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where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
Matthew 2:15 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB and was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
  • KJV And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
  • NKJV and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
  • NASB He stayed there until the death of Herod; this happened so that what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
  • NLT and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”

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

The family stays in Egypt until Herod's death, fulfilling "Out of Egypt I called my son." Jesus relives and fulfills Israel's story.

Overview

Matthew applies Hosea 11:1, originally about Israel's exodus, to Jesus, presenting him as the true Son who embodies and fulfills Israel's destiny. Where the nation failed, Jesus succeeds, recapitulating their history in faithfulness. This typological fulfillment shows Christ as the climax of God's dealings with his people.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 20

  • Hos 11:1When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.
  • Exod 4:22Then tell Pharaoh that this is what the LORD says: ‘Israel is My firstborn son,
  • Num 24:8God brought him out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox, to devour hostile nations and crush their bones, to pierce them with arrows.
  • Luke 24:44Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”
  • Matt 1:22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
  • Matt 4:14–15to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
  • Matt 26:54But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?”
  • Matt 21:4This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
  • Matt 12:16–18warning them not to make Him known.
  • Acts 12:1–4About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to the church.
  • Matt 2:23and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
  • Matt 2:17Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
  • Matt 2:19After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.
  • Matt 8:17This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took on our infirmities and carried our diseases.”
  • Matt 26:56But this has all happened so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.
  • John 19:36Now these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of His bones will be broken.”
  • John 19:28After this, knowing that everything had now been accomplished, and to fulfill the Scripture, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”
  • Acts 12:23–24Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
  • Acts 1:16“Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit foretold through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus.
  • Matt 27:35When they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments by casting lots.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Pastoral

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Matthew videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Matthew 2:15YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on MatthewMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 2:15 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.