Bethphage
“House of unripe figs”
Summary
A village on the Mount of Olives from which Jesus sent disciples to obtain the donkey for His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
☩Location
Bethphage was a small village on the Mount of Olives, on the road between Jericho and Jerusalem. It was close to Bethany, mentioned together with it in the Gospel accounts of Jesus's triumphal entry. The name means 'house of unripe figs,' testifying to the former fruitfulness of this district.
☩The Triumphal Entry
When Jesus drew near to Jerusalem, He sent two disciples from Bethphage to a nearby village to obtain a donkey and its colt. Upon this colt, on which no one had ever sat, Jesus rode into Jerusalem while crowds spread their cloaks and palm branches on the road, crying 'Hosanna to the Son of David!' This fulfilled Zechariah's prophecy of the king coming 'humble and mounted on a donkey.'
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Bethphage," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. I (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Bethphage," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).
- 3.James Orr (ed.), "Bethphage," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. I (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).