Berean Standard Bible
Matthew 2:16
16When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi.
Matthew 2:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
- New International Version (NIV)When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
Context of Matthew 2:16
14So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt, 15where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi. 17Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: 18“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Read all of Matthew 2Matthew 2:16 word by word
Τότε Ἡρῴδης ἰδὼν ὅτι ἐνεπαίχθη ὑπὸ τῶν μάγων ἐθυμώθη λίαν, καὶ ἀποστείλας ἀνεῖλεν πάντας τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐν Βηθλέεμ καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆς ἀπὸ διετοῦς καὶ κατωτέρω κατὰ τὸν χρόνον ὃν ἠκρίβωσεν παρὰ τῶν μάγων.¶Read the interlinear
- Whenτότεtote · thenG5119
- HerodἩρώδηςHērōdēs · HerodG2264
- sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- he had been outwittedἐμπαίζωempaizō · to mockG1702
- byὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Magiμάγοςmagos · sageG3097
- he was filled with rageλίανlian · greatlyG3029
- he was filled with rageθυμόωthumoō · to angerG2373
- ·καίkai · andG2532
- Sending ordersἀποστέλλωapostellō · to sendG649
- he put to deathἀναιρέωanaireō · to killG337
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- boysπαῖςpais · childG3816
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- BethlehemΒηθλεέμBēthleem · BethlehemG965
- itsαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- vicinityὅριονhorion · regionG3725
- ·ἀπόapo · away fromG575
- two years oldδιετήςdietēs · two years oldG1332
- underκάτωkatō katōterō · underG2736
- according toκατάkata · according toG2596
- timeχρόνοςchronos · timeG5550
- ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- he had learnedἀκριβόωakriboō · be exactlyG198
- fromπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
Cross-references for Matthew 2:16
- Genesis 39:14she called her household servants. “Look,” she said, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, but I screamed as loud as I could.
- Numbers 22:29Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!”
- Numbers 24:10Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together and said to Balaam, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times.
- Judges 16:10Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have mocked me and lied to me! Now please tell me how you can be tied up.”
- Job 12:4I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.
- Proverbs 27:3A stone is heavy and sand is a burden, but aggravation from a fool outweighs them both.
- Daniel 3:13Then Nebuchadnezzar, furious with rage, summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king,
- Genesis 49:7Cursed be their anger, for it is strong, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will disperse them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.
- 2 Kings 8:12“Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael. “Because I know the evil you will do to the Israelites,” Elisha replied. “You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little ones to pieces, and rip open their pregnant women.”
- Proverbs 28:15Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.
- Isaiah 26:21For behold, the LORD is coming out of His dwelling to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth will reveal her bloodshed and will no longer conceal her slain.
- Isaiah 59:7Their feet run to evil; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and destruction lie in their wake.
- Hosea 10:14the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be demolished as Shalman devastated Beth-arbel in the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to pieces along with their children.
- Revelation 17:6I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her.
- Matthew 2:7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared.
Commentaries on Matthew 2:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Slew all the children - This cruelty of Herod seems alluded to in very decisive terms by Macrobius, who flourished toward the conclusion of the fourth Century. In his chapter De jocis Augusti in alios, et aliorum rursus in ipsum, he says, Cum audisset inter pueros, quos in Syria Herodes, rex Judeorum, intra bimatum jussit interfici, filium quoque ejus occisum, ait, Melius est Herodis Porcum esse, quam Filium. "When he heard that among those male infants…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men - When he saw that he had been deceived by them; that is, that they did not return as he had expected. It does not mean that they did it for the purpose of mocking or deriding him, but that he was disappointed in their not returning, or that he had been trifled with. Exceeding wroth - Very angry. He had been disappointed and deceived. He expected to send an executioner and kill Jesus alone. But…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-18Verses 16-18 Herod killed all the male children, not only in Bethlehem, but in all the villages of that city. Unbridled wrath, armed with an unlawful power, often carries men to absurd cruelties. It was no unrighteous thing with God to permit this; every life is forfeited to his justice as soon as it begins. The diseases and deaths of little children are proofs of original sin. But the murder of these infants was their martyrdom. How early did persecution…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Put to death all the boys: Herod was famous for his cruelty. He even killed his own son to protect his throne. This led to the saying, “It is safer to be Herod’s pig [Greek hus] than his son [Greek huios].” This is because Herod followed Jewish kosher laws. two years old and under: Herod estimated the child's age based on the wise men’s report.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Then Herod, &c.--As Deborah sang of the mother of Sisera: "She looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots? Have they not sped?" so Herod wonders that his messengers, with pious zeal, are not hastening with the news that all is ready to receive him as a worshipper. What can be keeping them? Have they missed their way? Has any disaster befallen them? At length his…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 2:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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