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[a] old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men.(A) 17 Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

18 A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping,[b] and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children;
and she refused to be consoled,
because they were no more.(B)[c]

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 2:16 Lit were from two years
  2. Matthew 2:18 Other mss read Ramah, lamentation, and weeping,
  3. Matthew 2:18 Jr 31:15

The Massacre of the Infants

16 Herod flew into a rage when he learned that he had been tricked by the wise men, so he ordered the execution of all the male children in Bethlehem and all its neighboring regions, who were two years old and younger, according to the time that he had determined from the wise men. 17 Then what was declared by the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled when he said,

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah:
    wailing and great mourning.
Rachel was crying for her children.
    She refused to be comforted,
        because they no longer existed.”[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 2:18 Cf. Jer 31:15