And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
Parallel translations
- WEB Being warned in a dream that they shouldn’t return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.
- BSB And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route.
- NKJV Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
- NASB And after being warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.
- NLT When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Warned in a dream, the wise men return home by another route, avoiding Herod. God protects the child through their obedience.
Overview
A divine dream redirects the magi, frustrating Herod's plot to use them. Their obedience to God's warning shields the infant Jesus from immediate danger. The verse shows God sovereignly guarding his Son until his appointed hour.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Matt 2:22But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
- Matt 2:19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
- Matt 2:13And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
- Matt 27:19When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.
- Gen 20:6–7And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
- Gen 31:24And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
- Matt 1:20But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
- Acts 5:29Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
- Dan 2:19Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
- Exod 1:17But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
- Acts 4:19But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
- Heb 11:7By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
- Job 33:15–17In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
- 1 Cor 3:19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Pastoral
On the genealogy and the name Immanuel.
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 2:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.