30 In-Context

28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.

29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’

30 Then “ ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ’

31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.

Cross References

• 1. Isaiah 2:19; Hosea 10:8; Revelation 6:16

Footnotes

• [a]. Hosea 10:8