SEV Biblia, Chapter 23:29
Porque he aquí vendrn días en que dirn: Bienaventuradas las estriles, y los vientres que no engendraron, y los pechos que no criaron.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 29. For behold the days are coming , etc.] The time is hastening on; yet a little while, a few years more, and such times of distress will be: in the which they shall say ; or it shall be commonly said; it will be in every one's mouth: blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps that never gave suck ; that is, happy wilt those persons be who have no children, to be starved to death, for want of bread; or to be killed with the sword before their eyes, which must greatly enhance their own miseries. Dr. Hammond thinks, that one passage particularly is referred to, related by Josephus; that when Titus had so closely encompassed the city with a wall, that there was no coming out for provisions, upon which a sore famine commenced, so that they fed on dung and dirt, and shoes, and girdles, one rich and noble woman, whose name was Mary, the daughter of Eleazar, being stripped of all she had, by the seditious, killed her own child, and dressed it, and ate part of it; and the other part being found by the soldiers that broke in upon her, the news of this shocking fact was spread all over the city, and every one looked with horror upon it, and with the same compassion, as if they had done it themselves: and then might those words be said, blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, etc. who, though starving themselves, were under no temptation to do such a detestable action.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 26-31 - We have here the blessed Jesus, the Lamb of God, led as a lamb to the slaughter, to the sacrifice. Though many reproached and reviled him yet some pitied him. But the death of Christ was his victory an triumph over his enemies: it was our deliverance, the purchase of eternal life for us. Therefore weep not for him, but let us weep for our own sins, and the sins of our children, which caused his death; an weep for fear of the miseries we shall bring upon ourselves, if we slight his love, and reject his grace. If God delivered him up to suc sufferings as these, because he was made a sacrifice for sin, what wil he do with sinners themselves, who make themselves a dry tree, corrupt and wicked generation, and good for nothing! The bitte sufferings of our Lord Jesus should make us stand in awe of the justic of God. The best saints, compared with Christ, are dry trees; if he suffer, why may not they expect to suffer? And what then shall the damnation of sinners be! Even the sufferings of Christ preach terror to obstinate transgressors.
Greek Textus Receptus
οτι 3754 CONJ ιδου 2400 5628 V-2AAM-2S ερχονται 2064 5736 V-PNI-3P ημεραι 2250 N-NPF εν 1722 PREP αις 3739 R-DPF ερουσιν 2046 5692 V-FAI-3P μακαριαι 3107 A-NPF αι 3588 T-NPF στειραι 4723 N-NPF και 2532 CONJ κοιλιαι 2836 N-NPF αι 3739 R-NPF ουκ 3756 PRT-N εγεννησαν 1080 5656 V-AAI-3P και 2532 CONJ μαστοι 3149 N-NPM οι 3739 R-NPM ουκ 3756 PRT-N εθηλασαν 2337 5656 V-AAI-3P
Robertson's NT Word Studies
23:29 {Blessed} (makariai). A beatitude to the barren, the opposite of the hopes of Jewish mothers. Childless women are commiserated (#1:25,36). {To the hills} (tois bounois). A Cyrenaic word. In the N.T. only here and #3:5. Quotation from #Ho 10:8.
