He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”
Parallel translations
- KJV And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
- BSB And sending them to Bethlehem, he said: “Go and search carefully for the Child, and when you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”
- NKJV And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
- NASB And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”
- NLT Then 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!”
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
Herod sends the wise men to Bethlehem, feigning a desire to worship the child. His pious words mask a deadly scheme.
Overview
Under the guise of devotion, Herod tries to use the magi as informants to locate his perceived rival. His hypocrisy contrasts sharply with the genuine worship the wise men intend. The episode warns that false piety can cloak the darkest motives.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- 1 Cor 3:19–20For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He has taken the wise in their craftiness.”
- Luke 20:20–21They watched him, and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.
- Jer 41:5–7men came from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even eighty men, having their beards shaved and their clothes torn, and having cut themselves, with meal offerings and frankincense in their hand, to bring them to Yahweh’s house.
- Ps 12:2–3Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.
- Prov 21:30There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against Yahweh.
- Lam 3:37Who is he who says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord doesn’t command it?
- 1 Kgs 19:2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I don’t make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time!”
- Job 5:12–13He frustrates the devices of the crafty, So that their hands can’t perform their enterprise.
- Ezra 4:1–2Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to Yahweh, the God of Israel;
- Matt 26:48–49Now he who betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, “Whoever I kiss, he is the one. Seize him.”
- Ps 33:10–11Yahweh brings the counsel of the nations to nothing. He makes the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect.
- 2 Sam 17:14Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For Yahweh had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Yahweh might bring evil on Absalom.
- Prov 26:24–25A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but he harbors evil in his heart.
- 1 Sam 23:22–23Please go make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for I have been told that he deals very crafty.
- 2 Kgs 10:18–19Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu will serve him much.
- Ps 55:11–15Destructive forces are within her. Threats and lies don’t depart from her streets.
- 2 Sam 15:7–12At the end of forty years, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to Yahweh, in Hebron.
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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 2:8 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
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