The Daughter Of Jerusalem

The first Biblical mention of the figurative term "daughter of Jerusalem" was at the time that the city of Jerusalem (and The Southern Kingdom of Judah as a whole) was innocently under siege (i.e. the result of aggression by a foreign power alone) by the Assyrians (who had previously conquered The Northern Kingdom of "Israel"):

"^19:20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard. ^19:21 This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him;

The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. ^19:22 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel [see The Day Sennacherib Challenged God]" (2 Kings 19:20-22 KJV)

"The kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem"

The above-mentioned historic incident, as recorded in 2 Kings, was also recorded in the prophetic (and historical) book of Isaiah.

"^37:21 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Whereas thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria: ^37:22 This is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him;

The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. ^37:23 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel." (Isaiah 37:21-23 KJV)

The LORD rescued "the daughter of Jerusalem" from the Assyrians. But later, due to their religious corruption, the LORD permitted the Babylonians (The Assyrian Empire had by then fallen and The Babylonian Empire was taking its turn in humanity's endless and futile struggle to be the "leader" of the world) to conquer and destroy Jerusalem. Jeremiah's lament (that's why the book is called Lamentations) for "the daughter of Jerusalem" was the result of the "virgin daughter of Zion" (see Who, What or Where Is Zion?) committing spiritual harlotry (see also The Two Naughty Sisters).

"^2:13 What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee?

^2:14 Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.

^2:15 All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?" (Lamentations 2:13-15 KJV)

While "the daughter of Jerusalem" existed as a physical nation, it was at the same time merely a living prophecy of the spiritual "daughter of Jerusalem" to which the Kingdom of God is coming - and through whom the children of God will be born (see the Fact Finder question below). The famous "swords into plowshares" (Micah 4:3 KJV) speaks of the future time when "the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem" (Micah 4:8 KJV).

"^4:1 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. ^4:2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion [see Zionism], and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

^4:3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

^4:4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. ^4:5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.

^4:6 In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; ^4:7 And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. ^4:8 And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem." (Micah 4:1-8 KJV)

Fact Finder: While Christ was not married as a mortal man, that does not mean that He will not have a "wife." Who is the betrothed bride of Christ? When will the marriage happen?
Ephesians 5:25-32, Revelation 19:7-8; listen also to the Sermon The Divorce and Remarriage of Jesus Christ from our Sermons page.