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1 *†Now when Yeshua [Salvation] was born in Bethlehem [House of Bread] of Judea [Praise] in the days of King Herod [Heroic], behold, ‡§*Magi [Conjurer] (Persian King makers, Astrologers) from the east came to Jerusalem [City of peace], saying, 2 “Where is he who is †born King of the Jews [Praisers]? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod [Heroic] heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem [City of peace] with him. 4 Gathering together all the chief priests and Torah-Teachers of the people, he asked them where the Messiah [Anointed one] would be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem [House of Bread] of Judea [Praise], for this is written through the prophet,
6 ‡‘You Bethlehem [House of Bread], land of Judah [Praised],
are in no way least among the princes of Judah [Praised]:
for out of you shall come a governor,
who shall shepherd § my people, Israel [God prevails].’ ”
7 Then Herod [Heroic] secretly called the Magi [Conjurer] (Persian King makers, Astrologers), and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem [House of Bread], and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”
9 They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 *They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary [Rebellion], his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Being warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod [Heroic], they went back to their own country another route.
13 †Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of MarYah [Master Yahweh] appeared to Joseph [May he add] in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt [Abode of slavery], and stay there until I tell you, for Herod [Heroic] will seek the young child to destroy him.”
14 He arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt [Abode of slavery], 15 and was there until the death of Herod [Heroic]; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by MarYah [Master Yahweh] through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt [Abode of slavery] I called my son.” ‡
16 §Then Herod [Heroic], when he saw that he was mocked by the Magi [Conjurer] (Persian King makers, Astrologers), was exceedingly angry, and sent out, and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem [House of Bread] and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the Magi [Conjurer] (Persian King makers, Astrologers). 17 Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah [Yah lifts up] the prophet was fulfilled, saying,
18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
lamentation, weeping and great mourning,
Rachel [Ewe sheep] is weeping for her children;
and she wouldn’t be comforted,
because they are no more.” *
19 †But when Herod [Heroic] was dead, behold, an angel of MarYah [Master Yahweh] appeared in a dream to Joseph [May he add] in Egypt [Abode of slavery], saying, 20 “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel [God prevails], for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.”
21 He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel [God prevails]. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea [Praise] in the place of his father, Herod [Heroic], he was afraid to go there. ‡
Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee [District, Circuit], 23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth [Branch, Separated one]; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene [person from Branch, Separated one].”
* 2:1 (1-2) MP: Messiah is God’s servant born in Bethlehem, “the future ruler of Israel”. (Mic 5:2b) † 2:1 (1-6) MP: Messiah is born in Bethlehem Ephrathah. This defines the ancient Bethlehem originally called Ephrath in (Gen 35:16, 35:19; 48:7; Ruth 4:11). This place was also called Beth-lehem Ephratah (Mic 5:2), Beth-lehem-Judah (1 Sam 17:12), and “the city of David” (Luke 2:4). At the time of Yeshua's birth, Bethlehem Ephrathah, also called “Bethlehem in Judea” in (Matt 2:5), was a village about five miles south of Jerusalem in Judea. This is different from the Zebulun tribe's city of Bethlehem in the Galilee, about six miles west of Nazareth menioned only in (Josh 19:15). (Mic 5:2a) ‡ 2:1 (1-2) MP: Star out of Jacob. Star and Scepter (Gen 49:10) together identify royal leadership. (Num 24:17) § 2:1 (1b-2) MP: Gentile Kings will seek out the birth of Messiah. (See also Ps 72:10, 72:15; Is 60:6). (Is 60:3) * 2:1 b MP: Presented with tribute and gifts from foreign kings. Being interpreted as pertaining to the Magi [Conjurer] (Persian King makers, Astrologers) “from the east” (Matt 2:1). (See also Ps 72:15; Is 60:3, 60:6). (Ps 72:10) † 2:2 . MP: Messiah is a King. (Ps 2:6) ‡ 2:6 . MP: Messiah is born of the tribe of Judah. (Mic 5:2) § 2:6 . Quoted from Mic 5:2, 5:4 * 2:11 . MP: Presented with gold and frankincense, the caravans coming from Sheba (northern Africa) will proclaim the good news of the praises of Yahweh! (See also Ps 72:10, 72:15; Is 60:6). (Is 60:6) † 2:13 (13-15) MP: Messiah is the Son of God. (Hos 11:1) ‡ 2:15 . Quoted from Hos 11:1 § 2:16 (16-18) MP: Infants will die. (Jer 31:15) * 2:18 . Quoted from Jer 31:15 † 2:19 (19-21) MP: Messiah is called out of Egypt. True, Israel is referenced, but the singular use of “son” is Messianic. This is a double reference of my son and my children is two different references that are parallel to each other. Messiah is taken to Egypt in (Matt 2:13-15). (Hos 11:1) ‡ 2:22 (22b-23) MP: Messiah will grow up in Nazareth. This is known because the Hebrew word netzer ·branch· is used here. This is the only prophecy that says Messiah will come from Nazareth. (Consider illusion in Is 53:2). In the parallel fulfillment verse, the Greek word for Nazarene is Nazaphnoe, coming from the Aramaic word for twig or branch. Note on the Greek: The Greek word for a citizen of Nazareth is Nazarethaios. But Matthew uses Nazaphnoe ·branch·, not Nazarethaios [a person from Nazareth]. The King James Version of the Bible, published in 1611, translates the original Greek word as “a person from Nazareth” regional but modern scholars now believe this translation to be incorrect. The Bible and Matthew both make it clear Yeshua was a “citizen of Nazareth,” of Galilee, in Judea. (Is 11:1)