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The Gospels · New Testament

Matthew 2

Matthew 2: wise men, Herod's order, and the move to Nazareth

General context

Wise men come from the east to Jerusalem in the days of Herod the king and ask where the one born King of the Jews is, saying they have seen his star. Herod is troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. He gathers the chief priests and scribes, who answer from the prophet that the birth belongs in Bethlehem of Judea. Herod calls the wise men privately, asks when the star appeared, and sends them to search, saying he means to worship as well. The star goes before them and stands over the place. They enter the house, see the young child with Mary his mother, worship, and present gold, frankincense and myrrh. Warned in a dream, they return another way. An angel tells Joseph to take the child and his mother into Egypt. Herod, seeing he is mocked, kills the children of Bethlehem and its coasts from two years old and under. After Herod's death an angel sends Joseph back, but Archelaus reigns in Judea, so Joseph turns aside to Galilee and settles in Nazareth.

Cited passages: Matthew 2:1, Matthew 2:2, Matthew 2:3, Matthew 2:4, Matthew 2:6, Matthew 2:7, Matthew 2:8, Matthew 2:9, Matthew 2:11, Matthew 2:12, Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:15, Matthew 2:16, Matthew 2:18, Matthew 2:19, Matthew 2:22, Matthew 2:23

Matthew 2 (KJV)

1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

3When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

5And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

6And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

7Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

8And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

9When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

11And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

12And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

13And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

14When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

15And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

17Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,

18In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

20Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.

21And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

22But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

23And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

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Historical context

The Herod of this chapter is called Herod the king, he dies inside the chapter, and his son Archelaus reigns in Judea in the room of his father Herod. He is therefore not the Herod called the tetrarch in Matthew 14. The text calls the visitors wise men from the east and gives no number for them, no names, and no royal title; the count of three is not in the text. The number of gifts is three. Matthew prints the priests' citation as And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda, while Micah 5:2 reads that Beth-lehem Ephratah is little among the thousands of Judah, so the printed wording differs on both least and thousands. The Egypt line, Out of Egypt have I called my son, matches the close of Hosea 11:1, which opens by speaking of Israel as a child. The Rama lament follows Jeremiah 31:15, which spells the place Ramah and the name Rahel. Verse 23 credits the prophets in the plural and quotes no single passage. The chapter gives no dates.

Cited passages: Matthew 2:1, Matthew 2:2, Matthew 2:11, Matthew 2:6, Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:15, Hosea 11:1, Matthew 2:17, Matthew 2:18, Jeremiah 31:15, Matthew 2:19, Matthew 2:22, Matthew 2:23

Literary context

Dreams drive the chapter. The wise men are warned in a dream, an angel appears to Joseph in a dream twice, and Joseph is warned of God in a dream a fourth time, and each dream changes a route. Place names track the movement: Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Egypt, the land of Israel, Galilee, Nazareth. Two of the stops, Egypt and Nazareth, carry a fulfilment formula, and a third quotation follows the killing at Bethlehem. Worship is the word that splits the two parties. The wise men say they are come to worship him and then fall down and worship, while Herod uses the same word before ordering the killing. The lament quoted after the killing is the only place in the chapter where the narrator lets a voice of grief stand without comment.

Cited passages: Matthew 2:2, Matthew 2:8, Matthew 2:11, Matthew 2:12, Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:14, Matthew 2:15, Matthew 2:16, Matthew 2:18, Matthew 2:19, Matthew 2:21, Matthew 2:22, Matthew 2:23

Key moments

  1. The question in Jerusalem (Matthew 2:2). The wise men ask where the one born King of the Jews is.
  2. Bethlehem named (Matthew 2:6). The chief priests and scribes answer Herod with a prophecy naming Bethlehem.
  3. Gifts in the house (Matthew 2:11). The wise men find the young child with Mary and present gold, frankincense and myrrh.
  4. Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13). An angel tells Joseph in a dream to take the child and his mother into Egypt.
  5. The children killed (Matthew 2:16). Herod orders the killing of Bethlehem's children two years old and under.
  6. A voice in Rama (Matthew 2:18). The narrator quotes Rachel weeping for her children and refusing comfort.
  7. Settled in Nazareth (Matthew 2:23). Joseph settles in Nazareth after turning aside from Judea.

For reflection

Herod asks the wise men to bring him word so that he may worship, and then acts otherwise. What does the chapter let the reader know about him before verse 16, and what does it leave unsaid?

People in this chapter

Also indexed here:

  • Archelaus