And it came to pass when he was come nigh,.... The other evangelists, Matthew and Mark, add "unto Jerusalem"; but this Luke designs afterwards, Luke 19:37 and therefore here means, as is expressed, that he was come nigh
to Bethphage and Bethany; two tracts of land which reached from Mount Olivet to Jerusalem; so that when he was there, he was nigh unto the city:
at the mount, called [the Mount] of Olives; or "Elaion", as the Ethiopic version, which retains the Greek word for it; and which has its name from the great number of olive trees that grew upon it:
he sent two of his disciples; their names are not mentioned by any of the evangelists, but it is very probable they were Peter and John; of the places here mentioned; Matthew 21:1.