Matthew 2:16-18
New English Translation
16 When Herod[a] saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent men[b] to kill all the children in Bethlehem and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men. 17 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud wailing,[c]
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she did not want to be comforted, because they were[d] gone.”[e]
Footnotes
- Matthew 2:16 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. Note the fulfillment of the prophecy given by the angel in 2:13.
- Matthew 2:16 tn Or “soldiers.”
- Matthew 2:18 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 M) 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).
- Matthew 2:18 tn Grk “are”; the Greek text uses a present tense verb.
- Matthew 2:18 sn A quotation from Jer 31:15.
Matthew 2:16-18
New American Standard Bible
Herod Slaughters Babies
16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by (A)the magi, he became very enraged, and sent men and (B)killed all the boys who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity [a]who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. 17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
18 “(C)A voice was heard in Ramah,
Weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children;
And she refused to be comforted,
Because they were no more.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 2:16 Lit from two...and under
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