Matthew 2:13-23
New King James Version
The Flight into Egypt
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for 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, (A)“Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
Massacre of the Innocents
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:
18 “A (B)voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more.”
The Home in Nazareth(C)
19 Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 (D)saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who (E)sought the young Child’s life are dead.” 21 Then he arose, 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 instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a (F)dream, he turned aside (G)into the region of Galilee. 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called (H)Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled (I)which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”
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Matthew 2:13-23
Amplified Bible
The Flight to Egypt
13 Now when they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod intends to search for the Child in order to destroy Him.”
14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. 15 He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet [Hosea]: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”(A)
Herod Slaughters the Babies
16 Then Herod, when he realized that he had been tricked by the magi, was extremely angry, and he sent [soldiers] and put to death all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that area who were two years old and under, according to the date which he had learned from the magi. 17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
18
“A voice was heard in [a]Ramah,
Weeping and great mourning,
[b]Rachel weeping for her children;
She refused to be comforted,
Because they were no more.”(B)
19 But when [c]Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, 20 “Get up! Take the Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” 21 Then Joseph got up, and took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea [d]in place of his father Herod [the Great], he was afraid to go there. Then being warned by God in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee, 23 and went and settled in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a [e]Nazarene.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 2:18 Ramah was located five miles north of Jerusalem, this city was a staging point for the deportation of Jews to Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar in 586 b.c.
- Matthew 2:18 A reference to Jacob’s (Israel’s) wife Rachel as the mother of the children of Israel. Here, her grief over the slaughter of babies by Herod parallels the grief of Israel when they were conquered and deported by the Babylonians. The image is that of Rachel weeping for the children of Israel from her grave. Matthew takes Jeremiah’s words, which originally referred to grief over Babylonian captivity, and applies them to Herod’s slaughter of the babies.
- Matthew 2:19 Herod the Great died sometime between March 29 and April 11, 4 b.c.
- Matthew 2:22 Following Herod’s death Israel was partitioned between three of his sons: Archelaus, Antipas, and Philip II.
- Matthew 2:23 The Nazarenes may have been looked on with disfavor by other Jews because Roman soldiers, whose presence was greatly resented, were housed near Nazareth, perhaps causing the Nazarenes to be identified with them.
Matthew 2:13-23
Authorized (King James) Version
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 When he arose, he 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 of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. 21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judæa in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: 23 and he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
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Matthew 2:13-23
1599 Geneva Bible
13 ¶ [a]After their departure, behold, the Angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the babe and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there till I bring thee word, for Herod will seek the babe to destroy him.
14 So he arose and took the babe and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt.
15 And was there unto the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled, which is spoken of the Lord by the (A)Prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
16 ¶ Then Herod, seeing that he was mocked of the Wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently searched out of the Wise men.
17 Then was that fulfilled which is spoken [b]by the Prophet Jeremiah, saying,
18 (B)In Ramah was [c]a voice heard, mourning, and weeping, and great howling: [d]Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they were not.
19 [e]And when Herod was dead, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 Saying, Arise, and take the babe and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the babe’s life.
21 Then he arose up, and took the babe and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: yet after he was warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee.
23 And went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets, which was, That he should be called a Nazarite.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 2:13 Christ being yet scarce born, beginneth to be crucified for us, both in himself, and also in his members.
- Matthew 2:17 For God speaketh by the mouth of the Prophets.
- Matthew 2:18 A voice of lamenting, weeping, and howling.
- Matthew 2:18 That is to say, All that compass about Bethlehem: for Rachel Jacob’s wife, who died in childbirth, was buried in the way that leadeth to this town, which is also called Ephrathah, because of the fruitfulness of the soil, and plenty of corn.
- Matthew 2:19 Christ is brought up in Nazareth, after the death of the tyrant by God’s providence: that by the very name of the place, it might plainly appear to the world, that he is the Lord’s true Nazarite.
Matthew 2:13-23
Young's Literal Translation
13 And on their having withdrawn, lo, a messenger of the Lord doth appear in a dream to Joseph, saying, `Having risen, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and be thou there till I may speak to thee, for Herod is about to seek the child to destroy him.'
14 And he, having risen, took the child and his mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt,
15 and he was there till the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled that was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, `Out of Egypt I did call My Son.'
16 Then Herod, having seen that he was deceived by the mages, was very wroth, and having sent forth, he slew all the male children in Beth-Lehem, and in all its borders, from two years and under, according to the time that he inquired exactly from the mages.
17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
18 `A voice in Ramah was heard -- lamentation and weeping and much mourning -- Rachel weeping [for] her children, and she would not be comforted because they are not.'
19 And Herod having died, lo, a messenger of the Lord in a dream doth appear to Joseph in Egypt,
20 saying, `Having risen, take the child and his mother, and be going to the land of Israel, for they have died -- those seeking the life of the child.'
21 And he, having risen, took the child and his mother, and came to the land of Israel,
22 and having heard that Archelaus doth reign over Judea instead of Herod his father, he was afraid to go thither, and having been divinely warned in a dream, he withdrew to the parts of Galilee,
23 and coming, he dwelt in a city named Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled that was spoken through the prophets, that `A Nazarene he shall be called.'
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