God’s Word Translation
Matthew 2:6
6Bethlehem in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah. A leader will come from you. He will shepherd my people Israel.”
Matthew 2:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
- New International Version (NIV)“ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
- English Standard Version (ESV)"'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.'"
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”
Context of Matthew 2:6
4He called together all the chief priests and the experts in the Scriptures and tried to find out from them where the Messiah was supposed to be born. 5They told him, “In Bethlehem in Judea. The prophet wrote about this: Bethlehem in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah. A leader will come from you. He will shepherd my people Israel.” 7Then Herod secretly called the wise men and found out from them exactly when the star had appeared. 8As he sent them to Bethlehem, he said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you have found him, report to me so that I may go and worship him too.”
Read all of Matthew 2Matthew 2:6 word by word
καὶ σὺ βηθλέεμ γῆ Ἰούδα, οὐδαμῶς ἐλαχίστη εἶ ἐν τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν Ἰούδα· ἐκ σοῦ γὰρ ἐξελεύσεται ἡγούμενος ὅστις ποιμανεῖ τὸν λαόν μου τὸν Ἰσραήλ.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- thouσύsu · youG4771
- BethlehemΒηθλεέμBēthleem · BethlehemG965
- the landγῆgē · earth: countryG1093
- of JudaἸουδάIouda · JudahG2448
- artεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- notοὐδαμῶςoudamōs · by no meansG3760
- the leastἐλάχιστοςelachistos · leastG1646
- amongἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the princesἡγεμώνhēgemōn · rulerG2232
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- out ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- shall comeἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
- a Governorἡγέομαιhēgeomai · to governG2233
- thatὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
- shall ruleποιμαίνωpoimainō · to shepherdG4165
- myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
- IsraelἸσραήλIsraēl · IsraelG2474
Cross-references for Matthew 2:6
- Matthew 2:1Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea when Herod was king. After Jesus’ birth wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem.
- Micah 5:2You, Bethlehem Ephrathah, are too small to be included among Judah’s cities. Yet, from you Israel’s future ruler will come for me. His origins go back to the distant past, to days long ago.
- John 7:42Doesn’t Scripture say that the Messiah will come from the descendants of David and from the village of Bethlehem, where David lived?”
- Matthew 28:18When Jesus came near, he spoke to them. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
- Genesis 49:10A scepter will never depart from Judah nor a ruler’s staff from between his feet until Shiloh comes and the people obey him.
- Numbers 24:19He will rule from Jacob and destroy whoever is left in their cities.”
- 1 Chronicles 5:2Even though Judah was more prominent than his brothers and the prince was to come from him, Joseph received the rights as firstborn.)
- Psalms 2:1Why do the nations gather together? Why do their people devise useless plots?
- Isaiah 9:6A child will be born for us. A son will be given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. He will be named: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Ephesians 1:22God has put everything under the control of Christ. He has made Christ the head of everything for the good of the church.
- Colossians 1:18He is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, the first to come back to life so that he would have first place in everything.
- Revelation 2:27Those people will rule the nations with iron scepters and shatter them like pottery.
- Revelation 11:15When the seventh angel blew his trumpet, there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will rule as king forever and ever.”
- Psalms 78:71He brought him from tending the ewes that had lambs so that David could be the shepherd of the people of Jacob, of Israel, the people who belonged to the Lord.
- Isaiah 40:11Like a shepherd he takes care of his flock. He gathers the lambs in his arms. He carries them in his arms. He gently helps the sheep and their lambs.
- Jeremiah 23:4I will put shepherds over them. Those shepherds will take care of them. My sheep will no longer be afraid or terrified, and not one of them will be missing,” declares the Lord.
Commentaries on Matthew 2:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6And 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Bethlehem was a small village. It was important because it was where King David was born. The religious leaders knew from prophecy (Matthew 1:22) that this is where God would cause his Messiah to be born there. King David had been a shepherd when he was young. As king, he became the shepherd of Israel (2 Samuel 5:2). Micah 5:2–4 predicts the Messiah as a shepherd (compare Psalm 23:1).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Juda--the "in" being familiarly left out, as we say, "London, Middlesex." art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a Governor, &c.--This quotation, though differing verbally, agrees substantially with the Hebrew and the Septuagint. For says the prophet, "Though thou be little, yet out of thee shall come the Ruler"--this honor more than compensating for its natural insignificance; while…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 2:6
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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