Mat 2 | HCSB | STEP | After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod , wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem ,

Matthew 2

Wise Men Seek the King

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King ^{▼▼Herod/Herodians: The name of the Idumean family ruling Palestine from 37 b.c. to a.d. 95; the main rulers from this family mentioned in the NT are: Herod Antipas(4 b.c.-a.d. 39) son of Herod the Great; ruled one-fourth of his father's kingdom (Galilee and Perea); killed John the Baptist and mocked Jesus; Herod I (37 b.c.-4 b.c.) also known as Herod the Great; built the great temple in Jerusalem and massacred the male babies in Bethlehem; Herod Agrippa I (A.D. 3744) The grandson of Herod the Great; he beheaded James the apostle and imprisoned Peter; Herod Agrippa II (A.D. 52ca 95) The great-grandson of Herod the Great; he heard Paul's defense. Herodians were political supporters of Herod the Great and his family}Herod, ^{▼▼wise men: The Greek word is magoi; the English word "Magi" is based on a Persian word. They were eastern sages who observed the heavens for signs and omens.}wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem, ^c 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? ^d For we saw His star in the east ^{▼▼Or star at its rising
,} ^f and have come to worship Him.” ^{▼▼Or to pay Him homage}

3 When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 So he assembled all the ^{▼▼chief priest(s): A group of Jewish temple officers that included the highpriest, captain of the temple, temple overseers, and treasurers}chief priests and ^{▼▼scribe(s): A professional group in Judaism that copied the law of Moses and interpreted it, especially in legal cases}scribes ^j of the people and asked them where the ^{▼▼Messiah: Or the Christ; the Greek word Christos means "the anointed one".}Messiah would be born.

5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet:

6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the leaders of Judah:
because out of you will come a leader
who will shepherd My people Israel.” ^{l
,} ^m

7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find Him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship Him.” ^{▼▼Or and pay Him homage
,} ^o

9 After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was – the star they had seen in the east! ^{▼▼Or star . . . at its rising} It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed beyond measure. 11 Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped Him. ^{▼▼Or they paid Him homage} Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ^r 12 And being warned ^s in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.

The Flight into Egypt

13 After they were gone, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to destroy Him.” ^t 14 So he got up, took the child and His mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt. 15 He stayed there until Herod’s death, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: Out of Egypt I called My Son. ^{u
,} ^v

The Massacre of the Innocents

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the male children in and around Bethlehem who were two years ^{▼▼Lit were from two years} old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men. ^x 17 Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

18 A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping, ^{▼▼Other mss read Ramah, lamentation, and weeping,} and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children;
and she refused to be consoled,
because they were no more. ^{z
,} ^aa

The Holy Family in Nazareth

19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, ^ab 20 saying, “Get up! Take the child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, because those who sought the child’s life are dead.” 21 So he got up, took the child and His mother, and entered the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus ^{▼▼A son of Herod the Great who ruled a portion of his father’s kingdom 4 b.c.-a.d. 6} was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned in a dream, he withdrew to the region of Galilee. ^ad 23 Then he went and settled in a town called Nazareth to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets, that He will be called a ^{▼▼Nazarene: A person from Nazareth; growing up in Nazareth was an aspect of the Messiah's humble beginnings; Jn 1:46.}Nazarene. ^af