Bible Strands
John 12:14
Finding a young donkey, Jesus sat on it, as it is written:
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus mounts a donkey in Jerusalem immediately after the crowd greets Him with palm branches and shouts Hosanna. This action occurs at the transition into His final week, directly responding to their proclamation that He is the King of Israel.
The words — The Greek verb ἐκάθισεν (ekathisen) translates literally to "He sat," while ὀνάριον (onarion) denotes "a young donkey." These terms record the specific physical act that precedes the explicit citation of Scripture.
The thread — This event parallels the entries recorded in Matthew 21:1 and Mark 11:1, and directly fulfills the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9. The gospel writer explicitly connects the physical mounting to the written word that follows.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to note Jesus' deliberate choice of a specific animal to fulfill a written prophecy. The reader must recognize the intentional alignment of His public action with the prophetic record.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
Cross-references
- Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
- Matthew 21:1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two disciples,
- Mark 11:1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two of His disciples
- Luke 19:29 As He approached Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, He sent out two of His disciples,