Matthew
Chapter 2
King James Version (KJV)
Alternate Word Pictures with Reiterations (AWPR) - Translation mine.
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem
of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the
east to Jerusalem, (KJV)
1)
Then Jesus / Yeshua, having been born in Bethlehem of Judea
in the days of Herod the king:
Behold, look and see;
Magi from (the) rising sun
– from (the) dawn – from (the) East
(publicly and noticeably)
arrived into Jerusalem, (AWPR)
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. (KJV)
2)
Uttering definite words – saying:
‘In what place – Where is He (whom is)
brought forth – born
King
of the Jews?
For –
Because we beheld – saw – observed – watched
the luminous body – the star of Him in the
East,
and came forth
publicly so as to make an appearance
to kiss – to adore
– to show respect and falling/ prostrating obeisance
- to worship him.
(AWPR)
3 When Herod the king had heard these
things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. (KJV)
3)
Then (paying heed and) hearing intently – listening (carefully),
Herod the king
was stirred up and
agitated / troubled with great fear and questions,
and all of Jerusalem with him. (AWPR)
4 And when he had
gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded
of them where Christ should be born.
(KJV)
4)
And gathering – assembling
together
the first / chief priests and Scribes
[Scribes - includes scribes who copy the Torah, Accountants,
and Civil Servant / Officials that were Recorders, Librarians,
and other
various forms of Book or Document Keepers (including
tax-collectors like Matthew, author of
this Gospel).]
of the people,
he asked – inquired – examined from them
where – in what place the Christ was to be
born. (AWPR)
5 And they said unto
him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, (KJV)
5)
Then they said – spoke –
replied to him,
‘In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus – in this manner or way
it has been engraved – inscribed –
carved – written
through the prophet, (AWPR)
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of
Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a
Governor that shall rule my people Israel.
(KJV)
6)
‘And you,
Bethlehem, land of Judah,
by no means – not at all
are you least in rank – dignity – importance
in – amongst the leaders – rulers –
governors of Judah;
for – because out of you will proceed / come
forth
a leader – chief – commander – ruler,
someone who will Shepherd the people –
nation
of Me, Israel. (AWPR)
7 Then Herod, when he
had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star
appeared. (KJV)
7)
At that time then, Herod
in a manner or way concealed from notice –
secretly – discreetly – privately
calling – summoning forth – authoritatively invited
the Magi – the wise men
(and) asked precisely - inquired accurately / inquired exactly
from them the Time – Period – Season
of the shining – illuminating – giving light
[and remaining in that state of excessive illumination]
star – luminous body. (AWPR)
8 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. (KJV)
8)
And causing to go –
sending them
[implies a military escort for part of the journey to ensure
they
went on the correct road
and were certainly on their way. Herod
was in Jerusalem only 4.1 plus miles to the north, where sending word back to
him could be done by one servant sent back on foot, even walking by lamp or
torch by night, in just inside one hour]
into Bethlehem, he said,
‘Having walked and
passed – having gone through,
accurately examine –
exactly with diligence find out –
inquire thoroughly
about
regarding the little
child.
Then, as soon as –
whenever you find and search out / discover,
announce it to –
send word to – make known to
me, so that I may also come up alongside with
(you)
to worship Him.’ (AWPR)
Comment on distance:
Justin, in his Apology, 1.34, says: "And thou,
Bethlehem, the land of Judah" etc.
‘Now there is a village in the land of the Jews, 35 stadia [4.1
miles] from Jerusalem, in which Jesus Christ
was born, as you can [still] ascertain also from the registers of the taxing made
under Cyrenius, your first procurator in Judea." It appears
to me that the Inn or House to where Jesus was to be located was in this
general vicinity at least a mile closer than the boundaries of modern Bethlehem
and in the hills northeast of the current modern city, as yet unexcavated. That makes sense that if Bethlehem was so crowded
that there was no room, they would be forced to make the best they could in the
outskirts of the city, at a in Bethlehem point closest to Jerusalem, and yet
above the primary dust and smog (that generally settles upon the first 200 feet
of a civilization and makes the air tan or brownish as one looks down across a
valley or plain of it), it seems to me.
9 When they had heard
the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went
before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. (KJV)
9)
Then they, having heard
and listened to the king carefully – intently
(continued and) passed through – departed.
And behold, look and see; the luminous body – the star
which they saw – beheld – observed – watched
in the rising sun – in the dawn – in the East
preceded before and led them forth until, coming,
it stood up above / over and upon
where the little child was.
(AWPR)
10 When they saw the
star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. (KJV)
10)
Then seeing – beholding –
observing the luminous body / star,
they rejoiced
with great – abundant
joy – delight –
gladness,
with very much
eagerness. (AWPR)
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw
the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and
when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and
frankincense and myrrh. (KJV)
11)
And coming into the house
/ building, 1
They saw – beheld
– observed the little child
with Miriam /
Mary the mother of Him.
And falling down
prostrate they adored – showed obeisance to –
worshiped Him.
And opening the
treasures put – set – stored of them,
they brought up alongside
with / next to – near to Him
gratuitous –
generous gifts of
gold and
frankincense and myrrh. (AWPR)
12 And being warned
of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their
own country another way. (KJV)
12)
And having been addressed
in a very
straight-forward business-like warning – oracle
by a dream that
they should not go back again – return
up alongside with
Herod,
through another
of the same kind of way – highway – route
they
departed back again into
the
country – land – region – territory of them.2 (AWPR)
13 And when they were
departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying,
Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be
thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to
destroy him. (KJV)
13)
Then they, having left –
having departed back again:
behold, look and
see;
an angel / messenger of (the) LORD
shone – gave
light / illumination – appeared
down in a dream
to Joseph, uttering definite words – saying,
‘Rise (from
sleep and sluggishness) – Rise up!
take up and seize the little child and the
mother of Him,
and
hurriedly flee – escape quickly into
Egypt;
and be you
in that place there
until I
shall speak to you:
for Herod
is at the point of – is about to look for and strive to find
the little
child, to kill – put to death – destroy Him.’
(AWPR)
14 When he arose, he
took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: (KJV)
14)
Then he rising up (from sleep and sluggishness)
Took up and
seized – snatched up
The little child
and the mother of Him by night,
And departed
back again into Egypt.3
(AWPR)
15 And was there
until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the
Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. (KJV)
15)
And he was in that place there until
the end –
completion (death) of Herod,
in order that
would be fulfilled that spoken
under the LORD
through the prophets,
laying down
definite words saying – speaking,
‘Out of Egypt
I have called / summoned forth
The Son of
Me.’
(AWPR)
16 Then Herod, when
he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth,
and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts
thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had
diligently inquired of the wise men. (KJV)
16)
At that time then, Herod (upon) seeing –beholding that
he was deluded –
deceived – played the fool
under – by the Magi,
(he) was provoked into a great wrath –
indignation – rage.
And sending
forth [soldiers on his resulting orders],
He took away in
death – he murdered
All the male
children in Bethlehem,
And in all the
boundaries – frontiers – limits – region of it,
From 2 years and
downwards,
According to the
Time he diligently and accurately inquired
From the proximity
of
[i.e., that
Herod posed to a group presented before him
who were also far
enough away to converse in whispers secretly
among
themselves]
The Magi.
17) Then was fulfilled that which was
spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
(KJV)
17) Then at that
time was fulfilled – accomplished – completed
that definitely uttered /
said
under – by – through Jeremiah the
prophet
saying,
(AWPR)
18 In Rama was there
a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for
her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. (KJV)
18)
‘A voice – A sound
Shone forth –toned
forth
[and
would echo in the recurring recollections of the minds
of those who
heard it]
in Rama was
attentively heard – listened carefully to:
loud wailing and
grievous weeping with tears,
and much
(tormented – sorrowful) bewailing;
Rachel grievously
weeping with tears for the children of her,
And certainly not
willing / certainly not having the
will – desire –
purpose
to have called to
the side of – to be aided or comforted
because they
certainly were not.’
(AWPR)
Comment: The tomb of Rachel, wife of Jacob, who died
in giving birth to Benjamin (cf. Genesis 35:16-19), was and is located in the
region that is now the city of modern Bethlehem. Benjamin was called Ben-Oni “son of I / son
of me”, which some have mistranslated as “son of my sorrow”. However, Jacob affirms it was “son of I / son
of me” when he renamed the child as Ben-Yamin “Son at my Right Hand”. Indeed, Jesus / Yeshua would eventually be
known to humanity as “the son at the Right Hand” of GOD the Father Almighty.
19 But when Herod was
dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
(KJV)
19)
Then Herod
having come to
his end – having expired / completed / died;
behold, look and
see: an Angel of (the) LORD
down in a dream
gives light – shines – appears
to Joseph in
Egypt,
(AWPR)
20 Saying, Arise, and
take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they
are dead which sought the young child's life.
(KJV)
20)
Speaking with definite
words – saying,
‘Rising up
(from sleep and sluggishness).
Take up –
possess – seize – take along
the little
child and the mother of Him,
and pass
through into (the) Land of Israel:
for –
because those seeking – striving to find
the soul of
/ the life of the little child
have died
(by natural means).’ (AWPR)
21 And he arose, and
took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. (KJV)
21)
Then he [Joseph] rising up,
took up – seized
and took along – snatched up
the little child
and the mother of Him,
and came forth
publicly into (the) Land of Israel.
(AWPR)
22 But when he heard
that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was
afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he
turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
(KJV)
22)
Then, hearing attentively
and hearkening that Archelaus
reigns upon
Judea against / in place of – in lieu of
/
in substitution
as a successor of
Herod the father
of him,
he [Joseph] feared and
trembled with fright and terror
(so as to run
away) [rather than] to go there in that place:
Then, down in a
dream,
being addressed
in a very
straight-forward business-like
order -
response - warning – oracle,
he [Joseph] departed back again into the [sea – waters
of the] sides – parts – coasts.4
And behold,
look and see;
The heavens to
him were opened,
And he saw –
beheld – observed (it was) the Galilee.
(AWPR)
23 And he came and
dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by
the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. (KJV)
23)
And having come forth
publicly,
He dwelt in a
permanent dwelling / he resided
Into a city –
protected settlement called Nazareth;
So as to
accomplish – make full – complete – fulfill
That spoken –
foretold through the prophet:
‘He shall
be summoned forth / called Nazarene.”
(AWPR)
Disclaimer: The Alternate
Word Pictures with Reiterations (AWPR) translation should be used as a Bible
Study Aid only, and it is recommended that a direct literal translation or the
King James Bible be used for regular and ecclesiastical purposes, and that the
AWPR be used in association only as a Bible study aid so as to help the reader
/ user in their Bible Studying to clarify context and Scriptural Intent. Thanks.
-- Brianroy
End-notes:
1. The
events of the Magi arriving is AFTER the events listed in Luke Chapter 2. Finding Mary and Jesus the angelically
announced Messiah in a manure filled stall, it is not a stretch in any way that
the Shepherds (who possibly were raising their flocks primarily in the valley of Achor, south of Jericho –
Isaiah 65:9-10, before proceeding round about to Jerusalem through the south
via Bethlehem) could easily have used sheep as payment for someone or the Inn
itself to take Miriam and her baby in out of doors. Judaism often places an emphasis of the
relationship of child and mother, and of common decency. A trade (for example) of 7 fat sheep for
eating, and perhaps a lamb without spot or blemish for trade or sacrifice for
the Temple would have been more than sufficient payment. There is absolutely no justification for any
relocation of the event to Nazareth or anywhere else. In fact, the events of both the Shepherds and
the visit by the Magi would have preceded the actual day of circumcision of the
little child Jesus, meaning the visits by the Shepherds in Luke 2 (written in
A.D. 50) and that of the Magi in Matthew 2 (written between June of A.D. 55 and
the early fall of A.D. 56 at the latest), both were completed within the first
8 days of Jesus birth.
2. The
Highway to Israel from Babylonia would have been via: Accad, Mari, Tadmor, Damascus, Capernaum,
Jericho, Jerusalem, and points along that route.
The exit taken by the Magi away
from Herod, would likely have been south from Bethlehem to the road that passed
from Kadesh Barnea (around the southern part of the Dead Sea traveling East
then North through Edom on the King's Highway) to Rabboth-Bene-Ammon, then due
east to Dumah, and from Dumah to Babylonia.
3. “Departed
back again” is the most accurate
translation possible for the Koine Greek Word of this verse, which is “anechoresen”
– the aorist indicative active of anachoreo. This means that Joseph, although of the House
of David, was a Jew who was previously living in Egypt and for some time had
made his home and livelihood there. Most
likely that home was in Alexandria, and the use of the aorist indicative active
of anachoreo in the way it is presented in this verse suggests that is where
Mary also had spent some time as the wife of Joseph upon her marriage to
him. It also gives cause for a working
hypothesis as to part of the reason why Mark took his Gospel to Alexandria
after the death of the Apostle Peter on June 29, 57 A.D., and founded what
would be the Coptic Church before his own death in the 8th year of Nero in A.D.
62 (just 5 years after that of Peter’s death in Rome). There must have been some sort of familiarity
and testimony that joined Joseph by family and (Mary and the LORD Jesus to that
city later, albeit briefly) as a city of refuge away from and out of Herod’s
jurisdiction and influence.
4. Joseph, it seems to me, most clearly took the
little child / baby Jesus and the mother of Him out of Egypt by ship back to
Israel. They probably first embarked to
Joppa, heard the news of Archelaus, and then took the journey to the next stop
of Caesarea (Song of Solomon 2:1) on the coast of Samaria and entered through
the plain of Sharon. Prophecy related to
Sharon in the Old Testament informs us that Joseph then would have proceeded by
land up to Mount Carmel (Isaiah 35:1-2) before turning aside to Galilee, so as
to appear to enter it from an origin in the north and avert suspicion as having
actually come from the south.
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