Wise Men Follow His Star
2 Now after Yeshua was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, magi from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”[a]
3 When King Herod heard, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had called together all the ruling kohanim and Torah scholars, he began to inquire of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 So they told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet:
6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd My people Israel.’”[b]
7 Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child. And when you have found Him, bring word back to me so that I may come and worship Him as well.”
9 After listening to the king, they went their way. And behold, the star they had seen in the east went on before them, until it came to rest over the place where the Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great gladness. 11 And when they came into the house, they saw the Child with His mother Miriam; and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. [c] 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another way.
The Angel of Adonai Appears
13 Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of Adonai appears to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the Child, to kill Him.”[d]
14 So he got up, took the Child and His mother during the night, and went to Egypt. 15 He stayed there until Herod’s death. This was to fulfill what was spoken by Adonai through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My son.”[e]
16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became furious. And he sent and killed all boys in Bethlehem and in all its surrounding area, from two years old and under, according to the time he had determined from the magi. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud wailing,
Rachel sobbing for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”[f]
19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of Adonai appears in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those seeking the Child’s life are dead.”
21 So he got up, took the Child and His mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22 But hearing that Archelaus was king of Judea in place of his father Herod, he became afraid to go there. Then after being warned in a dream, he withdrew to the region of the Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Natzeret,[g] to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets, that Yeshua shall be called a Natzrati.
Footnotes
- Matthew 2:2 cf. Isa. 9:5-6(6-7); Jer. 23:5; 30:9.
- Matthew 2:6 Mic. 5:1(2); cf. 2 Sam. 5:2.
- Matthew 2:12 cf. Ps. 72:10-11.
- Matthew 2:13 cf. Exod. 1:16.
- Matthew 2:15 Hos. 11:1.
- Matthew 2:18 Jer. 31:14(15).
- Matthew 2:23 From netzer, meaning shoot or branch; cf. Isa. 11:1.