Mark - 5:38



38 He came to the synagogue ruler's house, and he saw an uproar, weeping, and great wailing.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Mark 5:38.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
And they come to the house of the ruler of the synagogue; and he beholdeth a tumult, and many weeping and wailing greatly.
And they come to the house of the ruler of the synagogue; and he seeth a tumult, and people weeping and wailing much.
And he comes to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and sees the tumult, and people weeping and wailing greatly.
and he cometh to the house of the chief of the synagogue, and seeth a tumult, much weeping and wailing;
And he comes to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and sees the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
So they come to the Warden's house. Here He gazes on a scene of uproar, with people weeping aloud and wailing.
And they came to the house of the ruler of the Synagogue; and he saw people running this way and that, and weeping and crying loudly.
And they went to the house of the ruler of the synagogue. And he saw a tumult, and weeping, and much wailing.
Presently they reached the leader's house, where Jesus saw a scene of confusion – people weeping and wailing incessantly.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

The tumult - The confusion and weeping of the assembled people.
Wailed - Making inarticulate, mournful sounds; howling for the dead.

He cometh - But ερχονται, they come, is the reading of ABCDF, four others, and several versions.
Wept and wailed - See on Matthew 9:23 (note).

And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue,.... Along with him, and the three disciples above mentioned; and the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions read, "and they came", the above persons:
and seeing the tumult; the throng and crowd of people, of relations, friends, neighbours, and acquaintance, on this occasion, all in a hurry, and in one motion or another, expressing their concern by words and gestures.
And them that wept and wailed bitterly; the mourning women, the same with the "preficae" of the Romans, who sung mournful songs, and made hideous noises, being hired for this purpose; as also those who played doleful tunes on musical instruments; See Gill on Matthew 9:23.

And he cometh--rather, "they come."
to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly--"the minstrels and the people making a noise" (Matthew 9:23) --lamenting for the dead. (See 2-Chronicles 35:25; Jeremiah 9:20; Amos 5:16).

Many weeping and wailing greatly. At a Jewish funeral were professional mourners called by Matthew "minstrels." It is still the funeral fashion in the East.

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