Matthew 24:20

“But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, etc.] When days are short, and unfit for long journeys, and roads are bad, and sometimes not passable, through large snows, or floods of water; and when to dwell in desert places, and lodge in mountains, must be very uncomfortable: wherefore Christ directs to pray to God, who has the disposal of all events, and of the timing of them, that he would so order things in the course of his providence, that their flight might not be in such a season of the year, when travelling would be very difficult and troublesome. Dr. Lightfoot observes, from a Jewish writer f1386, that it is remarked as a favour of God in the destruction of the first temple,…”

“But pray ye ... - The destruction was certainly coming. It could not be prevented; yet it was right to pray for a mitigation of the circumstances, that it might be as mild as possible. So we know that calamity is before us; sickness, pain, bereavement, and death are in our path; yet, though we know that these things must come upon us, it is right to pray that they may come in as mild a manner as may be consistent with the will of God. We must die, but it is right to pray that the pains of our dying may be neither long nor severe. In the winter - On account of the cold, storms, etc. To be turned then from home, and compelled to take up an abode in caverns, would be a double calamity. Neither…”

“Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter - They did so; and their flight was in the spring. Neither on the Sabbath - Being on many accounts inconvenient; beside that many would have scrupled to travel far on that day. For the Jews thought it unlawful to walk above two thousand paces (two miles) on the Sabbath day. Matthew 24:21”

“24:20 Josephus records the winter swelling of the Jordan River, which made it more difficult to cross (see Josephus, War 4.7.5). Muddy roads also made travel difficult in winter. • Normally Jews did not travel on the Sabbath in order to rest as God had commanded (see Gen 2:1-3; Exod 20:8-11; 23:12; 31:12-17; Lev 23:3; Deut 5:12-15; Jer 17:19-27).”

“neither: Exo 16:29; Act 1:12 Matthew 24:21”