Luke 19:42 Meaning and Explanation
“Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →He laments that Jerusalem, even on this day, has not known the things that belong to its peace, now hidden from its eyes.
What Does Luke 19:42 Mean?
The sentence breaks off in the middle, grief interrupting grammar: if thou hadst known, even thou. The ache sharpens in a wordplay, for the very name Jerusalem carries the sound of peace, and the city of peace cannot recognize the things of its peace or the Prince of peace now riding toward its gate.
Christ himself is the peace the city does not see, present, visible, weeping at its threshold. There is a today in which peace can be known, and a too late in which it lies hidden. The verse pleads with every reader to know, in this thy day, the One who comes.
Luke 19:42 in the Original Language
eirene (εἰρήνη), 'peace' -- wholeness and well-being, all that the Hebrew shalom carries.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 19:42
What does Luke 19:42 mean?
He laments that Jerusalem, even on this day, has not known the things that belong to its peace, now hidden from its eyes.