Matthew 2 · Verse 15

Matthew 2:15

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.
Matthew 2:15, King James Version

Matthew 2:15 in other translations

BSBwhere he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
WEBand was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
ASVand was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son.
YLTand he was there till the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled that was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ‘Out of Egypt I did call My Son.'
DARBYAnd he was there until the death of Herod, that that might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
BBEAnd was there till the death of Herod; so that the word of the Lord through the prophet might come true, Out of Egypt have I sent for my son.
WebsterAnd was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken from the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

What does Matthew 2:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
15. And was there until the death of Herod--which took place not very long after this of a horrible disease; the details of which will be found in Josephus [Antiquities, 17.6.1,5,7,8]. that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying--(Ho 11:1). Out of Egypt have I called my son--Our Evangelist here quotes directly from the Hebrew, warily departing from the Septuagint, which renders the words, "From Egypt have I recalled his children," meaning Israel's children. The prophet is reminding his people how dear Israel was to God in the days of his youth; how Moses was bidden to say to Pharaoh, "Thus saith the Lord, Israel is My son, My first-born; and I say unto thee, Let My son go, that he may serve Me; and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy first-born" (Ex 4:22, 23); how, when Pharaoh refused, God having slain all his first-born, "called His own son out of Egypt," by a stroke of high-handed power and love. Viewing the words in this light, even if our Evangelist had not applied them to the recall from Egypt of God's own beloved, Only-begotten Son, the application would have been irresistibly made by all who have learnt to pierce beneath the surface to the deeper relations which Christ bears to His people, and both to God; and who are accustomed to trace the analogy of God's treatment of each respectively.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 15. The death of Herod. Herod died in the thirty-seventh year of his reign. It is not certainly known in what year he began his reign, and hence it is impossible to determine the time that Joseph remained in Egypt. The best chronologers have supposed that he died somewhere between two and four years after the birth of Christ; but at what particular time cannot now be determined. Nor can it be determined at what age Jesus was taken into Egypt. It seems probable that he was supposed to be a year old, (Mt 2:16) and of course the time that he remained in Egypt was not long. Herod died of a most painful and loathsome disease in Jericho. Mt 2:16; also Josephus, Ant. xvii. 10.

That it might be fulfilled, etc. This language is recorded in Hos 11:1. It there evidently speaks of God's calling his people out of Egypt under Moses. See Ex 4:22,23. It might be said to be fulfilled in his calling Jesus from Egypt, because the words in Hosea aptly expressed this also. The same love which led him to deliver his people Israel from the land of Egypt, now led him also to deliver his Son from that place. The words used by Hosea would express both events Mt 1:22. Perhaps, also, the place in Hosea became a proverb, to express any great deliverance from danger; and thus it could be said to be fulfilled in Christ, as other proverbs are in cases to which they are applicable. It cannot be supposed that the passage in Hosea was a prophecy of the Messiah, but was only used by Matthew appropriately to express the event.

(c) "Out of Egypt" Hoss 11:1

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 Out of Egypt have I called my son - This is quoted from Hos 11:1, where the deliverance of Israel, and that only, is referred to. But as that deliverance was extraordinary, it is very likely that it had passed into a proverb, so that "Out of Egypt have I called my son," might have been used to express any signal deliverance. I confess, I can see no other reference it can have to the case in hand, unless we suppose, which is possible, that God might have referred to this future bringing up of his son Jesus from Egypt, under the type of the past deliverance of Israel from the same land. Midrash Tehillin, on Psa 2:7, has these remarkable words: I will publish a decree: this decree has been published in the Law, in the Prophets, and in the Hagiographia. In the Law, Israel is my first-born son: Exo 4:22. In the Prophets, Behold, my servant shall deal prudently: Isa 52:13. In the Hagiographia, The Lord said unto my lord: Psa 110:1. All these passages the Jews refer to the Messiah. See Schoetgen.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 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…

Read the full comment on Matthew 2:13-15 →

Matthew 2:15 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
ἦνēnhe was remainingG1510
ἐκεῖekeithereG1563
ἕωςhe'ōsuntilG2193
τῆςtēstheG3588
τελευτῆςteleutēsdeathG5054
Ἡρῴδου,Hērōdouof Herod,G2264
ἵναinaso thatG2443
πληρωθῇplērōthēait may be fulfilledG4137
τὸtothatG3588
ῥηθὲνrhēthenhaving been spokenG2046
ὑπὸhupobyG5259
κυρίουkuriouLordG2962
διὰdiathroughG1223
τοῦtoutheG3588
προφήτουprophētouprophetG4396
λέγοντος·legontossaying;G3004
ἐξexOutG1537
ΑἰγύπτουAiguptouof EgyptG125
ἐκάλεσαekalesaI calledG2564
τὸνtontheG3588
υἱόνhuionSonG5207
μου.¶mouof mine.G3165

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

Cross references for Matthew 2:15

  • Hosea 11:1

    When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

  • Exodus 4:22

    And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

  • Numbers 24:8

    God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.

  • Luke 24:44

    And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

  • Matthew 1:22

    Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

  • Matthew 2:19

    But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

  • Acts 12:1-4

    Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

  • Matthew 12:16-18

    And charged them that they should not make him known: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

  • Matthew 26:54

    But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

  • Matthew 2:17

    Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,

  • Matthew 4:14-15

    That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

  • Matthew 21:4

    All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
until.
19; Ac 12:1-4,23,24
that.
17,23; 1:22; 4:14,15; 8:17; 12:16-18; 21:4; 26:54,56; 27:35; Lu 24:44
Joh 19:28,36; Ac 1:16
Out.
Ex 4:22; Nu 24:8; Ho 11:1

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

Context

  • Matthew 2:14

    When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

  • Matthew 2:15

    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.

  • Matthew 2:16

    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 enquired of the wise men.

Read all of Matthew 2

Matthew 2:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y estuvo allá hasta la muerte de Herodes: para que se cumpliese lo que fué dicho por el Señor, por el profeta que dijo: De Egipto llamé á mi Hijo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il fut là jusqu’à la mort d’Hérode, afin que fût accompli ce que le ✶Seigneur avait dit par le prophète, disant: « J’ai appelé mon fils hors d’Égypte ».
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er war daselbst bis zum Tode Herodes, auf daß erfüllt würde, was von dem Herrn geredet ist durch den Propheten, welcher spricht: "Aus Ägypten habe ich meinen Sohn gerufen."
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et erat ibi usque ad obitum Herodis: ut adimpleretur quod dictum est a Domino per prophetam dicentem: Ex Ægypto vocavi filium meum.