New Living Translation
Matthew 2:16
16Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance.
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
14That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, 15and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.” Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. 17Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: 18“A cry was heard in Ramah— weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are 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 out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. “Look!” she said. “My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed.
- Numbers 22:29“You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”
- Numbers 24:10King Balak flew into a rage against Balaam. He angrily clapped his hands and shouted, “I called you to curse my enemies! Instead, you have blessed them three times.
- Judges 16:10Afterward Delilah said to him, “You’ve been making fun of me and telling me lies! Now please tell me how you can be tied up securely.”
- Job 12:4Yet my friends laugh at me, for I call on God and expect an answer. I am a just and blameless man, yet they laugh at me.
- Proverbs 27:3A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but the resentment caused by a fool is even heavier.
- Daniel 3:13Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in,
- Genesis 49:7A curse on their anger, for it is fierce; a curse on their wrath, for it is cruel. I will scatter them among the descendants of Jacob; I will disperse them throughout Israel.
- 2 Kings 8:12“What’s the matter, my lord?” Hazael asked him. Elisha replied, “I know the terrible things you will do to the people of Israel. You will burn their fortified cities, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little children to the ground, and rip open their pregnant women!”
- Proverbs 28:15A wicked ruler is as dangerous to the poor as a roaring lion or an attacking bear.
- Isaiah 26:21Look! The Lord is coming from heaven to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will no longer hide those who have been killed. They will be brought out for all to see.
- Isaiah 59:7Their feet run to do evil, and they rush to commit murder. They think only about sinning. Misery and destruction always follow them.
- Hosea 10:14Now the terrors of war will rise among your people. All your fortifications will fall, just as when Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel. Even mothers and children were dashed to death there.
- Revelation 17:6I could see that she was drunk—drunk with the blood of God’s holy people who were witnesses for Jesus. I stared at her in complete amazement.
- Matthew 2:7Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first 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
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