Matthew 21:5

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

“Tell the people of Zion,‘Look, your king is coming to you, unassuming and seated on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Εἴπατε τῇ θυγατρὶ Σιών, Ἰδού, ὁ Βασιλεύς σου ἔρχεταί σοι, πραῢς, καὶ ἐπιβεβηκὼς ἐπὶ ὄνον, καὶ πῶλον υἱὸν ὑποζυγίου.

Transliteration

Eipate to the thygatri Siōn, Idou, the Basileus of you erchetai to you, praÿs, and epibebēkōs upon onon, and pōlon huion of hypozygiou.

Grammar Details

• *Eipate*: aorist active imperative, 2nd plural - say/tell
• *thygatri*: dative, feminine, singular - to daughter
• *Siōn*: genitive, feminine, singular - of Zion
• *Idou*: aorist middle imperative - behold/look/see
• *Basileus*: nominative, masculine, singular - King
• *erchetai*: present middle indicative, 3rd singular - comes/is coming
• *praÿs*: nominative, masculine, singular - gentle/meek
• *epibebēkōs*: perfect active participle, nominative, masculine, singular - having mounted/sitting on
• *onon*: accusative, feminine, singular - donkey/ass
• *pōlon*: accusative, masculine, singular - colt/young donkey
• *huion*: accusative, masculine, singular - son
• *hypozygiou*: genitive, neuter, singular - of beast of burden

Word Meanings

• *Idou*: behold/look/see
• *Basileus*: King/Ruler/Sovereign
• *praÿs*: gentle/meek/humble
• *hypozygiou*: beast of burden/pack animal/donkey

Referenced Verses

• Zech 9:9-9 : 9 Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king is coming to you: he is legitimate and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey– on a young donkey, the foal of a female donkey. 10 I will remove the chariot from Ephraim and the warhorse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be removed. Then he will announce peace to the nations. His dominion will be from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.
• Isa 62:11 : 11 Look, the LORD announces to the entire earth:“Say to Daughter Zion,‘Look, your deliverer comes! Look, his reward is with him and his reward goes before him!’”
• Matt 11:29 : 29 Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
• Gen 49:10 : 10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; the nations will obey him.
• Num 24:19 : 19 A ruler will be established from Jacob; he will destroy the remains of the city.’”
• Deut 17:16 : 16 Moreover, he must not accumulate horses for himself or allow the people to return to Egypt to do so, for the LORD has said you must never again return that way.
• Judg 5:10 : 10 You who ride on light-colored female donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, you who walk on the road, pay attention!
• Judg 12:14 : 14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel for eight years.
• 2 Sam 16:2 : 2 The king asked Ziba,“Why did you bring these things?” Ziba replied,“The donkeys are for the king’s family to ride on, the loaves of bread and the summer fruit are for the attendants to eat, and the wine is for those who get exhausted in the desert.”
• 1 Kgs 1:33 : 33 and he told them,“Take your master’s servants with you, put my son Solomon on my mule, and lead him down to Gihon.
• 1 Kgs 10:26 : 26 Solomon accumulated chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem.
• Ps 2:6-9 : 6 “I myself have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill.” 7 The king says,“I will announce the LORD’s decree. He said to me:‘You are my son! This very day I have become your father! 8 Ask me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your personal property. 9 You will break them with an iron scepter; you will smash them like a potter’s jar!’” 10 So now, you kings, do what is wise; you rulers of the earth, submit to correction! 11 Serve the LORD in fear! Repent in terror! 12 Give sincere homage! Otherwise he will be angry, and you will die because of your behavior, when his anger quickly ignites. How blessed are all who take shelter in him!
• Ps 9:14 : 14 Then I will tell about all your praiseworthy acts; in the gates of Daughter Zion I will rejoice because of your deliverance.”
• Ps 45:1-9 : 1 For the music director; according to the tune of“Lilies;” by the Korahites, a well-written poem, a love song. My heart is stirred by a beautiful song. I say,“I have composed this special song for the king; my tongue is as skilled as the stylus of an experienced scribe.” 2 You are the most handsome of all men! You speak in an impressive and fitting manner! For this reason God grants you continual blessings. 3 Strap your sword to your thigh, O warrior! Appear in your majestic splendor! 4 Appear in your majesty and be victorious! Ride forth for the sake of what is right, on behalf of justice! Then your right hand will accomplish mighty acts! 5 Your arrows are sharp and penetrate the hearts of the king’s enemies. Nations fall at your feet. 6 Your throne, O God, is permanent. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice. 7 You love justice and hate evil. For this reason God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy, elevating you above your companions. 8 All your garments are perfumed with myrrh, aloes, and cassia. From the luxurious palaces comes the music of stringed instruments that makes you happy. 9 Princesses are among your honored women, your bride stands at your right hand, wearing jewelry made with gold from Ophir. 10 Listen, O princess! Observe and pay attention! Forget your homeland and your family! 11 Then the king will be attracted by your beauty. After all, he is your master! Submit to him! 12 Rich people from Tyre will seek your favor by bringing a gift. 13 The princess looks absolutely magnificent, decked out in pearls and clothed in a brocade trimmed with gold. 14 In embroidered robes she is escorted to the king. Her attendants, the maidens of honor who follow her, are led before you. 15 They are bubbling with joy as they walk in procession and enter the royal palace. 16 Your sons will carry on the dynasty of your ancestors; you will make them princes throughout the land. 17 I will proclaim your greatness through the coming years, then the nations will praise you forever.
• Ps 72:1-9 : 1 For Solomon. O God, grant the king the ability to make just decisions! Grant the king’s son the ability to make fair decisions! 2 Then he will judge your people fairly, and your oppressed ones equitably. 3 The mountains will bring news of peace to the people, and the hills will announce justice. 4 He will defend the oppressed among the people; he will deliver the children of the poor and crush the oppressor. 5 People will fear you as long as the sun and moon remain in the sky, for generation after generation. 6 He will descend like rain on the mown grass, like showers that drench the earth. 7 During his days the godly will flourish; peace will prevail as long as the moon remains in the sky. 8 May he rule from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth! 9 Before him the coastlands will bow down, and his enemies will lick the dust. 10 The kings of Tarshish and the coastlands will offer gifts; the kings of Sheba and Seba will bring tribute. 11 All kings will bow down to him; all nations will serve him. 12 For he will rescue the needy when they cry out for help, and the oppressed who have no defender. 13 He will take pity on the poor and needy; the lives of the needy he will save. 14 From harm and violence he will defend them; he will value their lives. 15 May he live! May they offer him gold from Sheba! May they continually pray for him! May they pronounce blessings on him all day long! 16 May there be an abundance of grain in the earth; on the tops of the mountains may it sway! May its fruit trees flourish like the forests of Lebanon! May its crops be as abundant as the grass of the earth! 17 May his fame endure! May his dynasty last as long as the sun remains in the sky! May they use his name when they formulate their blessings! May all nations consider him to be favored by God! 18 The LORD God, the God of Israel, deserves praise! He alone accomplishes amazing things! 19 His glorious name deserves praise forevermore! May his majestic splendor fill the whole earth! We agree! We agree! 20 This collection of the prayers of David son of Jesse ends here.
• Ps 110:1-4 : 1 A psalm of David. Here is the LORD’s proclamation to my lord:“Sit down at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool!” 2 The LORD extends your dominion from Zion. Rule in the midst of your enemies! 3 Your people willingly follow you when you go into battle. On the holy hills at sunrise the dew of your youth belongs to you. 4 The LORD makes this promise on oath and will not revoke it:“You are an eternal priest after the pattern of Melchizedek.”
• Isa 9:6-7 : 6 For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called: Amazing Adviser, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His dominion will be vast and he will bring immeasurable prosperity. He will rule on David’s throne and over David’s kingdom, establishing it and strengthening it by promoting justice and fairness, from this time forward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will accomplish this.
• Isa 12:6 : 6 Cry out and shout for joy, O citizens of Zion, for the Holy One of Israel acts mightily among you!”
• Isa 40:9 : 9 Go up on a high mountain, O herald Zion! Shout out loudly, O herald Jerusalem! Shout, don’t be afraid! Say to the towns of Judah,“Here is your God!”
• Matt 12:19-20 : 19 He will not quarrel or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. 20 He will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick, until he brings justice to victory.
• Mark 11:4-9 : 4 So they went and found a colt tied at a door, outside in the street, and untied it. 5 Some people standing there said to them,“What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They replied as Jesus had told them, and the bystanders let them go. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus, threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. 8 Many spread their cloaks on the road and others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Both those who went ahead and those who followed kept shouting,“Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” 11 Then Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. And after looking around at everything, he went out to Bethany with the twelve since it was already late.
• John 1:49 : 49 Nathanael answered him,“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel!”
• John 19:15-22 : 15 Then they shouted out,“Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate asked,“Shall I crucify your king?” The high priests replied,“We have no king except Caesar!” 16 Then Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.The CrucifixionSo they took Jesus, 17 and carrying his own cross he went out to the place called“The Place of the Skull”(called in Aramaic Golgotha). 18 There they crucified him along with two others, one on each side, with Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate also had a notice written and fastened to the cross, which read:“Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews.” 20 Thus many of the Jewish residents of Jerusalem read this notice, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the notice was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. 21 Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate,“Do not write,‘The king of the Jews,’ but rather,‘This man said, I am king of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered,“What I have written, I have written.”
• 2 Cor 10:1 : 1 Paul’s Authority from the Lord Now I, Paul, appeal to you personally by the meekness and gentleness of Christ(I who am meek when present among you, but am full of courage toward you when away!)–
• Phil 2:3-5 : 3 Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. 4 Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. 5 You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had,
• Matt 2:2 : 2 saying,“Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
• Matt 2:6 : 6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are in no way least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
• Jer 23:5-6 : 5 “I, the LORD, promise that a new time will certainly come when I will raise up for them a righteous branch, a descendant of David. He will rule over them with wisdom and understanding and will do what is just and right in the land. 6 Under his rule Judah will enjoy safety and Israel will live in security. This is the name he will go by:‘The LORD has provided us with justice.’
• Ezek 34:24 : 24 I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken!
• Ezek 37:24 : 24 “‘My servant David will be king over them; there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow my regulations and carefully observe my statutes.
• Dan 2:44-45 : 44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever. 45 You saw that a stone was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands; it smashed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold into pieces. The great God has made known to the king what will occur in the future. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is reliable.”
• Dan 7:13-14 : 13 I was watching in the night visions,“And with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man was approaching. He went up to the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him. 14 To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty. All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving him. His authority is eternal and will not pass away. His kingdom will not be destroyed.
• Hos 1:7 : 7 But I will have pity on the nation of Judah. I will deliver them by the LORD their God; I will not deliver them by the warrior’s bow, by sword, by military victory, by chariot horses, or by chariots.”
• Mic 5:2 : 2 A King Will Come and a Remnant Will Prosper(5:1) As for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, seemingly insignificant among the clans of Judah– from you a king will emerge who will rule over Israel on my behalf, one whose origins are in the distant past.
• Mic 5:10-11 : 10 The Lord Will Purify His People“In that day,” says the LORD,“I will destroy your horses from your midst, and smash your chariots. 11 I will destroy the cities of your land, and tear down all your fortresses.
• Zeph 3:14-15 : 14 Shout for joy, Daughter Zion! Shout out, Israel! Be happy and boast with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! 15 The LORD has removed the judgment against you; he has turned back your enemy. Israel’s king, the LORD, is in your midst! You no longer need to fear disaster.
• Zech 6:12-13 : 12 Then say to him,‘The LORD of Heaven’s Armies says,“Look– here is the man whose name is Branch, who will sprout up from his place and build the temple of the LORD. 13 Indeed, he will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed in splendor, sitting as king on his throne. Moreover, there will be a priest with him on his throne and they will see eye to eye on everything.