They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
Parallel translations
- WEB They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet,
- KJV And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
- BSB “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
- NKJV So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
- NLT “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:
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 scribes answer that the Christ is to be born in Bethlehem, as the prophet wrote. Scripture pinpoints the Messiah's birthplace.
Overview
The religious leaders correctly cite Micah 5:2, showing the prophecy was well known. Their accurate answer underscores that Jesus' birth in Bethlehem fulfilled God's ancient word. Yet their head knowledge did not move them to seek the King themselves.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- John 7:42Hasn’t the Scripture said that the Christ comes of the offspring of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”
- Ruth 1:1In the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
- 1 Sam 16:1Yahweh said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided a king for myself among his sons.”
- Ruth 2:4Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, “May Yahweh be with you.” They answered him, “May Yahweh bless you.”
- Ruth 1:19So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. When they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was excited about them, and they asked, “Is this Naomi?”
- Josh 19:15Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages.
- Ruth 4:11All the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May Yahweh make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and like Leah, which both built the house of Israel; and treat you worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem.
- Gen 35:19Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem).
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Pastoral
On the genealogy and the name Immanuel.
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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 2:5 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.