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Matthew 2

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The Visit of the Magi 1–12

1
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, ​
2
Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and are come to worship him. ​
3
And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. ​
4
And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be born.
5
And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judæa: for thus it is written through the prophet,
6
And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah, Art in no wise least among the princes of Judah: For out of thee shall come forth a governor, Who shall be shepherd of my people Israel. ​
7
Then Herod privily called the Wise-men, and learned of them exactly what time the star appeared.
8
And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search out exactly concerning the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word, that I also may come and worship him.
9
And they, having heard the king, went their way; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10
And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11
And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. ​
12
And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

Flight to Egypt 13–15

13
Now when they were departed, behold, an 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 tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. ​
14
And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt;
15
and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son. ​

Herod's Slaughter of the Infants 16–18

16
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise-men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had exactly learned of the Wise-men. ​
17
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
18
A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; And she would not be comforted, because they are not. ​

Return and Settlement in Nazareth 19–23

19
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,
20
Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead that sought the young child’s life.
21
And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judæa in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and being warned of God in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee, ​
23
and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, that he should be called a Nazarene. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Matthew 2

Verse 1

wise men from the east — Magos (plural magoi) is used of these visitors in 2:1, 7, 16, and of Elymas, rendered 'sorcerer', at Paphos (Acts 13:6, 8). They come from outside Israel to a King 'born in Bethlehem of Judaea', the pattern of Isa 60:3: 'the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.'

Verse 2

King of the Jews — Asked by Gentiles at his birth, the title returns at his death: Pilate asks 'Art thou the King of the Jews?' (27:11), and the cross is marked 'THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS' (27:37). The 'star' recalls 'there shall come a Star out of Jacob' (Num 24:17). 'Worship' is proskuneo, to bow down.

Verse 3

he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him — Tarasso is to stir up, as water is stirred. The king hears of one 'born King of the Jews', and the city shares his alarm. The same charge meets the apostles at Thessalonica: 'these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus' (Acts 17:7).

Verse 6

a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel — Micah 5:2 has 'ruler in Israel'; Matthew's 'rule' is poimaino, to shepherd. It matches the LORD's word to David, 'Thou shalt feed my people Israel' (2 Sam 5:2), and the promise of 'one shepherd' (Ezek 34:23). The same verb is used of Christ in Rev 19:15: 'he shall rule them with a rod of iron'.

Verse 11

gold, and frankincense, and myrrh — Isa 60:6 describes nations who 'shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD'. Frankincense (libanos) occurs elsewhere only in Rev 18:13; myrrh (smyrna) only in John 19:39, brought to his burial. The visit is 'into the house', where they 'fell down, and worshipped him'.

Verse 13

flee into Egypt — The angel comes in a dream, as in 1:20, and the same words return when Joseph is told to come back: 'Arise, and take the young child and his mother' (vv.13, 20). Herod will 'destroy' (apollumi) him, the verb of the plots in 12:14 and 27:20. Egypt, where Pharaoh once ordered the Hebrew sons cast into the river (Ex 1:22), is now the place of shelter.

Verse 15

Out of Egypt have I called my son — Hos 11:1: 'When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.' Israel is the LORD's 'son, even my firstborn' (Ex 4:22); Matthew sees the call fulfilled in the Son who comes out of Egypt after Herod's death. 'Fulfilled' (pleroo) is Matthew's word for prophecy from 1:22 on.

Verse 16

exceeding wroth — The age limit follows the time Herod 'enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared' (v.7). 'Mocked' is empaizo, the verb later used when soldiers 'mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!' (27:29). The ruler who takes the child for a rival destroys children, as Pharaoh once did (Ex 1:22).

Verse 18

Rachel weeping for her children — Jeremiah says 'Ramah' (Jer 31:15). Rachel 'was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem' (Gen 35:19). The LORD's next words in Jeremiah answer the grief: 'Refrain thy voice from weeping… they shall come again from the land of the enemy' (Jer 31:16).

Verse 22

warned of God in a dream — Chrematizo, to give a divine warning, as to the wise men in v.12 and to Noah, 'warned of God of things not seen as yet' (Heb 11:7). 'Turned aside' is anachoreo, the verb of 'departed' in vv.12–14: the moves of vv.12–14 and 22 are each a withdrawal under divine direction. Archelaus is named only here in Scripture.

Verse 23

He shall be called a Nazarene — Matthew says 'by the prophets', plural, naming no single verse. Nazoraios is a man of Nazareth, a town spoken of with scorn: 'Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?' (John 1:46). The prophets also speak of the despised Servant (Isa 53:3; Ps 22:6); netser, 'Branch' (Isa 11:1), echoes the name.