17
JESUS RODE A DONKEY TO JERUSALEM
They approached Jerusalem, they climbed a big hill, called Hill of Olives*. On that hill were two towns, the name of one was Bethphage, the name of the other Bethany.
Then Jesus sent two from his (group) to go on ahead. He said to those two, “Go to that town ahead of you. As soon as you get there you will see a donkey, a young (male) one, tied there. They have not tamed him. Untie the rope from the tree/timber†, and bring the donkey here.
Perhaps someone will ask you, “Why are you doing that?” Say to them, “The boss himself wants this. He will return him straight away.” Like that Jesus told those two.
Then they went, they saw the young donkey in the town, near a house, tied outside the doorway of the house. They untied the rope from the tree / hitching-rail. Others were standing there. They asked those two, “Why are you two untying that rope?” They replied with the words Jesus had told them. Then they (pl.) left those two alone.
Those two took it to Jesus. A few put their blankets on the back of the donkey so that Jesus could ride. Jesus mounted.
Many spread out their blankets on the road in front of him. Others cut leaves/branches near the road, they put the leaves on the road too.
They wanted to make Jesus a big boss, to make him their king. That's why they did that for him.
Jesus rode the donkey, others were going on foot behind and in front of him. They were crying out,
“God is truly good! In accordance with his word from long ago he has sent this man for us, to be a king for us. This man will be a habitually-good king, like that boss long ago, like King David. He will control / take care of us well continually. God is really truly very good!” That sort of thing they were saying loudly.
* 17: 1 Transliterated: Wulipi-jartiny, 'olives-having'. † 17: Assuming the two most likely possibilities in station days in the Port Hedland area, and possibly also in Palestine: a tree or a wooden hitching-rail. The same Nyangumarta word is used for both tree and timber.