Matthew 11:7
New International Version
As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind?

New Living Translation
As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind?

English Standard Version
As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

Berean Standard Bible
As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?

Berean Literal Bible
And as these were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

King James Bible
And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

New King James Version
As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

New American Standard Bible
As these disciples of John were going away, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

NASB 1995
As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

NASB 1977
And as these were going away, Jesus began to speak to the multitudes about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?

Legacy Standard Bible
Now as these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

Amplified Bible
As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out in the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind [which is commonplace]?

Christian Standard Bible
As these men were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
As these men went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?

American Standard Version
And as these went their way, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But when they departed, Yeshua began to say to the crowds about Yohannan, “What did you go out to the wilderness to see, a reed shaken by the wind?”

Contemporary English Version
As John's followers were going away, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John: What sort of person did you go out into the desert to see? Was he like tall grass blown about by the wind?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: What went you out into the desert to see? a reed shaken with the wind?

English Revised Version
And as these went their way, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
As they were leaving, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John. "What did you go into the desert to see? Tall grass swaying in the wind?

Good News Translation
While John's disciples were leaving, Jesus spoke about him to the crowds: "When you went out to John in the desert, what did you expect to see? A blade of grass bending in the wind?

International Standard Version
As they were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John. "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

Literal Standard Version
And as they are going, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, “What did you go out to the wilderness to view? A reed shaken by the wind?

Majority Standard Bible
As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?

New American Bible
As they were going off, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind?

NET Bible
While they were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

New Revised Standard Version
As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?

New Heart English Bible
And as these went their way, Jesus began to say to the crowds concerning John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

Webster's Bible Translation
And as they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? a reed shaken with the wind?

Weymouth New Testament
When the messengers had taken their leave, Jesus proceeded to say to the multitude concerning John, "What did you go out into the Desert to gaze at? A reed waving in the wind?

World English Bible
As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

Young's Literal Translation
And as they are going, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, 'What went ye out to the wilderness to view? -- a reed shaken by the wind?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jesus Testifies about John
6Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.” 7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind? 8Otherwise, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothing are found in kings’ palaces.…

Cross References
Matthew 3:1
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea

Matthew 11:8
Otherwise, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothing are found in kings' palaces.

Matthew 12:20
A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, till He leads justice to victory.

Luke 7:24
After John's messengers had left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?


Treasury of Scripture

And as they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, What went you out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

Jesus.

Luke 7:24-30
And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? …

What.

Matthew 3:1-3,5
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, …

Matthew 21:25
The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

Mark 1:3-5
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight…

A reed.

Genesis 49:4
Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

2 Corinthians 1:17,18
When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay? …

Ephesians 4:14
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Jump to Previous
Crowds Departed Desert Disciples Gaze Jesus John John's Leave Messengers Moved Multitude Multitudes Proceeded Reed Shaken Speak Stem Talking Tall View Waste Waving Way Wilderness Wind
Jump to Next
Crowds Departed Desert Disciples Gaze Jesus John John's Leave Messengers Moved Multitude Multitudes Proceeded Reed Shaken Speak Stem Talking Tall View Waste Waving Way Wilderness Wind
Matthew 11
1. John sends his disciples to Jesus.
7. Jesus' testimony concerning John.
16. The perverse judgment of the people concerning the Son.
20. Jesus upbraids Korazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum;
25. and praising his Father's wisdom in revealing the Gospel to the simple,
28. he calls to him those who are weary and burdened.














(7) As they departed.--There was an obvious risk that those who heard the question of the Baptist, and our Lord's answer, might be led to think with undue harshness, perhaps even with contempt, of one who had so far failed in steadfastness. As if to meet that risk, Jesus turns, before the messengers were out of hearing, to bear His testimony to the work and character of John. But a little while before, almost as his last public utterance, the forerunner had borne his witness to the King (John 3:23-36), and now He, in His turn, recognises to the full all the greatness of the work which that forerunner had accomplished.

What went ye out . . .?--The tense points to the time when the first proclamation of the Baptist, as the voice of one crying in the wilderness, drew out crowds to listen to him. Jesus, by His question, bids them recall the impression which had then been made upon them. Had they gone out to see "a reed shaken by the wind?" The imagery was, of course, drawn from the rushes that grew upon the banks of the Jordan, but the use of the singular shows that it was meant to be understood symbolically. Had they gone out to see one who was swayed this way and that by every blast of popular feeling? No, not that; something quite other than that was what they had then beheld.

Verses 7-15. - Jesus recognition of the greatness of John as herald. Vers. 7-11: parallel passage: Luke 7:24-28. Verse 7. - And as they departed; and as these went their way (Revised Version). Fulfilling his command (ver. 4). It' we may combine the language of St. Matthew and St. Luke ("when the messengers of John were departed"), we may say that they had left the circle immediately round our Lord, but were hardly further than the outskirts of the crowd. What went ye out into the wilderness to see? to behold (Revised Version); θεάσασθαι (cf. θέατρον,). It almost suggests that they went out as though to see a spectacle. They were stirred by no deeper motive. Bengel compares John 5:35. A reed shaken with the wind? If the reed referred to by our Lord was the papyrus, which still grows freely in certain parts of the Jordan valley, the description of this plant in 'Rob Roy on the Jordan,' ch. 17, is specially interesting: "There is first a lateral trunk, lying on the water and half-submerged. This is sometimes as thick as a man's body, and from its lower side hang innumerable string-like roots from three to five feet long, and of a deep purple colour .... These pendent roots... retard much of the surface-current where the papyrus grows On the upper surface of the trunks the stems grow alternately in oblique rows;, their thickness at the junction is often four inches, and their height fifteen feet, gracefully tapering until at the top is a little round knob, with long, thin brown, wire-like hairs eighteen inches long, which rise and then, recurving, hang about it in a thyrsus-shaped head." He also says, "The whole jungle of papyrus was floating upon the water, and so the waves raised by the breeze were rocking the green curtain to and fro." This explained "a most curious hissing, grinding, bustling sound, that was heard like waves upon a shingly beach," as "the papyrus stems were rubbing against each other as they nodded out and in." It is, however, much more probable that the reed referred to was "the Arundo donax, a very tall cane, growing twelve feet high, with a magnificent panicle of blossom at the top, and so slender and yielding that it will lie perfectly flat under a gust of wind, and immediately resume its upright position." It grows especially on the western side of the Dead Sea (cf. Tristram, 'Natural History of the Bible,' p. 4,37, edit. 1889). To our Lord's question no answer was needed. John had rejected the overtures of the nationalists (John 1:19-21), and had not feared to rebuke a king (Matthew 14:4).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
As [John’s disciples]
Τούτων (Toutōn)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

were leaving,
πορευομένων (poreuomenōn)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 4198: To travel, journey, go, die.

Jesus
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.

began
ἤρξατο (ērxato)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 756: To begin. Middle voice of archo; to commence.

to speak
λέγειν (legein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

to the
τοῖς (tois)
Article - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

crowds
ὄχλοις (ochlois)
Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3793: From a derivative of echo; a throng; by implication, the rabble; by extension, a class of people; figuratively, a riot.

about
περὶ (peri)
Preposition
Strong's 4012: From the base of peran; properly, through, i.e. Around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time.

John:
Ἰωάννου (Iōannou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2491: Of Hebrew origin; Joannes, the name of four Israelites.

“What
Τί (Ti)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

did you go out
ἐξήλθατε (exēlthate)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1831: To go out, come out. From ek and erchomai; to issue.

into
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

wilderness
ἔρημον (erēmon)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2048: Lonesome, i.e. waste.

to see?
θεάσασθαι (theasasthai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Middle
Strong's 2300: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to look closely at, i.e. perceive; by extension to visit.

A reed
κάλαμον (kalamon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2563: A reed; a reed-pen, reed-staff, measuring rod. Or uncertain affinity; a reed; by implication, a pen.

swaying
σαλευόμενον (saleuomenon)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4531: From salos; to waver, i.e. Agitate, rock, topple or destroy; figuratively, to disturb, incite.

in
ὑπὸ (hypo)
Preposition
Strong's 5259: A primary preposition; under, i.e. of place, or with verbs; of place (underneath) or where (below) or time (when).

[the] wind?
ἀνέμου (anemou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 417: The wind; fig: applied to empty doctrines. From the base of aer; wind; by implication, quarters.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 11:7 As these went their way Jesus began (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 11:6
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