The Meaning of Luke 19:44 Explained

Luke 19:44

KJV: And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

YLT: and lay thee low, and thy children within thee, and they shall not leave in thee a stone upon a stone, because thou didst not know the time of thy inspection.'

Darby: and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children in thee; and shall not leave in thee a stone upon a stone: because thou knewest not the season of thy visitation.

ASV: and shall dash thee to the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  shall lay  thee  even with the ground,  and  thy  children  within  thee;  and  they shall  not  leave  in  thee  one stone  upon  another;  because  thou knewest  not  the time  of thy  visitation. 

What does Luke 19:44 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 19:41-48 - The Doom Of The Royal City
Our Lord loved the city of His race; and when it finally rejected His appeals, He knew that nothing could avert its downfall. Hence His tears! Each nation, city and individual has one day which is the crisis of existence. We cross the equator without knowing it. There is one hour in each God-forsaken life when, as in the Temple before its fall, watchers hear the words, "Let us depart," and there is the rustle of wings! Notice that God visits us in mercy before He comes to us in wrath.
It was a startling act when Christ cleansed the Temple for the second time, John 2:13, etc. If there had been daily papers in those days, they would have chronicled it in great headlines. Extraordinary that this meek and lowly man should break out so vehemently! But His zeal for God's house sustained and bore Him along. Let us ask Him to cleanse the temple of our heart.
These priests and scribes had vested interests to conserve, which blinded them to the beauty and glory of Christ. If we place a coin, however valueless, against the eye, it will blind us to the sun. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 19

1  Of Zacchaeus a tax collector
11  The ten minas
28  Jesus rides into Jerusalem with triumph;
41  weeps over it;
45  drives the buyers and sellers out of the temple;
47  Teaching daily in it The rulers seek to destroy him, but fear the people

Greek Commentary for Luke 19:44

Shall dash to the ground [εδαπιουσιν]
Attic future of εδαπιζω — edaphizō to beat level, to raze to the ground, a rare verb from εδαπος — edaphos bottom, base, ground (Acts 22:7), here alone in the N.T. [source]
Because [αντ ων]
“In return for which things.”Thou knewest not (ουκ εγνως — ouk egnōs). Applying the very words of the lament in the condition in Luke 19:42. This vivid prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem is used by those who deny predictive prophecy even for Jesus as proof that Luke wrote the Gospel after the destruction of Jerusalem. But it is no proof at all to those who concede to Jesus adequate knowledge of his mission and claims. [source]
Thou knewest not [ουκ εγνως]
Applying the very words of the lament in the condition in Luke 19:42. This vivid prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem is used by those who deny predictive prophecy even for Jesus as proof that Luke wrote the Gospel after the destruction of Jerusalem. But it is no proof at all to those who concede to Jesus adequate knowledge of his mission and claims. [source]
Lay thee even with the ground [ἐδαφιοῦσιν]
Only here in New Testament. Primarily, to beat level, like a threshing-floor or pavement. The Septuagint uses it in the sense of dashing down to the ground (sa40" translation="">1 Peter 2:12.sa40 [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 19:44

Acts 1:20 Bishopric [ἐπισκοπήν]
See on 1 Peter 2:12. Rev., better, office, with overseership in margin. Compare Luke 19:44. [source]
Acts 22:7 Unto the ground [εις το εδαπος]
Old word, here alone in N.T. So the verb εδαπιζω — edaphizō is in Luke 19:44 alone in the N.T. A voice saying (πωνης λεγουσης — phōnēs legousēs). Genitive after ηκουσα — ēkousa though in Acts 26:14 the accusative is used after ηκουσα — ēkousa as in Acts 22:14 after ακουσαι — akousai either being allowable. See note on Acts 9:7 for discussion of the difference in case. Saul‘s name repeated each time (Acts 9:4; Acts 22:7; Acts 26:14). Same question also in each report: “Why persecuted thou me?” (Τι με διωκεισ — Ti me diōkeiṡ). These piercing words stuck in Paul‘s mind. [source]
2 Thessalonians 2:10 For them that are perishing [τοις απολλυμενοις]
Dative case of personal interest. Note this very phrase in 2 Corinthians 2:15; 2 Corinthians 4:3. Present middle participle of αππολλυμι — appollumi to destroy, the dreadful process goes on. Because (αντ ον — anth' hon). In return for which things (αντι — anti and the genitive of the relative pronoun). Same idiom in Luke 1:20; Luke 12:3; Luke 19:44; Acts 12:23 and very common in the lxx. The love of the truth That is the gospel in contrast with lying and deceit. That they might be saved (εις το σωτηναι αυτους — eis to sōthēnai autous). First aorist passive infinitive of σωζω — sōzō with εις το — eis to again, epexegetic purpose of the truth if they had heeded it. [source]
2 Thessalonians 2:10 Because [αντ ον]
In return for which things Same idiom in Luke 1:20; Luke 12:3; Luke 19:44; Acts 12:23 and very common in the lxx. [source]
1 Peter 2:12 That [ινα]
Final conjunction with δοχασωσιν — doxasōsin (they may glorify, first aorist active subjunctive of δοχαζω — doxazō the purpose of the Christians about the Gentiles.Wherein (εν ωι — en hōi). “In what thing.”As evil-doers As they did and do, old word (from κακον — kakon and ποιεω — poieō John 18:30), in N.T. only here and 1 Peter 2:14 in correct text. Heathen talk against us “Out of (as a result of) your good (beautiful) deeds.”Which they behold Present active participle of εποπτευω — epopteuō old verb (from, εποπτης — epoptēs overseer, spectator, 2 Peter 1:16), to be an overseer, to view carefully, in N.T. only here and 1 Peter 3:2.In the day of visitation (εν ημεραι επισκοπης — en hēmerāi episkopēs). From Isaiah 10:33. Cf. its use in Luke 19:44, which see for the word επισκοπη — episkopē (from επισκοπεω — episkopeō to inspect (Hebrews 12:15). Clear echo here of Matthew 5:16. [source]
1 Peter 2:12 As evil-doers [ως κακοποιων]
As they did and do, old word (from κακον — kakon and ποιεω — poieō John 18:30), in N.T. only here and 1 Peter 2:14 in correct text. Heathen talk against us “Out of (as a result of) your good (beautiful) deeds.”Which they behold Present active participle of εποπτευω — epopteuō old verb (from, εποπτης — epoptēs overseer, spectator, 2 Peter 1:16), to be an overseer, to view carefully, in N.T. only here and 1 Peter 3:2.In the day of visitation (εν ημεραι επισκοπης — en hēmerāi episkopēs). From Isaiah 10:33. Cf. its use in Luke 19:44, which see for the word επισκοπη — episkopē (from επισκοπεω — episkopeō to inspect (Hebrews 12:15). Clear echo here of Matthew 5:16. [source]
1 Peter 2:12 Which they behold [εποπτευοντες]
Present active participle of εποπτευω — epopteuō old verb (from, εποπτης — epoptēs overseer, spectator, 2 Peter 1:16), to be an overseer, to view carefully, in N.T. only here and 1 Peter 3:2.In the day of visitation (εν ημεραι επισκοπης — en hēmerāi episkopēs). From Isaiah 10:33. Cf. its use in Luke 19:44, which see for the word επισκοπη — episkopē (from επισκοπεω — episkopeō to inspect (Hebrews 12:15). Clear echo here of Matthew 5:16. [source]
1 Peter 2:12 In the day of visitation [εν ημεραι επισκοπης]
From Isaiah 10:33. Cf. its use in Luke 19:44, which see for the word επισκοπη — episkopē (from επισκοπεω — episkopeō to inspect (Hebrews 12:15). Clear echo here of Matthew 5:16. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 19:44 mean?

and will level to the ground you the children of you within you not will leave a stone upon in place of which you knew the season the of visitation
καὶ ἐδαφιοῦσίν σε τὰ τέκνα σου ἐν σοί οὐκ ἀφήσουσιν λίθον ἐπὶ ἀνθ’ ὧν ἔγνως τὸν καιρὸν τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς

ἐδαφιοῦσίν  will  level  to  the  ground 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἐδαφίζω  
Sense: to throw to the ground.
τέκνα  children 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: τέκνον  
Sense: offspring, children.
σου  of  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
ἐν  within 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐν 
Sense: in, by, with etc.
ἀφήσουσιν  will  leave 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἀφίημι 
Sense: to send away.
λίθον  a  stone 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: λίθος  
Sense: a stone.
ἐπὶ  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
ἀνθ’  in  place  of 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἀντί  
Sense: over against, opposite to, before.
ἔγνως  you  knew 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: γινώσκω  
Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel.
καιρὸν  season 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: καιρός  
Sense: due measure.
ἐπισκοπῆς  of  visitation 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἐπισκοπή  
Sense: investigation, inspection, visitation.