Mat 2:18 | NET2full | STEP | “ A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud wailing, Rachel weeping for her children, and she did not want to be comforted , because they were gone .”

‏ Matthew 2:18

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud wailing, ^{▼▼tc The LXX of Jer 38:15 (31:15 ET) has “lamentation, weeping, and loud wailing”; most later mss (C D L W Γ Δ 0233 ƒ13 33 565 579 700 1241 1424 Maj) have a quotation in Matthew which conforms to that of the LXX (θρῆνος καὶ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὀδυρμός; thrēnos kai klauthmos kai odurmos). But such assimilations were routine among the scribes; as such, they typically should be discounted because they are both predictable and motivated. The shorter reading, without “lamentation and,” is thus to be preferred, especially since it cannot easily be accounted for unless it is the reading that gave rise to the other reading. Further, it is found in the better mss along with a good cross-section of other witnesses (א B Z 0250 ƒ1 lat co).}
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she did not want to be comforted, because they were ^{▼▼tn Grk “are”; the Greek text uses a present tense verb.} gone.” ^{▼▼sn A quotation from Jer 31:15.}