Matthew 2:4-6 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 2:1-8

It was a mark of humiliation put upon the Lord Jesus that, though he was the Desire of all nations, yet his coming into the world was little observed and taken notice of, his birth was obscure and unregarded: herein he emptied himself, and made himself of no reputation. If the Son of God must be brought into the world, one might justly expect that he should be received with all the ceremony possible, that crowns and sceptres should immediately have been laid at his feet, and that the high and... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 2:3-9

2:3-9 When Herod the king heard or this he was disturbed, and so was all Jerusalem with him. So he collected all the chief priests and scribes of the people, and asked them where the Anointed One of God was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem in Judaea. For so it stands written through the prophets, 'And you Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means the least among the leaders of Judah. For there shall come forth from you the leader, who will be a shepherd to my people Israel.'"... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 2:4

And when he had gathered all the chief priests ,.... Here we have an account of Herod's conduct at this juncture; he calls a council, assembles the sanhedrim, gathers together the more learned persons in the city to consult with them upon this matter, the chief priests , all of which he gathered together, and which seem to be many; and were not only the then present high priest and his substitutes, but all the principal persons of the priesthood, who were chosen from the rest, into the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 2:5

And they said unto him ,.... They answer without any hesitation, it being a generally received notion, and a thing well known among them, in Bethlehem of Judea ; and give their reason for it; for thus it is written by the prophet , that is, the prophet Micah, in whose prophecy, Micah 5:2 it stands, and is as follows: read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 2:6

And thou Bethlehem in the land of Juda ,.... This prophecy, which the chief priests and scribes produced, as pointing at the place of Christ's birth, is owned by both ancient and later Jews F25 Targum Jon. Jarchi, Aben Ezra, Kimchi & Abendana in loc. Abarbinel Mashmia Jeshua, fol. 62. 2. R. Isaac Chizuk Emuna, p. 279. to be a prophecy of the Messiah. The difference between Micah and Matthew is easily reconciled. Bethlehem is called by Micah, Bethlehem Ephratah, and by Matthew,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 2:4

The chief priests - Not only the high priest for the time being, called הראש כהן cohen ha - rosh , 2 Kings 25:18 , and his deputy, called משנה כהן cohen mishneh , with those who had formerly borne the high priest's office; but also, the chiefs or heads of the twenty four sacerdotal families, which David distributed into so many courses, 1 Chronicles 24. These latter are styled הכהנים סרי sarey ha - cohanim , chief of the priests, 2 Chronicles 36:14 ; Ezra 8:24 ; and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 2:5

In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet - As there have been several confused notions among the Jews, relative not only to the Messiah, and his character, but also to the time of his birth, it may be necessary to add, to what has already been said on this subject, the following extracts from the Talmudists and Gemarists, quoted by Lightfoot. At the close of a long dissertation on the year of our Lord's birth, (which he places in the 35th of the reign of Herod, not the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 2:6

And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda - To distinguish it from Bethlehem, in the tribe of Zebulon. Joshua 19:15 . See on Matthew 2:1 ; (note). Art not the least - In Micah 5:2 , it is read, Though thou be little - להיות צעיר tsdir lehayoth , little to be. Houbigant, struck with the oddness of the construction of the Hebrew, by dividing the last word, and making a small change in two of the letters, makes the prophet agree with the evangelist, ,tsilegna היית לא צעיר tsdir... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 2:4

Verse 4 4.Having assembled the priests Though deep silence prevailed respecting Christ in the Hall of Herod, yet, as soon as the Magi have thrown out the mention of a King, predictions are remembered, which formerly lay in oblivion. Herod instantly conjectures, that the King, about whom the Magi inquire, is the Messiah whom God had formerly promised, (Daniel 9:25.) Here again it appears, that Herod is seriously alarmed, when he puts such earnest inquiries; and no wonder. All tyrants are... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 2:6

Verse 6 6.And thou, Bethlehem The scribes quoted faithfully, no doubt, the words of the passage in their own language, as it is found in the prophet. But Matthew reckoned it enough to point out the passage; and, as he wrote in Greek, he followed the ordinary reading. This passage, and others of the same kind, readily suggest the inference, that Matthew did not compose his Gospel in the Hebrew language. It ought always to be observed that, whenever any proof from Scripture is quoted by the... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 2:1-8

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 2:3-9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 2:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 2:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 2:6

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 2:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 2:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 2:6

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 2:4

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 2:6

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