Luke 21:23

23 But woe to them that are with child and give suck in those days: for there shall be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.

Luke 21:23 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 21:23

But woe unto them that are with-child
(See Gill on Matthew 24:19).

For there shall be great distress in the land;
of Judea. The Greek word (anagkh) , here used, properly signifies "necessity", but here intends afflictions and distress; in which sense it is often used by the Septuagint, as in ( Psalms 107:6 Psalms 107:13 Psalms 107:19 Psalms 107:28 ) ( 119:143 ) ( Jeremiah 9:15 ) and it is also by the Targumists adopted into their language, and used in the same sense ^F4: and indeed, the distress was very great, and such a time of tribulation, as was never known since the beginning of the world, nor never will be the like; what with the enemy without, and their seditions and divisions within, the robberies, murders, and famine, which prevailed and abounded, their miseries are not to be expressed:

and wrath upon this people;
of the Jews; even the wrath of God, as well as of man, which came upon them to the uttermost; and their own historian observes, that God, who had condemned the people, turned every way of salvation to their destruction ^F5.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 Vid. Targum in Gen xxii. 14. & xxxviii. 25. & Targum Sheni in Esth. v. 1.
F5 Joseph. de Bello Jud. l. 6. c. 15.

Luke 21:23 In-Context

21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains: and those who are in the midst thereof depart out: and those who are in the countries not enter into it.

22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things may be fulfilled, that are written.

23 But woe to them that are with child and give suck in those days: for there shall be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.

24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword and shall be led away captives into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles till the times of the nations be fulfilled.

25 And there shall be signs in the sun and in the moon and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, by reason of the confusion of the roaring of the sea, and of the waves: