The Visit of the Wise Men
Study note
The arrival of Gentile wise men seeking the Jewish Messiah demonstrates that Jesus' significance extends beyond Israel to the whole world. Their costly gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh symbolically honor Jesus as King, God, and one who would suffer. Herod's troubled reaction foreshadows the opposition Jesus will face from earthly powers throughout his ministry.
1 Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judaea while Herod was king. After his birth, wise men from countries to the east arrived in Jerusalem. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 They were asking people, "Can you tell us where to find the newborn King of the Jews? We spotted his star rising in the eastern sky, and we have traveled here to bow down and honor him." 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 King Herod heard about this, he was very upset. So was everyone else in Jerusalem. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 Herod called a meeting of all the leading priests and religious teachers. He asked them where the scriptures said the Christ would be born. 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 They answered, "In Bethlehem of Judaea. The prophet wrote about it long ago: And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judæa: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 "And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, you are by no means the least important among the leaders of Juda. Because from you will come a Ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel." 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 After that, Herod called the wise men to a private meeting. He pressed them to tell him the exact time the star first appeared. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 Then he sent them off to Bethlehem with these instructions: "Go look everywhere for this child. As soon as you find him, send word back to me so I can go worship him as well." 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 The wise men listened to the king and then set out. The same star they had noticed in the east traveled ahead of them. It finally stopped and hovered right over the spot where the child was. 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 Seeing that star standing still filled them with overwhelming happiness. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 They went inside the house and found the young child there with Mary, his mother. They knelt down and worshipped him. Then they unpacked their belongings and presented him with expensive gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 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 Later, God spoke to them in a dream and warned them not to go back to Herod. So they took a different road home to their own country. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
The Flight to Egypt and Return
Study note
God's protective guidance through angelic dreams saves the infant Jesus from Herod's murderous plot. The flight to Egypt and subsequent return parallels Israel's own exodus, with Matthew quoting Hosea to show Jesus reliving Israel's story as its true representative. Herod's slaughter of the children in Bethlehem, the family's eventual return, and their settlement in Nazareth each fulfill distinct prophetic passages.
13 Once the wise men were gone, an angel from the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel said, "Wake up now! Take the child and his mother and get out of here. Go to Egypt and stay there until I give you further instructions, because Herod is going to hunt for this child and try to kill him." 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 Joseph got up right away, even though it was nighttime, and took the child and his mother to Egypt. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15 They lived there until Herod died. This made the Lord's words through the prophet come true: "Out of Egypt I have called my son." 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.
16 When Herod figured out that the wise men had outsmarted him, he flew into a rage. He ordered his soldiers to go to Bethlehem and the towns nearby and murder every boy who was two years old or younger. He chose that age based on what the wise men had told him about when the star appeared. 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 inquired of the wise men.
17 This brought to pass the words spoken through Jeremy the prophet: Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
18 "A voice was heard in Rama — crying and deep sorrow. Rachel was sobbing over her children. No one could comfort her, because her children were gone." 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.
19 After Herod died, an angel from the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream while he was still in Egypt. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 The angel said, "Get up and take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel. The people who were trying to take the child's life are dead now." 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 So Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and headed back to the land of Israel. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But then he learned that Archelaus had taken over as ruler of Judaea after his father Herod. This made Joseph nervous about going there. God spoke to him again through a dream, and he headed to the area of Galilee instead. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judæa 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 He settled down in a town called Nazareth. This brought about what the prophets had predicted: "He will be called a Nazarene." 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.