Christian Standard Bible
Matthew 2:8
8He 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.”
Matthew 2:8 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (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.”
- English Standard Version (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."
- New King James Version (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.”
Context of Matthew 2:8
6And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” 7Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. 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.” 9After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was — the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy.
Read all of Matthew 2Matthew 2:8 word by word
καὶ πέμψας αὐτοὺς εἰς Βηθλέεμ εἶπεν· πορευθέντες ἐξετάσατε ἀκριβῶς περὶ τοῦ παιδίου. ἐπὰν δὲ εὕρητε, ἀπαγγείλατέ μοι ὅπως κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν προσκυνήσω αὐτῷ.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- he sentπέμπωpempō · to sendG3992
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- toεἰςeis · towardG1519
- BethlehemΒηθλεέμBēthleem · BethlehemG965
- and saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Goπορεύωporeuomai · to travelG4198
- and searchἐξετάζωexetazō · to find outG1833
- diligentlyἀκριβῶςakribōs · exactlyG199
- forπερίperi · aboutG4012
- the young childὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the young childπαιδίονpaidion · childG3813
- andδέde · thenG1161
- whenἐπάνepan · when/as soon asG1875
- ye have foundεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
- bringἀπαγγέλλωapaggellō · to announceG518
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- thatὅπωςhopōs · thatG3704
- Iκἀγώkagō kamoi kame · and IG2504
- may comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- and worshipπροσκυνέωproskuneō · to worshipG4352
Cross-references for Matthew 2:8
- 1 Samuel 23:22Go and check again. Investigate where he goes and who has seen him there; they tell me he is extremely cunning.
- 2 Samuel 17:14Since the Lord had decreed that Ahithophel’s good advice be undermined in order to bring about Absalom’s ruin, Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than Ahithophel’s advice.”
- 1 Kings 19:2So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me and do so severely if I don’t make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow!”
- Job 5:12He frustrates the schemes of the crafty so that they achieve no success.
- Psalms 33:10The Lord frustrates the counsel of the nations; he thwarts the plans of the peoples.
- Proverbs 21:30No wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel will prevail against the Lord.
- Lamentations 3:37Who is there who speaks and it happens, unless the Lord has ordained it?
- 1 Corinthians 3:19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, since it is written, He catches the wise in their craftiness;
- Matthew 26:48His betrayer had given them a sign: “The one I kiss, he’s the one; arrest him.”
- 2 Samuel 15:7When four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I made to the Lord.
- 2 Kings 10:18Then Jehu brought all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot.
- Ezra 4:1When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel,
- Psalms 12:2They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and deceptive hearts.
- Psalms 55:11destruction is inside it; oppression and deceit never leave its marketplace.
- Proverbs 26:24A hateful person disguises himself with his speech and harbors deceit within.
- Jeremiah 41:5eighty men came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria who had shaved their beards, torn their clothes, and gashed themselves, and who were carrying grain and incense offerings to bring to the temple of the Lord.
Commentaries on Matthew 2:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8That I may come and worship him also - See Matthew 2:2, and on Genesis 17:3; (note), and Exodus 4:31; (note). What exquisite hypocrisy was here! he only wished to find out the child that he might murder him; but see how that God who searches the heart prevents the designs of wicked men from being accomplished!Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Go, and search diligently - Herod took all possible means to obtain accurate information respecting the child, that he might be sure of destroying him. He not only ascertained the probable time of his birth, and the place where he would be born, but he sent the wise men that they might actually see him, and bring him word. All this might have looked suspicious if he had not clothed it with the appearance of religion. He said to them, therefore, that he…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-10God placed the star to guide the wise men to the Messiah (see Numbers 24:17). The details are unclear.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently--"Search out carefully." for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also--The cunning and bloody hypocrite! Yet this royal mandate would meantime serve as a safe conduct to the strangers.Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 2:8
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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