Matthew 2:6

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

4And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For from you will come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’” 7Then Herod secretly called for the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. 8And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”

Matthew 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

• And you, BethlehemΒηθλεέμBēthleem · BethlehemG965
• landγῆgē · earth: countryG1093
• of JudahἸούδαςIoudas · JudasG2455
• Are by noοὐδαμῶςoudamōs · by no meansG3760
• leastἐλάχιστοςelachistos · leastG1646
• amongἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the leadersἡγέομαιhēgeomai · to governG2233
• For from you will comeἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• Whoὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• shepherdποιμαίνωpoimainō · to shepherdG4165
• My peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
• IsraelἸσραήλIsraēl · IsraelG2474

Cross-references for Matthew 2:6

• Matthew 2:1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
• Micah 5:2But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His times of coming forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.”
• John 7:42Has the Scripture not said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”
• Matthew 28:18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
• Genesis 49:10The scepter will not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
• Numbers 24:19One from Jacob shall rule, And will eliminate the survivors from the city.”
• 1 Chronicles 5:2Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the leader, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph),
• Psalms 2:1Why are the nations restless And the peoples plotting in vain?
• Isaiah 9:6For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
• Ephesians 1:22And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and made Him head over all things to the church,
• Colossians 1:18He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
• Revelation 2:27and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are shattered, as I also have received authority from My Father;
• Revelation 11:15Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”
• Psalms 78:71From the care of the ewes with nursing lambs He brought him To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance.
• Isaiah 40:11Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in the fold of His robe; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.
• Jeremiah 23:4I will also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any 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

• Bethlehem
• Heathen
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Magi
• Miracles
• Prophecy
• Quotations and Allusions
• Wisdom
• Wise Men

In the dictionaries

• Bethlehem
• Israel
• Bethlehem, Ephrathah
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Dream
• Ephratah
• Flee
• Herod the Great
• Jesus

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