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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 Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, ​
2
Saying, 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. ​
3
When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. ​
4
And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5
And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6
And 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. ​
7
Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8
And 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.
9
When 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.
10
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11
And 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. ​
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
And 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. ​
14
When he arose, he 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 of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called 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 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. ​
17
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
18
In 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. ​

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,
20
Saying, 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.
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 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: ​
23
And 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. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · 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.