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After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.
Matthew 2:19 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,
  • KJV But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
  • NKJV Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
  • NASB But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said,
  • NLT When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in 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

After Herod dies, an angel again appears to Joseph in Egypt. God's timing brings the danger to an end.

Overview

With the tyrant dead, the threat to the child passes, and God moves to bring the family home. The repeated angelic guidance shows God's continual care over every stage of Jesus' early life. Divine providence governs the seasons of danger and safety alike.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 10

  • Matt 1:20But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
  • Dan 8:25Through his craft and by his hand, he will cause deceit to prosper, and in his own mind he will make himself great. In a time of peace he will destroy many, and he will even stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be broken off, but not by human hands.
  • Isa 51:12“I, even I, am He who comforts you. Why should you be afraid of mortal man, of a son of man who withers like grass?
  • Ps 76:10Even the wrath of man shall praise You; with the survivors of wrath You will clothe Yourself.
  • Ps 139:7Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?
  • Dan 11:45He will pitch his royal tents between the sea and the beautiful holy mountain, but he will meet his end with no one to help him.
  • Ezek 11:16Therefore declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries to which they have gone.’
  • Jer 30:10As for you, O Jacob My servant, do not be afraid, declares the LORD, and do not be dismayed, O Israel. For I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their captivity! Jacob will return to quiet and ease, with no one to make him afraid.
  • Matt 2:22But when he learned that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,
  • Matt 2:12–13And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route.

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 2:19YouTube · 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 2:19 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.