1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, learned men from the east arrived in Jerusalem saying, 2 “Where is he who was born King of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Herod brought together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, and he asked them, “Where is the Christ to be born?” 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what was written by the prophet, 6 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the leaders of Judah, for from you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'” 7 Then Herod secretly called the learned men to ask them exactly what time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search carefully for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.” 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star that they had seen in the east went before them until it came and stood still over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with very great joy. 11 They went into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother. They fell down and worshiped him. They opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 God warned them in a dream not to return to Herod, so they departed to their own country by another way. 13 After they had departed, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the young child and his mother, and flee to Egypt. Remain there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” 14 That night Joseph rose and took the young child and his mother and departed into Egypt. 15 He remained there until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.” 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been mocked by the learned men, was very angry. He sent and killed all the male children that were in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old and under, according to the time that he had determined exactly from the learned men. 17 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and she refused to be comforted, because they were no more.” 19 When Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 20 “Get up and take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.” 21 Joseph rose, took the 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. After God warned him in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee 23 and went and lived in a city called Nazareth. This fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Matthew · Unlocked Literal Bible
Matthew 2 Unlocked Literal Bible
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People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Archelaus
Reigned in Judea in place of his father Herod, which made Joseph afraid to settle there and led him to withdraw to Galilee.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 2:22
Herod the Great
King of Judea when Jesus was born, who was troubled by the Magi's news of a newborn King of the Jews and had the boys of Bethlehem killed; he is also the king in whose days…
Cited in the guide: Matthew 2:1; Matthew 2:3; Matthew 2:16
Joseph
The carpenter of Nazareth, a just man who became Jesus' legal father.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:16-25; 2:13-23; Luke 1:27; 2:1-7
Places
Nazareth
A small agricultural village never named in the Old Testament. Jesus spent his childhood and early life here before beginning his public ministry.
Cited in the guide: Luke 2:39-40; Matthew 2:23; John 1:46
Cross references (22)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Micah 5:2; John 7:42; Luke 2:4–7; Psalm 72:9–12; Luke 2:11
- 2 Numbers 24:17; Jeremiah 23:5; Revelation 22:16; Zechariah 9:9; Isaiah 9:6–7
- 3 Acts 17:6–7; John 11:47–48; Matthew 23:37; Acts 4:2; Matthew 8:29
- 4 Acts 23:9; Matthew 7:29; Acts 6:12; Matthew 21:23; Jeremiah 8:8
- 5 John 7:42; Ruth 1:1; 1 Samuel 16:1; Ruth 2:4; Ruth 4:11
- 6 Ezekiel 34:23–25; Micah 5:2; John 7:42; Isaiah 9:6–7; Genesis 49:10
- 7 1 Samuel 18:21; Psalm 83:3–4; Psalm 55:21; Psalm 64:4–6; Exodus 1:10
- 8 1 Corinthians 3:19–20; Luke 20:20–21; Jeremiah 41:5–7; Proverbs 26:24–25; Proverbs 21:30
- 9 2 Peter 1:19; Matthew 2:2; Proverbs 8:17; Psalm 25:12; Proverbs 2:1–6
- 10 Psalm 105:3; Luke 2:20; Luke 2:10; Romans 15:9–13; Psalm 67:4
- 11 Isaiah 60:6; Psalm 72:10; Luke 2:16; Matthew 2:2; Psalm 95:6
- 12 Matthew 2:22; Matthew 2:19; Matthew 2:13; Matthew 27:19; Matthew 1:20
- 13 Acts 10:7; Acts 12:11; Matthew 2:12; Exodus 1:22; Matthew 1:20
- 14 Acts 26:21; Matthew 2:20–21; Matthew 1:24
- 15 Hosea 11:1; Exodus 4:22; Numbers 24:8; Luke 24:44; Matthew 1:22
- 16 Isaiah 59:7; Proverbs 28:15; Revelation 17:6; Daniel 3:19–20; Proverbs 28:17
- 18 Jeremiah 31:15; Jeremiah 9:17–21; Jeremiah 4:31; Genesis 35:16–20; Ezekiel 2:10
- 19 Matthew 1:20; Daniel 8:25; Jeremiah 30:10; Isaiah 51:12; Psalm 139:7
- 20 Exodus 4:19; 1 Kings 12:1–3; Matthew 2:13; 1 Kings 11:21; 1 Kings 11:40
- 21 Genesis 6:22; Hebrews 11:8
- 22 Isaiah 48:17–18; John 7:52; Luke 2:39; Isaiah 30:21; Matthew 2:12–13
- 23 Judges 13:5; John 1:45–46; Mark 1:24; John 18:5; John 19:19
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
We have need of much wakefulness, and many prayers, that we may arrive at the interpretation of the passage now before us, and that we may learn who these wise men were, and whence they came, and how; and at whose persuasion, and what was the star.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… when speaking of the angel, says, "The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in sleep." Of what Lord he does himself interpret: "That it may be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, Out of Egypt have I called my son." "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call …
As wretched Herod feared, and for the Child slew the children. But fearing to lose his kingdom, he deserved not to know the King.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
"Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared:" Attempting to slay that which was born,--an act of extreme idiotcy not of madness only; since what had been said and done was enough to have withholden him from any such attempt.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
When He was about to go into Egypt, that He might overthrow the gods of Egypt made with hands, again an Angel appeareth to Joseph in a dream.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)