Matthew 2:9

Matthew 2:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
• New International Version (NIV)After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
• English Standard Version (ESV)After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.
• New King James Version (NKJV)When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.

Context of Matthew 2:9

7Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. 8Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!” After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 2:9 word by word

Οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπορεύθησαν. καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀστὴρ ὃν εἶδον ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ προῆγεν αὐτοὺς ἕως ἐλθὼν ἐστάθη ἐπάνω οὗ ἦν τὸ παιδίον.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Whenδέde · thenG1161
• they had heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• the kingβασιλεύςbasileus · kingG935
• they departedπορεύωporeuomai · to travelG4198
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• loὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• the starἀστήρastēr · starG792
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the eastἀνατολήanatolē · eastG395
• went beforeπροάγωproagō · to go/bring beforeG4254
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• tillἕωςheōs · untilG2193
• it cameἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• and stoodἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
• overἐπάνωepanō · aboveG1883
• whereοὗhou · whitherG3757
• the young childπαιδίονpaidion · childG3813
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510

Cross-references for Matthew 2:9

• Matthew 2:2“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”
• Psalms 25:12Who are those who fear the Lord? He will show them the path they should choose.
• Proverbs 2:1My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands.
• Proverbs 8:17“I love all who love me. Those who search will surely find me.
• 2 Peter 1:19Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.

Commentaries on Matthew 2:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9In the east - Or, at its rise. See Matthew 2:2. Stood over where the young child was - Super caput pueri, Over the head of the child, as the Opus Imperfectum, on this place, has it. See Griesbach's Var. Lect. So it appears to have been a simple luminous meteor in a star-like form, and at a very short distance from the ground, otherwise it could not have ascertained the place where the child lay. But the last quoted reading, from the Opus Imperfectum…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9The star … went before them - From this it appears that the star was a luminous meteor, perhaps at no great distance from the ground. It is not unlikely that they lost sight of it after they had commenced their journey from the East. It is probable that it appeared to them first in the direction of Jerusalem. They concluded that the expected King had been born, and immediately commenced their journey to Jerusalem. When they arrived there, it was important…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-12Verses 9-12 What joy these wise men felt upon this sight of the star, none know so well as those who, after a long and melancholy night of temptation and desertion, under the power of a spirit of bondage, at length receive the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with their spirits that they are the children of God. We may well think what a disappointment it was to them, when they found a cottage was his palace, and his own poor mother the only attendant he…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-10God placed the star to guide the wise men to the Messiah (see Numbers 24:17). The details are unclear.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. When they had heard the king, they departed--But where were ye, O Jewish ecclesiastics, ye chief priests and scribes of the people? Ye could tell Herod where Christ should be born, and could hear of these strangers from the far East that the Desire of all nations had actually come; but I do not see you trooping to Bethlehem--I find these devout strangers journeying thither all alone. Yet God ordered this too, lest the news should be blabbed, and reach…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 2:9

• Heathen
• Jesus, the Christ
• Magi
• Miracles
• Wisdom
• Wise Men

In the dictionaries

• Dream
• Flee
• Herod the Great
• Jesus
• Lamentation
• Magic
• Mary
• Stars
• Warn
• Augury

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