Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 24:19
And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
Verse 19. And wo unto them (alas! for them) that are with child, c.] For such persons are not in a condition to make their escape neither can they bear the miseries of the siege. Josephus says the houses were full of women and children that perished by the famine; and that the mothers snatched the food even out of their own children’s mouths. See WAR, b. v. c. 10. But he relates a more horrid story than this, of one Mary, the daughter of Eliezar, illustrious for her family and riches, who, being stripped and plundered of all her goods and provisions by the soldiers, in hunger, rage, and despair, killed and boiled her own sucking child, and had eaten one half of him before it was discovered. This shocking story is told, WAR, b. vi. c. 3, with several circumstances of aggravation.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Mark saith nothing of the sabbath day, Mar 13:1-37. Luke hath not what Matthew hath, Mat 24:20.
Woe to them in this text is only a phrase testifying our Saviours compassion on such, and indicative of the addition it would make to their misery, as it would retard their flight. Upon this account also, he bids them pray their flight might not be
in the winter, neither on the sabbath day. The winter would naturally retard their motion, through the cold and moisture of it. The sabbath would be a moral hinderance, in regard of the superstitious opinion they had of the sabbath, that they might not upon that day defend themselves, nor flee from their enemies beyond the length of a sabbath days journey, which was but two miles: our Saviour hints to them that their flight must be farther. When our Saviour spake this the Jewish sabbath was the day of holy rest, and he knew that although by his resurrection he should sanctify a new sabbath, yet the Jews would not for a time understand that the old sabbath was abolished. Here is therefore no establishment of the old sabbath to be observed after his resurrection; the praying that their flight might not be upon the sabbath day respected only either their remora to their flight which the sabbath would give them, (in case they should keep it as a holy rest), or the addition of trouble it would make in their spirits, when they considered that was the day in which they were wont to go to the house of prayer, keeping it a day of holy rest unto God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And woe unto them that are with child,…. Not that it should be criminal for them to be with child, or a judgment on them; for it was always esteemed a blessing to be fruitful, and bear children: but this expresses the miserable circumstances such would be in, who, by reason of their heavy burdens, would not be able to make so speedy a flight, as the case would require; or would be obliged to stay at home, and endure all the miseries of the siege: so that these words, as the following are not expressive of sin, or punishment, but of pity and concern for their misery and distress:
and to them that give suck in those days; whose tender affection to their infants will not suffer them to leave them behind them; and yet such their weakness, that they will not be able to carry them with them; at least, they must be great hindrances to their speedy flight. So that the case of these is much worse than that of men on the house top, or in the field, who could much more easily leave their goods and clothes, than these their children, as well as had more agility and strength of body to flee. So , “women with child, and that give suck”; are mentioned together in the Jewish writings, as such as were excused from certain fasts, though obliged to others g.
g T. Hieros. Taanioth, fol. 64. 3. Maimon. Hilch. Taanioth, c. 5. sect. 10.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(19) Woe unto them.Better, alas for them, or woe for them. The tone is that of pity rather than denunciation. The hardships of a hurried flight would press most heavily on those who were encumbered with infant children, or were expecting childbirth. The same tenderness of sympathy shows itself in the words spoken to the daughters of Jerusalem in Luk. 23:28-29. Perhaps the words point to the darker horrors of the siege, when mothers were driven, in the frenzy of starvation, to feed on their infants flesh (Jos. Wars, vi. 3, 4).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19. Woe with child give suck Both the Jewish and the Christian female. The former would find their sufferings redoubled in the miseries of their offspring; the latter would find redoubled the difficulty of escape.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“But woe to those who are with child and to those who are breast-feeding in those days!”
And for these who fled conditions would be terrible, especially for pregnant and breastfeeding women who would have the most difficulty. For them it would indeed be a time of woe. But the whole point of these descriptions is that Jesus is saying that the tribulation will be so terrible that is spite of their condition these women would still be better to flee and face up to the consequences, rather than face up to the alternative which would be even more appalling. Among other things invading armies took little notice of such tender conditions when raping women, but this tribulation would go even beyond that.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Further advice:
v. 19. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days
!
v. 20. But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day.
v. 21. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
v. 22. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Naturally, such circumstances would be especially unpleasant and dangerous for such women as were about to become or had just become mothers, since quick flight would be attended by many difficulties. Another evil possibility would be that the time of flight would fall in the season of winter, when the weather would further increase the difficulties and hardships of traveling. And if the flight should fall on a Sabbath, when a false understanding of God’s will might endanger their lives, or occur in a Sabbath year, when the land was lying fallow, they might have trouble in obtaining the necessary food on the way. All such factors would tend to bring out still more strongly the extraordinary tribulations, the great distresses of that period in the history of the Jews; God would be pouring out the vials of His wrath in full measure upon their city and nation. If God would not temper justice with mercy and pity, all the people would be consumed in the general destruction. But even in the midst of His anger He has compassion; for the sake of His people, the believers in Him, He will shorten the time of punishment, lest all perish.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Mat 24:19. Woe unto them that are with child, &c. For neither will such persons be in a condition to fly, nor will they be able to endure the distress and hardships of a siege. This woe was sufficiently fulfilled in the cruel slaughters which were made both of the women and children, and particularly in that grievous famine which so miserably afflicted Jerusalem during the siege. For mothers, as Josephus reports, snatched the food from the very mouths of their infants; and the houses were full of women and children who perished by famine. See the note on Deu 28:53-56 and Bishop Newton.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mat 24:19 . , , Theophylact.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
Ver. 19. Woe to them that are with child, &c. ] By the laws of nations women with child, babes and sucklings, maids and old folk, should be spared. But the bloody sword often knows no difference, as Hos 10:14 , the another was dashed in pieces upon her children, Hos 13:16 ; their infants were dashed in pieces, and their women with child ripped up. So at the sack of Magdeburg by Charles V, and of Merindol in France by Minerius, where the paps of many women were cut off, and their children, looking for suck at their another’s breast, being dead before, died also for hunger. Many such barbarous butcheries have been acted lately in Ireland, and begin to be also now in England (poor England, now an Ireland!) as at Bolton in Lancashire lately. Help, Lord, or thy servant perisheth.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
19, 20. ] It will be most important that so sudden a flight should not be encumbered, by personal hindrances ( . . . ), or by hindrances of accompaniment ( . . ), see 1Co 7:26 ; and that those things which are out of our power to arrange , should be propitious, weather, and freedom from legal prohibition. The words . are peculiar to Matthew, and shew the strong Jewish tint which caused him alone to preserve such portions of our Lord’s sayings. That they were not said as any sanction of observance of the Jewish Sabbath, is most certain: but merely as referring to the positive impediments which might meet them on that day, the shutting of the gates of cities, &c., and their own scruples about travelling further than the ordinary Sabbath-day’s journey (about a mile English); for the Jewish Christians adhered to the law and customary observances till the destruction of Jerusalem.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 24:19-20 describe the pathos of the situation: woe to women with child, hey cannot get rid of their burden; and to women nursing, they cannot abandon their children as men can their money or their clothes ( , Euthy. Cf. Chrys. and Theophy.). A touch this worthy of Jesus, sign mark of genuineness.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
19, 20.] It will be most important that so sudden a flight should not be encumbered, by personal hindrances (. . .), or by hindrances of accompaniment (. .), see 1Co 7:26; and that those things which are out of our power to arrange, should be propitious,-weather, and freedom from legal prohibition. The words . are peculiar to Matthew, and shew the strong Jewish tint which caused him alone to preserve such portions of our Lords sayings. That they were not said as any sanction of observance of the Jewish Sabbath, is most certain: but merely as referring to the positive impediments which might meet them on that day, the shutting of the gates of cities, &c., and their own scruples about travelling further than the ordinary Sabbath-days journey (about a mile English); for the Jewish Christians adhered to the law and customary observances till the destruction of Jerusalem.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 24:19. , woe!) This is not put by way of imprecation, but of indication. Neither is it an interdiction against the generating of children, but only a prediction of misery.- , …, to them that are with child, etc.) Because they will not be able to flee quickly. Godly women will share the common calamity; see Luk 23:29.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Deu 28:53-56, 2Sa 4:4, 2Ki 15:16, Lam 4:3, Lam 4:4, Lam 4:10, Hos 13:16, Mar 13:17, Mar 13:18, Luk 21:23, Luk 23:29, Luk 23:30
Reciprocal: Lev 26:29 – General 1Sa 1:23 – son suck Ecc 4:3 – better Jer 16:2 – General Hos 9:14 – what Zec 14:2 – the houses 1Co 7:26 – that
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4:19
Women in the condition described could not well travel.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 24:19. Woe unto them, etc. Natural affection is not forbidden, and this verse expresses compassion for mothers who were thus delayed.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Here our Saviour declares the doleful distress of those that could not flee from the siege of Jerusalem; as women big with child, and such as give suck, who by that means are like to lose their lives.
And he farther adds, that it should increase the calamity, if their flight should happen to be in the winter, when none can fly either fast or far; or if they should be forced to flee on the sabbath-day when the Jews scrupled travelling farther than a sabbath-day’s journey, which was about two miles.
From thence learn, That it is a great addition to the trouble and disquiet of a good man’s spirit, when the day of his spiritual rest is interrupted, and instead of enjoying communion with God in his house, he is driven from house and home, and flees before the face of an enraged enemy. Pray ye, says our Saviour, that your flight be not on the sabbath-day; that being a day of holy rest.