God’s Word Translation
Matthew 2:16
16When Herod saw that the wise men had tricked him, he became furious. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys two years old and younger in or near Bethlehem. This matched the exact time he had learned from the wise men.
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
14Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and left for Egypt that night. 15He stayed there until Herod died. What the Lord had spoken through the prophet came true: “I have called my son out of Egypt.” When Herod saw that the wise men had tricked him, he became furious. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys two years old and younger in or near Bethlehem. This matched the exact time he had learned from the wise men. 17Then the words spoken through the prophet Jeremiah came true: 18“A sound was heard in Ramah, the sound of crying in bitter grief. Rachel was crying for her children. She refused to be comforted because they were dead.”
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thenτότεtote · thenG5119
- HerodἩρώδηςHērōdēs · HerodG2264
- when he sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- he was mockedἐμπαίζωempaizō · to mockG1702
- ofὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- the wise menὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the wise menμάγοςmagos · sageG3097
- wasθυμόωthumoō · to angerG2373
- exceedingλίανlian · greatlyG3029
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- sent forthἀποστέλλωapostellō · to sendG649
- and slewἀναιρέωanaireō · to killG337
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- the childrenπαῖςpais · childG3816
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- BethlehemΒηθλεέμBēthleem · BethlehemG965
- the coastsὅριονhorion · regionG3725
- thereofαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- two years oldδιετήςdietēs · two years oldG1332
- underκάτωkatō katōterō · underG2736
- according toκατάkata · according toG2596
- the timeχρόνοςchronos · timeG5550
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- he had diligently enquiredἀκριβόωakriboō · be exactlyG198
- ofπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
Cross-references for Matthew 2:16
- Genesis 39:14she called her household servants and said to them, “Look! My husband brought this Hebrew here to fool around with us. He came in and tried to go to bed with me, but I screamed as loud as I could.
- Numbers 22:29Balaam answered, “You’ve made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I’d kill you right now.”
- Numbers 24:10Balak became angry with Balaam. He clapped his hands and said, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, and now you have blessed them three times.
- Judges 16:10Delilah told Samson, “Look, you’re making fun of me by telling me lies. Now, tell me how you can be tied up.”
- Job 12:4I am a laughingstock to my neighbors. I am one who calls on God and expects an answer. A man of integrity, a man who is righteous, has become a laughingstock.
- Proverbs 27:3A stone is heavy, and sand weighs a lot, but annoyance caused by a stubborn fool is heavier than both.
- Daniel 3:13Then, in a fit of rage and anger, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Immediately, they were brought to the king.
- Genesis 49:7May their anger be cursed because it’s so fierce. May their fury be cursed because it’s so cruel. I will divide them among ⌞the sons of⌟ Jacob and scatter them among ⌞the tribes of⌟ Israel.
- 2 Kings 8:12“Sir, why are you crying?” Hazael asked. Elisha answered, “I know the evil you will do to the Israelites: You will set their fortresses on fire, kill their best young men, smash their little children, and rip open their pregnant women.”
- Proverbs 28:15⌞Like⌟ a roaring lion and a charging bear, ⌞so⌟ a wicked ruler is a threat to poor people.
- Isaiah 26:21The Lord is going to come out from his dwelling place to punish those who live on earth for their sins. The earth will uncover the blood shed on it and will no longer cover up its dead bodies.
- Isaiah 59:7Their feet run to do evil. They hurry to shed innocent blood. Their plans are evil. Ruin and destruction are on their highways.
- Hosea 10:14So your army will hear the noise of battle. All your fortresses will be destroyed like the time Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel in battle. Mothers and their children were smashed to death.
- Revelation 17:6I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people and of those who testify about Jesus. I was very surprised when I saw her.
- Matthew 2:7Then Herod secretly called the wise men and found out from them exactly when 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries