13 Now when they had gone , behold , an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said , "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt , and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him." 14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night , and left for Egypt . 15 He remained there until the death of Herod . This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet : " OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON ."
16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi , he became very enraged , and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity , from two years old and under , according to the time which he had determined from the magi . 17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled : 18 " A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH , WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING , RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN ; AND SHE REFUSED e TO BE COMFORTED , BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE."
19 But when Herod died , behold , an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt , and said , 20 "Get up, take the Child and His mother , and go into the land of Israel ; for those who sought the Child's life are dead ." 21 So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother , and came into the land of Israel . 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod , he was afraid to go there . Then after being warned by God in a dream , he left for the regions of Galilee , 23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth . This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets : "He shall be called a Nazarene ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Matthew 2:13-23
Commentary on Matthew 2:13-15
(Read Matthew 2:13-15)
Egypt had been a house of bondage to Israel, and particularly cruel to the infants of Israel; yet it is to be a place of refuge to the holy Child Jesus. God, when he pleases, can make the worst of places serve the best of purposes. This was a trial of the faith of Joseph and Mary. But their faith, being tried, was found firm. If we and our infants are at any time in trouble, let us remember the straits in which Christ was when an infant.
Commentary on Matthew 2:16-18
(Read Matthew 2:16-18)
Herod killed all the male children, not only in Bethlehem, but in all the villages of that city. Unbridled wrath, armed with an unlawful power, often carries men to absurd cruelties. It was no unrighteous thing with God to permit this; every life is forfeited to his justice as soon as it begins. The diseases and deaths of little children are proofs of original sin. But the murder of these infants was their martyrdom. How early did persecution against Christ and his kingdom begin! Herod now thought that he had baffled the Old Testament prophecies, and the efforts of the wise men in finding Christ; but whatever crafty, cruel devices are in men's hearts, the counsel of the Lord shall stand.
Commentary on Matthew 2:19-23
(Read Matthew 2:19-23)
Egypt may serve to sojourn in, or take shelter in, for awhile, but not to abide in. Christ was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, to them he must return. Did we but look upon the world as our Egypt, the place of our bondage and banishment, and heaven only as our Canaan, our home, our rest, we should as readily arise and depart thither, when we are called for, as Joseph did out of Egypt. The family must settle in Galilee. Nazareth was a place held in bad esteem, and Christ was crucified with this accusation, Jesus the Nazarene. Wherever Providence allots the bounds of our habitation, we must expect to share the reproach of Christ; yet we may glory in being called by his name, sure that if we suffer with him, we shall also be glorified with him.