Matthew 2:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him."

NIV: He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."

NASB: And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, 'Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.'

CSB: 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."

NLT: Then he told them, 'Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!'

KJV: And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

NKJV: And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

Historical sources outside of the Bible fill in details about Herod the Great, also known as Herod I. He went to great lengths to protect his power, as Israel's king installed under the authority of Rome. He killed his wife, several sons, and many others to eliminate any risk to his position as Israel's chief ruler.

Herod's actions show he received news from travelling wise men about a "king of the Jews" born in Israel as a threat. Growing up as a Jewish man, he knew all about the promised Messiah who would come to save and rule over Israel. Instead of being glad at the possibility, Herod acted to protect his throne.

The religious leaders have identified Bethlehem as the prophesied birthplace of the Christ (Matthew 2:4–5), and the wise men have given Herod an idea about the child's approximate age by describing when the strange star they have tracked appeared in the sky (Matthew 2:7). Now Herod sends them off to Bethlehem to find the boy, blatantly lying as he does so. Herod claims he wants to worship the Christ, as well. He tells them to go and search diligently and let him know as soon as they find the child.

Why didn't Herod go with them, or send his own guards to Bethlehem to make sure he found the child himself? Perhaps he wasn't convinced there really was a child but wanted to be sure. More likely, he didn't want to raise suspicion among these travelers that he wanted to kill the boy. After all, why would they not let him know if they found the future "King of the Jews"?

Matthew 2:1–12 describes the arrival in Jerusalem of a group of wise men, sometime after Jesus' birth. They are responding to the sight of a ''star'' in the night sky, leading them to conclude the ''king of the Jews'' had been born. King Herod is troubled by this news and sends them to Bethlehem. His deceitful orders are for the wise men to return and tell him where the child is. The travelling scholars are overjoyed to find the Christ, at last. They worship Him by bowing and presenting expensive gifts. Warned not to return to Herod, after all, they slip away by another route.

King Herod is surprised and troubled by the arrival of wise men from the east. They have come looking for a newborn king of the Jews. Herod directs the men to Bethlehem to find the boy for him. The wise men find and worship Jesus. Rather than cooperating with the wicked Herod, the wise men slip away. An angel warns Joseph to flee to Egypt with his family before Herod kills all the boys in Bethlehem two years old and younger to protect his throne. After Herod's death, an angel sends Joseph back to Israel and then God directs him to settle with Mary and Jesus in Nazareth in the region of Galilee.

Chapter 1 established the genealogy and miraculous conception of Jesus Christ. Sometime after Jesus' birth, a group of wise men from the east arrive in Jerusalem. They have been tracking a star that points to the birth of the king of the Jews. They find and worship Jesus, then leave without telling the wicked king, Herod, where to find the boy. Warned by an angel, Joseph flees with Jesus and Mary to Egypt before Herod orders the execution of all the boys in Bethlehem two years old and younger. When notified by an angel again, they return to Israel and settle in Nazareth, in the northern region of Israel known as Galilee. This leads into chapter 3, which leaps forward to Jesus' adulthood, and the ministry of John the Baptist.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.