Luke 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies,

Spoken to
Apostles

Jesus describes the end of Jerusalem,

KJV

Luke 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

NIV

Luke 21:20 “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near.

LISTENERS HEARD

When, however, you see Jerusalem being encircled by camps, then you might know that the desolation of it has neared, 

LOST IN TRANSLATION

The word for "compassed" and "being surrounded" is used by Jesus only here. The word translated as "armies" is also used by Jesus only here. It does not mean "armies" but "encampments". 

The Greek word translated as "desolation" means "making desolate". It is from a verb that means "to strip bare", "desolate", "to lay waste", "to abandon", "to desert", "to bereave" and "to be left without". The sense in military terms is "plundering", "looting" or "sacking" a city.   Jesus uses another noun form from the same root that is translated as "desert" or "wilderness".

 

MY TAKE

Armies are usually  greedy guests. 

GREEK ORDER

 

Ὅταν  δὲ           ἴδητε      κυκλουμένην    ὑπὸ στρατοπέδων Ἰερουσαλήμ, .
When, however, you see  being encircled by    camps,            Jerusalem    

τότε γνῶτε                 ὅτι  ἤγγικεν            ἐρήμωσις   αὐτῆς
then you might know that has neared, the desolation of it. 

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES
4

And(WW)  when ye shall(CW) see Jerusalem compassed with armies(CW), then know that the desolation thereof is(WT) nigh.

  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "and" should be something more like "but".
  • CW - Confusing Word - This "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "armies".
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The "is" indicates the present tense but the tense is past perfect.
# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES
6

(MW) “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies(CW), (MW) you will(CW) know that its (MW) desolation is(WT) near.

  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "but"  at the beginning of the sentence is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "armies".
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "then" after "armies" is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW - Confusing Word - This "will" does not indicate the future tense, but describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "desolation" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The "is" indicates the present tense but the tense is past perfect.
EACH WORD of KJV

And -- (WW) The Greek word translated as "and" means "but", "however" and "on the other hand". Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better. This word doesn't mean "and".

when -- The Greek word translated as "when" introduces a phrase that explains a certain condition so "whenever" or "since".

ye -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.

shall -- (CW) This helping verb "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if/when/whoever/except" clause such as here. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form. 

see -- The verb translated as "ye shall see" means "to see" but it is used like we use the word "see" to mean "to know" or "to perceive". This verb is not the future tense, but in the form of possibility that indicates something that could happen at any time.

Jerusalem  -- The word "Jerusalem" denotes the city or its inhabitants. Two different forms of this word appear in the NT.  This version is used most heavily in Luke, mostly in his narration, but a few times in Christ's words. It seems to be the more formally Greek version of the name.

compassed  -- "Compassed" is from a verb used only where that means to "encircle" or "surround". It is in the form of an adjective.

with -- The word translated as "with" primarily means "by", "under" or "with" (with the genitive and a passive verb). Its primary meaning is "under" both in the sense of moving under, being under, and being under different forms of compulsion.

armies -- (CW) "Armies" is another unique word that means "camp" and "encampment". This is not the word usually translated as "armies".

then  -- The Greek word for "then" means "at this time" or "then". 

know  -- "Know" is a verb that means "to know", "to recognize", "make known", "to know carnally" and "to learn.

that -- The word translated as "that" introduces a statement of fact or cause.

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, "the", which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those") than the English "the". See this article for more. 

desolation --  "Desolation" is from a Greek word that means "making desolate", the idea of "being stripped bare" and being abandoned or deserted. It is in the possessive form. It too is from the Septuagint, but it appears elsewhere in Greek literature. Here, the Hebrew source word means "to be desolate", "to be deflowered", "to stun", "to be appalled", "to devastate", "to ravage", "to cause horror" and "to cause oneself ruin". When Christ refers to the "desert" or "wilderness" he uses the noun form of this word. This word is used only three times in the Gospels usually referring to a verse in Daniel.

thereof  -- The word translated as "thereof" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.  The word means "the same" when used as an adjective. In the adverbial form, it  means "just here" or "exactly there".

is -- (WT) This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb. This verb is in the past, perfect tense so "has" is correct.  

nigh -- The word translated as "is nigh" is the verb form of an adverb "near" in space, time, and relationships. In English, we would say "nears" or, in the form here, "has neared", doesn't quite work so perhaps "has gotten close" or, in the case of time, "is nearly here".

EACH WORD of NIV

missing "but"  -- (MW) The untranslated word "but" means "but", "however" and "on the other hand". Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.

When -- The Greek word translated as "when" introduces a phrase that explains a certain condition so "whenever" or "since."

you -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.

see -- The verb translated as "ye shall see" means "to see" but it is used like we use the word "see" to mean "to know" or "to perceive". This verb is not the future tense, but in the form of possibility that indicates something that could happen at any time.

Jerusalem  -- The word "Jerusalem" denotes the city or its inhabitants. Two different forms of this word appear in the NT.  This version is used most heavily in Luke, mostly in his narration, but a few times in Christ's words. It seems to be the more formally Greek version of the name.

being -- This helping verb "be" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English. The form is a participle which accounts for the "-ing."

surrounded -- "Surrounded" is from a verb used only where that means to "encircle" or "surround". It is in the form of an adjective.

by -- The word translated as "by" primarily means "by", "under" or "with" (with the genitive and a passive verb). Its primary meaning is "under" both in the sense of moving under, being under, and being under different forms of compulsion.

armies -- (CW) "Armies" is another unique word that means "camp" and "encampment". This is not the word usually translated as "armies".

missing "then  "  -- (MW) The untranslated word "then" means "at this time" or "then". 

will -- (CW) This helping verb "will" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if/when/whoever/except" clause such as here. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.

its -- The word translated as "its" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.  The word means "the same" when used as an adjective. In the adverbial form, it  means "just here" or "exactly there".

missing "the/this"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, "the", which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these" and "those"). See this article for more. 

desolation --  "Desolation" is from a Greek word that means "making desolate", the idea of "being stripped bare" and being abandoned or deserted. It is in the possessive form. It too is from the Septuagint, but it appears elsewhere in Greek literature. Here, the Hebrew source word means "to be desolate", "to be deflowered", "to stun", "to be appalled", "to devastate", "to ravage", "to cause horror" and "to cause oneself ruin". When Christ refers to the "desert" or "wilderness" he uses the noun form of this word. This word is used only three times in the Gospels usually referring to a verse in Daniel.

is -- (WT) This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb. This verb is in the past, perfect tense so "has" is correct.  

near -- The word translated as "is near" is the verb form of an adverb "near" in space, time, and relationships. In English, we would say "nears" or, in the form here, "has neared", but that doesn't quite work so perhaps "has gotten close" or, in the case of time, "is nearly here".

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV

Ὅταν (adv/conj) "When" is from hotan, which means "whenever" (as a condition) and "since" (as a cause)".

δὲ (conj/adv) "But" is de which means "but" and "on the other hand". It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be a weak connective ("and") and explanation of cause ("so") and a condition ("if").

ἴδητε ( verb 2nd pl aor subj act ) "Ye shall see" is eido which means "to see", "to examine", "to perceive", "to behold", "to know how to do", "to see with the mind's eye" and "to know".

κυκλουμένην [1 verse](part sg pres mp fem acc) "Compassed" is kykloō, which means to "encircle" or "surround". It is in the form of an adjective.

ὑπὸ (prep) "With" is hypo (hupo), which means [with genitive] "from under" (of motion), "down under", "under", "beneath", indicating a cause with passive verbs, "by", "under" or "with", "under the cover or protection of", "of the agency of feelings, passions", "expressing subjection or dependence", "subordinate", "subject to", [with accusative] "towards" and "under" (to express motion) "under", (without a sense of motion) "subjection", "control", "dependence", of Time "in the course of", "during", "about", as an adverb "under", "below", "beneath", the agency or influence under which a thing is done "by", "before" and "under", (with genitive and passive verbs of cause).

στρατοπέδων [1 verse]( noun pl neut gen ) "Armies" is stratopedon, which means "camp" and "encampment".

Ἰερουσαλήμ, "Jerusalem" is from Ierousalēm, which is a form of word that denotes the city or its inhabitants. Two different forms, this form and Hierosolyma, in the NT. Luke uses this form.

τότε (adv) "Then" is tote, which means "at that time" and "then".

γνῶτε ( verb 2nd pl aor subj act ) "Know," is ginosko which means "to learn to know", "to know by reflection or observation" and "to perceive".

ὅτι (adv/conj) "That" is hoti, which introduces a statement of fact "with regard to the fact that", "seeing that" and acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what", "because", "since" and "wherefore".

ἤγγικεν (verb 3rd sg perf ind act) ) "Is nigh" is eggizo, which means "to bring near", "to join one thing to another", "to draw near" and "to approach". This word does not appear in the Perseus dictionary. It comes from an adverb ἐγγύς, keggus, which means 1) (of place) "near", "nigh", "at hand"; 2) (of time) "nigh at hand"; 3) (of numbers) "nearly", "almost", "coming near" and 4) (of relationship) "akin to".

[821 verses](article sg fem nom)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). It usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. When not preceding a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones".

ἐρήμωσις [3 verses](noun sg fem nom) "Desolation"  is erêmôsis, which means "making desolate". It is from erêm, which means "to strip bare", "desolate", "to lay waste", "to abandon", "to desert", "to bereave" and "to be left without". The Hebrew source is shamem, which means "to be desolate", "to stun", "to be appalled", "to devastate", "to ravage", "to cause horror" and "to cause oneself ruin". Christ uses another noun form, eremos, that is translated as "desert" or "wilderness".

αὐτῆς. "[29 verses](pro/adj sg fem gen) "Thereof" is autes, which is the singular adjective used as the genitive pronoun, which is used as a possessive form or the object of prepositions and sometimes verbs.  Though the form is feminine, it refers to feminine words, not people. When used as a noun, it is preceded by a definite article, and it means "the same". This form is often used as the object of a preposition. A genitive object means a movement away from something or a position away from something else. The time sense of a genitive object is that the event occurred within a specified time.

parallel comparison

Though this verse is very different than Matthew 24:15  and Mark 13:14 which mention the "abomination of desolation", but it seems based on it since they all share a word used nowhere else.  

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