English Standard Version
Matthew 2:8
8And 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."
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.”
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (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!”
Context of Matthew 2:8
6"'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'" 7Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 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." 9After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great 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, make yet more sure. Know and see the place where his foot is, and who has seen him there, for it is told me that he is very cunning.
- 2 Samuel 17:14And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel." For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom.
- 1 Kings 19:2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow."
- Job 5:12He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.
- Psalms 33:10The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
- Proverbs 21:30No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord.
- Lamentations 3:37Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it?
- 1 Corinthians 3:19For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness,"
- Matthew 26:48Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man; seize him."
- 2 Samuel 15:7And at the end of four years Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron.
- 2 Kings 10:18Then Jehu assembled all the people and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much.
- Ezra 4:1Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel,
- Psalms 12:2Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
- Psalms 55:11ruin is in its midst; oppression and fraud do not depart from its marketplace.
- Proverbs 26:24Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart;
- Jeremiah 41:5eighty men arrived from Shechem and Shiloh and Samaria, with their beards shaved and their clothes torn, and their bodies gashed, bringing grain offerings and incense to present at 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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