Matthew 21:13

And he said to them, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ ¹  but you are turning it into a den ²  of robbers!” ³ 

Ps 93:5; Isa 56:7; Jer 7:11; Mt 2:5; Mr 11:17; Lu 19:46; Joh 15:25

¹ sn A quotation from Isa 56:7.

² tn Or “a hideout” (see L&N 1.57).

³ sn A quotation from Jer 7:11. The meaning of Jesus’ statement about making the temple courts a den of robbers probably operates here at two levels. Not only were the religious leaders robbing the people financially, but because of this they had also robbed them spiritually by stealing from them the opportunity to come to know God genuinely. It is possible that these merchants had recently been moved to this location for convenience.