Reference: Hen
American
The care of a hen to protect her brood from hawks, etc., illustrates the Savior's tender care of his people when exposed to the swoop of the Roman eagle, as in all similar perils, Mt 23:37; 24:22. The common barn-door fowl is not often mentioned in Scripture, Mr 13:35; 14:30; Lu 22:34; but at the present day they and their eggs are more used in Syria than any other food not vegetable.
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Easton
common in later times among the Jews in Palestine (Mt 23:37; Lu 13:34). It is noticeable that this familiar bird is only mentioned in these passages in connection with our Lord's lamentation over the impenitence of Jerusalem.
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Hastings
In Zec 6:14 'Hen the son of Zephaniah' is mentioned amongst those whose memory was to be perpetuated by the crowns laid up in the Temple (so AV, RV). Some would substitute for 'Hen' the name 'Joshua' [Josiah] found in Zec 6:10.
Morish
Hen.
Son of Zephaniah. Zec 6:14. By comparing verse 14 with verse 10 Hen (really Chen) appears to be another name of Josiah. Some treat the word Hen not as a proper name, and translate 'for the favour of the son of Zephaniah.'
Hen.
In Mt 23:37; Lu 13:34 the domestic fowl is alluded to, and her well-known care for her chickens, in illustration of how the Lord would have gathered the Jews under His almighty and loving protection; but, alas, they would not!
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Smith
(rest), probably a son of Zephaniah, and apparently the same who is called JOSIAH in
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Watsons
HEN, ?????, 2 Esdras 50:30; Mt 23:37; Lu 13:34. In these last two passages our Saviour exclaims, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" The metaphor here used is a very beautiful one. When the hen sees a bird of prey coming, she makes a noise to assemble her chickens, that she may cover them with her wings from the danger. The Roman eagle was about to fall upon the Jewish state; our Lord invited them to himself in order to guard them from threatened calamities: they disregarded his invitations and warnings, and fell a prey to their adversaries. The affection of a hen to her brood is so strong as to have become proverbial. There is a beautiful Greek epigram in the Anthologia, which affords a very fine illustration of the affection of this bird in another view. It has been thus translated: