New International Version
Matthew 2:6
6“ ‘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.’”
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.
- 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.’ ”
- New Living Translation (NLT)‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”
Context of Matthew 2:6
4When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “ ‘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.’” 7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8He 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.”
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 2:1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
- Micah 5:2“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
- John 7:42Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?”
- Matthew 28:18Then Jesus came to them and said, “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 he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.
- Numbers 24:19A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.”
- 1 Chronicles 5:2and though Judah was the strongest of his brothers and a ruler came from him, the rights of the firstborn belonged to Joseph)—
- Psalms 2:1Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
- Isaiah 9:6For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Ephesians 1:22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
- Colossians 1:18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
- Revelation 2:27that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father.
- Revelation 11:15The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
- Psalms 78:71from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance.
- Isaiah 40:11He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
- Jeremiah 23:4I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or 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
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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