Matthew 2:21
in Matthew 2So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and went to the land of Israel.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
KJV
And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
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This verse in Matthew 2
Commentary
11 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel--intending, as is plain from what follows, to return to Bethlehem of Judea, there, no doubt, to rear the Infant King, as at His own royal city, until the time should come when they would expect Him to occupy Jerusalem, "the city of the Great King."
This site's exposition
when Herod was dead
on Matthew 2:19-22
When Herod was dead the angel's charge echoes Exodus 4:19 nearly word for word, go, for they are dead which sought thy life, Moses' own recall from Midian now spoken over the greater deliverer. Joseph obeys, hears that Archelaus reigns in Judea, and fears rightly; Archelaus opened his rule by killing three thousand in the temple courts and Rome deposed him within a decade. Warned of God in the fourth dream, Joseph turns aside into Galilee, and the exposition notes how the chapter's geography is steered entirely by revelation, four dreams moving one family while the powers that hold the map lose the child they hunt.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
But the figurative interpretation holds good any way. Joseph represents the Apostles, to whom Christ is entrusted to be borne about. These, as though Herod were dead, that is, his people being destroyed in the Lord's passion, are commanded to preach the Gospel to the Jews; they are sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
(Verse 21.) He rose and took the child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. He did not say, 'I took my son and my wife,' but the child and his mother, as if a foster father, not a husband.
The Medieval Church3 voices
And he arose, and took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither. Herod left three sons: Philip, …
Joseph was not disobedient to the angelic warning, but he arose, and took the young Child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. The Angel had not fixed the particular place, so that while Joseph hesitates, the Angel returns, and by the often visiting him confirms his obedience.
(21) Then he mentions the execution of the command: and he rose and took the child and his mother. In regard to this he does three things: first, he shows how he returned to the land of Israel (v. 21); secondly, the section he avoided …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The Wise Men Come to Jerusalem. 1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:93%@v1-3
And he arose and took the young child and his mother,.... He exactly conformed in every circumstance to the orders given him, with respect to the persons he took, the place he went to, and the expeditiousness of doing it; and is an example of ready and cheerful obedience to the commands of God, worthy of imitation.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Let us observe in this passage how true it is that the rulers of this world are seldom friendly to the cause of God . The Lord Jesus comes down from heaven to save sinners, and at once we are told that Herod the king seeks to destroy him. Greatness and riches are a perilous possession for the soul. Those who seek to have them know not what they seek. They lead men into many temptations. They are likely to fill the heart with pride, and to chain the affections down to things below.
Let us observe in this passage how true it is that the rulers of this world are seldom friendly to the cause of God . The Lord Jesus comes down from heaven to save sinners, and at once we are told that Herod the king seeks to destroy him. Greatness and riches are a perilous possession for the soul. Those who seek to have them know not what they seek. They lead men into many temptations. They are likely to fill the heart with pride, and to chain the affections down to things below. “Not many mighty; not many noble are called.”“How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God.” ( 1 Corinthians 1:26 ; Mark 10:23 ) Do we envy the rich and great? Does our heart sometimes say, “Oh, that I had their place, and rank, and substance?” Let us beware of giving way to such feelings. The very wealth which we admire may be gradually sinking its possessors down into hell. A little more money might be our ruin. Like Herod, we might run into every excess of wickedness and cruelty. “Take heed and beware of covetousness.” “Be content with such things as ye have.” ( Luke 12:15 ; Hebrews 13:5 ) Do we think that Christ’s cause depends on the power and patronage of princes? We are mistaken. They have seldom done much for the advancement true religion; they have far more frequently been the enemies of the truth. “Put not your trust in princes.” ( Psalm 146:3 ) They who are like Herod are many. They who are like Josiah and Edward the Sixth of England are few. Let us observe for another thing how the Lord Jesus was a “Man of Sorrows,” even from His infancy . Trouble awaits Him as soon as He enters into the world. His life is in danger from Herod’s hatred. His mother and Joseph are obliged to take him away by night, and “flee into Egypt.”It was only a type and figure of all his experience upon earth.
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | And | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐγερθεὶς | egertheis | having arisen | G1453 → | 142 times |
| παρέλαβεν | parelaben | he took | G3880 → | 49 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| παιδίον | paidion | Child | G3813 → | 51 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μητέρα | metera | mother | G3384 → | 83 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εἰσῆλθεν | eiselthen | entered | G1525 → | 194 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| γῆν | gen | [the] land | G1093 → | 248 times |
| Ἰσραήλ.¶ | israel | of Israel. | G2474 → | 68 times |
Ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
δὲAnd
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐγερθεὶςhaving arisen
egertheisG1453 →142 times
παρέλαβενhe took
parelabenG3880 →49 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
παιδίονChild
paidionG3813 →51 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
μητέραmother
meteraG3384 →83 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἰσῆλθενentered
eiselthenG1525 →194 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
γῆν[the] land
genG1093 →248 times
Ἰσραήλ.¶of Israel.
israelG2474 →68 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 11:8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going.
it leads to
- Genesis 12:1–4
Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you.
- Acts 7:2–4
And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
- Matthew 7:24–25
Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
- Genesis 15:7–8
The LORD also told him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”
- Genesis 22:18
And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
- Genesis 12:1–4
Through
Genesis 6:22So Noah did everything precisely as God had commanded him.
it leads to
- John 15:14
You are My friends if you do what I command you.
- Exodus 40:16
Moses did everything just as the LORD had commanded him.
- John 2:5
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”
- John 15:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Matthew
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVII; Glossa Ordinaria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Hilary of Poitiers, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.