#matthew 2

The Visit of the Wise Men

1 After Yeshua was born in Beit-Lechem in the land of Y’hudah during the time when Herod was king, Magi from the east came to Yerushalayim 2 and asked, “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

3 When King Herod heard of this he became very agitated, and so did everyone else in Yerushalayim. 4 He called together all the head cohanim and Torah-teachers of the people and asked them, “Where will the Messiah be born?” 5 “In Beit-Lechem of Y’hudah,” they replied, “because the prophet wrote,

6 ‘And you, Beit-Lechem in the land of Y’hudah, are by no means the least among the rulers of Y’hudah; for from you will come a Ruler who will shepherd my people Isra’el.’”

7 Herod summoned the Magi to meet with him privately and asked them exactly when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Beit-Lechem with these instructions: “Search carefully for the child; and when you find him, let me know, so that I too may go and worship him.”

9 After they had listened to the king, they went away; and the star which they had seen in the east went in front of them until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 Upon entering the house, they saw the child with his mother Miryam; and they prostrated themselves and worshipped him. Then they opened their bags and presented him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 But they had been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, so they took another route back to their own country.

The Flight to Egypt

13 After they had gone, an angel of Adonai appeared to Yosef in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and escape to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you to leave. For Herod is going to look for the child in order to kill him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother, and left during the night for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until Herod died. This happened in order to fulfill what Adonai had said through the prophet,

“Out of Egypt I called my son.”

Herod Kills the Children

16 Meanwhile, when Herod realized that the Magi had tricked him, he was furious and gave orders to kill all the boys in and around Beit-Lechem who were two years old or less, calculating from the time the Magi had told him. 17 In this way were fulfilled the words spoken through the prophet Yirmeyahu,

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and lamenting loudly. It was Rachel sobbing for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no longer alive.”

The Return to Nazareth

19 After Herod’s death, an angel of Adonai appeared in a dream to Yosef in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to Eretz-Yisra’el, for those who wanted to kill the child are dead.” 21 So he got up, took the child and his mother, and went back to Eretz-Yisra’el. 22 However, when he heard that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Y’hudah, he was afraid to go there. Warned in a dream, he withdrew to the Galil 23 and settled in a town called Natzeret, so that what had been spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he will be called a Natzrati. — Matthew 2 | Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) Complete Jewish Bible Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved. Cross References: Genesis 41:8; Exodus 4:22; Numbers 24:8; Numbers 24:17; Judges 17:7; 1 Kings 3:5; 1 Chronicles 5:2; Ezra 2:21; Job 33:15-16; Proverbs 28:15; Song of Solomon 3:6; Isaiah 59:7; Isaiah 60:6; Jeremiah 1:1; Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 1:20; Matthew 3:13; Matthew 21:11; Matthew 24:6; Matthew 27:9; Matthew 27:19; Mark 1:9; Mark 13:7; Luke 8:24; Luke 8:52; John 7:42; Acts 5:19; Acts 24:22

01/06/2023

If the wise men were just a little wiser...

Matthew 2:1‭-‬23 (WEB)

“2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet,

6 ‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah; for out of you shall come a governor who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’” Micah 5:2

7 Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”

9 They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them until it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”

14 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 I called my son.” Hosea 11:1

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men. 17 Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn’t be comforted, because they are no more.”Jeremiah 31:15

19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared 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 those who sought the young child’s life are dead.”

21 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 Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee, 23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets that he will be called a Nazarene.

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. (Hosea 11:1)

This passage is fulfilled in Jesus in Matthew 2.

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt,

where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Mt 2:13-15)

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt

and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”

The Visit of the Wise Men

1 After Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judea during the reign of King Herod, wise men arrived in Jerusalem from the east 2 and asked, “Where is the one who was born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

3 When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, as was all of Jerusalem. 4 He called together all the high priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, because that is what was written by the prophet:

6 ‘O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, because from you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod secretly called together the wise men, found out from them the time the star had appeared, 8 and sent them to Bethlehem. He told them, “As you go, search carefully for the child. When you find him, tell me so that I, too, may go and worship him.”

9 After listening to the king, they set out, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were ecstatic with joy. 11 After they went into the house and saw the child with his mother Mary, they fell down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasure sacks and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they left for their own country by a different road.

The Escape to Egypt

13 After they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt,” he said. “Stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and kill him.” 14 So Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and left at night for Egypt. 15 He stayed there until Herod’s death in order to fulfill what was declared by the Lord through the prophet when he said, “Out of Egypt I called my Son.”

The Massacre of the Infants

16 Herod flew into a rage when he learned that he had been tricked by the wise men, so he ordered the execution of all the male children in Bethlehem and all its neighboring regions, who were two years old and younger, according to the time that he had determined from the wise men. 17 Then what was declared by the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled when he said,

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah: wailing and great mourning. Rachel was crying for her children. She refused to be comforted, because they no longer existed.”

The Return to Nazareth

19 But after Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. 20 “Get up,” he said. “Take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.”

21 So Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, after having been warned in a dream. So he left for the region of Galilee 23 and settled in a town called Nazareth in order to fulfill what was said by the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.” — Matthew 2 | International Standard Version (ISV) The International Standard Version of the Holy Bible Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. All Rights Reserved internationally. Cross References: Genesis 41:8; Exodus 4:22; Numbers 24:8; Numbers 24:17; Judges 17:7; 1 Kings 3:5; 1 Chronicles 5:2; Ezra 2:21; Job 33:15-16; Proverbs 28:15; Song of Solomon 3:6; Isaiah 59:7; Isaiah 60:6; Jeremiah 1:1; Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 1:20; Matthew 3:13; Matthew 21:11; Matthew 24:6; Matthew 27:9; Matthew 27:19; Mark 1:9; Mark 13:7; Luke 8:24; Luke 8:52; John 7:42; Acts 5:19; Acts 24:22

The Pilgrimage of the Magi

1 Now Jesus having been born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is the One having been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

3 And King Herod having heard this, was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And having assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he was inquiring of them where the Christ was to be born.

5 And they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus has it been written through the prophet:

6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come forth One leading, who will shepherd My people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod, having called the Magi secretly, inquired of them the exact time of the star appearing. 8 And having sent them to Bethlehem, he said, “Having gone, search carefully for the Child; and when You shall have found Him, bring word back to me, so that I also having come, may worship Him.”

9 And having heard the king, they departed. And behold, the star they had seen in the east went before them until, having arrived, it stood over the place where the Child was. 10 And having seen the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And having come into the house, they found the Child with His mother Mary, and having fallen down, they worshiped Him. And having opened their treasures, they offered to Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

12 And having been divinely warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew into their own country by another route.

The Flight to Egypt (Hosea 11:1-7)

13 And of them having withdrawn, behold, an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream saying, “Having arisen, take the Child and His mother, and flee into Egypt, and remain there until I should tell you, for Herod is about to seek the Child to destroy Him.”

14 And having arisen, he took the Child and His mother by night and withdrew into Egypt, 15 and there he remained until the death of Herod, so that it might be fulfilled what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I have called my Son.”

The Slaughter of Infants (Jeremiah 31:1-30)

16 Then Herod, having seen that he had been outwitted by the Magi, was intensely enraged. And having sent forth, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and in all its vicinity from two years old and under, according to the time he had ascertained from the Magi. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah, 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.”

The Return to Nazareth (Isaiah 61:1-11; Matthew 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6; Luke 2:39-40; Luke 4:16-30)

19 But of Herod having died, behold, an angel of the Lord appears in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Having arisen, take the Child and His mother and go into the land of Israel; for those seeking the life of the Child have died.”