Matthew 2 · Verse 11

Matthew 2:11

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.

Matthew 2:11, King James Version

Matthew 2:11 in other translations

BSB	On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
WEB	They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
ASV	And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
YLT	and having come to the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and having fallen down they bowed to him, and having opened their treasures, they presented to him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh,
DARBY	And having come into the house they saw the little child with Mary his mother, and falling down did him homage. And having opened their treasures, they offered to him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
BBE	And they came into the house, and saw the young child with Mary, his mother; and falling down on their faces they gave him worship; and from their store they gave him offerings of gold, perfume, and spices.
Webster	And when they had come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented to him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

What does Matthew 2:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

11. And when they were come into the house--not the stable; for as soon as Bethlehem was emptied of its strangers, they would have no difficulty in finding a dwelling-house. they saw--The received text has "found"; but here our translators rightly depart from it, for it has no authority. the young child with Mary his mother--The blessed Babe is naturally mentioned first, then the mother; but Joseph, though doubtless present, is not noticed, as being but the head of the house. and fell down and worshipped him--Clearly this was no civil homage to a petty Jewish king, whom these star-guided strangers came so far, and inquired so eagerly, and rejoiced with such exceeding joy, to pay, but a lofty spiritual homage. The next clause confirms this. and when they had opened their treasures they presented--rather, "offered." unto him gifts--This expression, used frequently in the Old Testament of the oblations presented to God, is in the New Testament employed seven times, and always in a religious sense of offerings to God. Beyond doubt, therefore, we are to understand the presentation of these gifts by the Magi as a religious offering. gold, frankincense, and myrrh--Visits were seldom paid to sovereigns without a present (1Ki 10:2, &c.; compare Psa 72:10, 11, 15; Is 60:3, 6). "Frankincense" was an aromatic used in sacrificial offerings; "myrrh" was used in perfuming ointments. These, with the "gold" which they presented, seem to show that the offerers were persons in affluent circumstances. That the gold was presented to the infant King in token of His royalty; the frankincense in token of His divinity, and the myrrh, of His sufferings; or that they were designed to express His divine and human natures; or that the prophetical, priestly, and kingly offices of Christ are to be seen in these gifts; or that they were the offerings of three individuals respectively, each of them kings, the very names of whom tradition has handed down--all these are, at the best, precarious suppositions. But that the feelings of these devout givers are to be seen in the richness of their gifts, and that the gold, at least, would be highly serviceable to the parents of the blessed Babe in their unexpected journey to Egypt and stay there--that much at least admits of no dispute.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 11. The house. The place where he was born, or the place where they lived at that time.

Fell down. This was the usual way of showing respect or homage among the Jews, Est 8:3, Job 1:20, Dan 3:7, Ps 72:11, Isa 46:6.

Worshipped him. Did him homage as King of the Jews. Mt 2:2.

Had opened their treasures. The treasures which they had brought, or the boxes, etc., in which they had brought their gold, etc.

They presented unto him gifts. These were presented to him as King of the Jews, because they supposed he was to be a distinguished prince and conqueror. It was customary at the birth of a prince to show respect for him by making him presents or offerings of this kind. This custom is still common in the East; and it is everywhere there unusual to approach a person of distinguished rank without a valuable present. See Gen 23:14, 43:11, 1Sam 10:27, 1Kgs 10:2, Ps 72:10-15.

Frankincense. This was a production of Arabia. It was a white resin or gum. It was obtained from a tree by making incisions in the bark, and suffering the gum to flow out. It was highly odoriferous or fragrant when burned, and was, therefore, used in worship, where it was burned as a pleasant offering to God. See Ex 30:8, Lev 16:12. It is produced, also, in the East Indies, but chiefly in Arabia; and hence it has been supposed probable that the wise men came from Arabia.

Myrrh. This was also a production of Arabia, and was obtained from a tree in the same manner as frankincense. The name denotes bitterness, and was given to it on account of its great bitterness. It was used chiefly in embalming the dead, because it had the property of preserving them from putrefaction. Comp. Jn 19:39. It was much used in Egypt and in Judea. It was obtained from a thorny tree, which grows eight or nine feet high. It was at an early period an article of commerce, (Ge 37:25) and was an ingredient of the holy ointment, Ex 30:23. It was also used as an agreeable perfume, Est 2:12, Ps 45:8, Prov 7:17. It was, also, sometimes mingled with wine to form an article of drink. Such a drink was given to our Saviour, when about to be crucified, as a stupefying potion, Mk 15:23. Comp. Mt 27:34. These offerings were made because they were the most valuable which their country produced. They were tokens of respect and homage which they paid to the new-born King of the Jews. They evinced their high regard for him, and their belief that he was to be an illustrious prince; and the fact that their deed is recorded with approbation, shows us that we should offer our most valuable possessions, our all, to the Lord Jesus Christ. Wise men came from far to do him homage, and bowed down and presented their best gifts and offerings. It is right that we give to him, also, our hearts, our property, our all.

(m) "gifts" Ps 72:10, Is 40:6

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 11 They presented unto him gifts - The people of the east never approach the presence of kings and great personages, without a present in their hands. This custom is often noticed in the Old Testament, and still prevails in the east, and in some of the newly discovered South Sea Islands. Gold, and frankincense, and myrrh - Some will have these gifts to be emblematic of the Divinity, regal office, and manhood of Christ. "They offered him incense as their God; gold as their king; and myrrh, as united to a human body, subject to suffering and death." Aurum, thus, myrrham, regique, Deo, Hominique, dona ferunt. Juvencus. Rather, they offered him the things which were in most esteem among themselves; and which were productions of their own country. The gold was probably a very providential supply, as on it, it is likely, they subsisted while in Egypt.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 2:9-12

What joy these wise men felt upon this sight of the star, none know so well as those who, after a long and melancholy night of temptation and desertion, under the power of a spirit of bondage, at length receive the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with their spirits that they are the children of God. We may well think what a disappointment it was to them, when they found a cottage was his palace, and his own poor…

Read the full comment on Matthew 2:9-12 →

Matthew 2:11 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532

ἐλθόντεςelthonteshaving comeG2064

εἰςeisintoG1519

τὴνtēntheG3588

οἰκίανoikianhouseG3614

εἶδονeidonthey sawG1492

τὸtotheG3588

παιδίονpaidionChildG3813

μετὰmetawithG3326

ΜαρίαςMariasMaryG3137

τῆςtēstheG3588

μητρὸςmētrosmotherG3384

αὐτοῦ,autouof Him,G846

καὶkaiandG2532

πεσόντεςpesonteshaving fallen downG4098

προσεκύνησανprosekunēsanthey worshipedG4352

αὐτῷ,autōHim,G846

καὶkaiandG2532

ἀνοίξαντεςanoixanteshaving openedG455

τοὺςtoustheG3588

θησαυροὺςthēsauroustreasuresG2344

αὐτῶνautōnof themG846

προσήνεγκανprosēnegkanthey offeredG4374

αὐτῷautōto HimG846

δῶρα,dōragifts,G1435

χρυσὸνchrusongoldG5557

καὶkaiandG2532

λίβανονlibanonfrankincenseG3030

καὶkaiandG2532

σμύρναν.smurnanmyrrh.G4666

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 2:11

Isaiah 60:6
The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord.
Psalms 72:10
The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
Luke 2:16
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
Matthew 2:2
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.
Psalms 95:6
O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
Psalms 72:15
And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.
Numbers 7:14
One spoon of ten shekels of gold, full of incense:
Acts 10:25-26
And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
1 Kings 10:2
And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
Revelation 5:8
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
John 5:22-23
For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
Matthew 14:33
Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

they saw.
Lu 2:16,26-32,38
worshipped.
2; 4:9,10; 14:33; Ps 2:12; 95:6; Joh 5:22,23; Ac 10:25,26; Re 19:10
Re 22:8-10
presented. or, offered.
Ge 43:11; 1Sa 10:27; 1Ki 10:2,10; Ps 72:10,15; Isa 60:6
frankincense.
Ex 30:23,34; Le 2:1,2; 6:15; Nu 7:14,86; Ps 45:8; Mal 1:11; Re 5:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Matthew 2:10
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Matthew 2:11
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.
Matthew 2:12
And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

Read all of Matthew 2

Matthew 2:11 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y entrando en la casa, vieron al niño con su madre María, y postrándose, le adoraron; y abriendo sus tesoros, le ofrecieron dones, oro é incienso y mirra.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et étant entrés dans la maison, ils virent le petit enfant avec Marie sa mère; et, se prosternant, ils lui rendirent hommage; et ayant ouvert leurs trésors, ils lui offrirent des dons, de l’or, et de l’encens, et de la myrrhe.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und als sie in das Haus gekommen waren, sahen sie das Kindlein mit Maria, seiner Mutter, und sie fielen nieder und huldigten ihm; und sie taten ihre Schätze auf und opferten ihm Gaben: Gold und Weihrauch und Myrrhe.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et intrantes domum, invenerunt puerum cum Maria matre ejus, et procidentes adoraverunt eum: et apertis thesauris suis obtulerunt ei munera, aurum, thus, et myrrham.