Matthew 2 · Verse 22

Matthew 2:22

But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea 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:
Matthew 2:22, King James Version

Matthew 2:22 in other translations

BSBBut when he learned that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,
WEBBut when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee,
ASVBut when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judæa in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and being warned of God in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee,
YLTand having heard that Archelaus doth reign over Judea instead of Herod his father, he was afraid to go thither, and having been divinely warned in a dream, he withdrew to the parts of Galilee,
DARBYbut having heard that 'Archelaus reigns over Judaea, instead of Herod his father,' he was afraid to go there; and having been divinely instructed in a dream, he went away into the parts of Galilee,
BBEBut when it came to his ears that Archelaus was ruling over Judaea in the place of his father Herod, he was in fear of going there; and God having given him news of the danger in a dream, he went out of the way into the country parts of Galilee.
WebsterBut when he heard that Archelaus reigned in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

What does Matthew 2:22 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
22. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod--Archelaus succeeded to Judea, Samaria, and Idumea; but Augustus refused him the title of king till it should be seen how he conducted himself; giving him only the title of ethnarch [Josephus, Antiquities, 17.11,4]. Above this, however, he never rose. The people, indeed, recognized him as his father's successor; and so it is here said that he "reigned in the room of his father Herod." But, after ten years' defiance of the Jewish law and cruel tyranny, the people lodged heavy complaints against him, and the emperor banished him to Vienne in Gaul, reducing Judea again to a Roman province. Then the "scepter" clean "departed from Judah." he was afraid to go thither--and no wonder, for the reason just mentioned. notwithstanding--or more simply, "but." being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside--withdrew. into the parts of Galilee--or the Galilean parts. The whole country west of the Jordan was at this time, as is well known, divided into three provinces--Galilee being the northern, Judea the southern, and Samaria the central province. The province of Galilee was under the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas, the brother of Archelaus, his father having left him that and Perea, on the east side of the Jordan, as his share of the kingdom, with the title of tetrarch, which Augustus confirmed. Though crafty and licentious, according to Josephus--precisely what the Gospel history shows him to be (see on Mr 6:14-30; Lu 13:31-35)--he was of a less cruel disposition than Archelaus; and Nazareth being a good way off from the seat of government, and considerably secluded, it was safer to settle there.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 22. He heard that Archelaus did reign. Archelaus possessed a cruel and tyrannical disposition similar to his father. At one of the passovers he caused three thousand of the people to be put to death in the temple and city. For his crimes, after he had reigned nine years, he was banished by Augustus, the Roman emperor, to Gaul, where he died. Knowing his character, and fearing that he would not be safe there, Joseph hesitated about going there, and was directed by God to go to Galilee, a place of safety.

The parts of Galilee. The country of Galilee. At this time the land of Palestine was divided into three parts: GALILEE, on the north; SAMARIA, in the middle; and Judea, on the south. Galilee was under the government of Herod Antipas, who was comparatively a mild prince; and in his dominions Joseph might find safety.

(g) "parts of Galilee" Mt 3:13, Lk 2:39

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 22 When he heard that Archelaus did reign - Herod, having put Antipater his eldest son to death, altered his will, and thus disposed of his dominions: he gave the tetrarchy of Galilee and Petrea to his son Antipas; the tetrarchy of Gaulonitis, Trachonitis, Batanea, and Paneadis, to his son Philip; and left the kingdom of Judea to his eldest remaining son, Archelaus. This son partook of the cruel and blood-thirsty disposition of his father: at one of the passovers, he caused three thousand of the people to be put to death in the temple and city. For his tyranny and cruelty, Augustus deprived him of the government, and banished him. His character considered, Joseph, with great propriety, forbore to settle under his jurisdiction. He turned aside into the parts of Galilee - Here Antipas governed, who is allowed to have been of a comparatively mild disposition: and, being intent on building two cities, Julias and Tiberias, he endeavored, by a mild carriage and promises of considerable immunities, to entice people from other provinces to come and settle in them. He was besides in a state of enmity with his brother Archelaus: this was a most favorable circumstance to the holy family; and though God did not permit them to go to any of the new cities, yet they dwelt in peace, safety, and comfort at Nazareth.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 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…

Read the full comment on Matthew 2:19-23 →

Matthew 2:22 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.

ἈκούσαςAkousasHaving heardG191
δὲdenowG1161
ὅτιhotithatG3754
ἈρχέλαοςArchelaosArchelausG745
βασιλεύειbasileueirulesG936
τῆςtēs<the>G3588
ἸουδαίαςIoudaiasJudeaG2449
ἀντὶantiin place ofG473
τοῦtoutheG3588
πατρὸςpatrosfatherG3962
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
ἩρῴδουHērōdouHerodG2264
ἐφοβήθηephobēthēhe was afraidG5399
ἐκεῖekeithereG1563
ἀπελθεῖν.apeltheinto go.G565
χρηματισθεὶςchrēmatistheishaving been divinely warnedG5537
δὲdenowG1161
κατ᾽kat᾽inG2596
ὄναρonara dreamG3677
ἀνεχώρησενanechōrēsenhe withdrewG402
εἰςeisintoG1519
τὰtatheG3588
μέρηmerēdistrictG3313
τῆςtēs<the>G3588
Γαλιλαίας,Galilaiasof Galilee,G1056

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

Cross references for Matthew 2:22

  • Isaiah 48:17-18

    Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:

  • John 7:52

    They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.

  • Luke 2:39

    And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

  • Isaiah 30:21

    And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

  • Matthew 2:12-13

    And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. 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.

  • Psalms 107:6-7

    Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.

  • Matthew 1:20

    But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

  • 1 Samuel 16:2

    And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.

  • Matthew 2:19

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

  • Psalms 121:8

    The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

  • John 7:41-42

    Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?

  • Psalms 73:24

    Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he was.
Ge 19:17-21; 1Sa 16:2; Ac 9:13,14
being.
12; 1:20; Ps 48:14; 73:24; 107:6,7; 121:8; Isa 30:21; 48:17,18
into.
3:13; Lu 2:39; Joh 7:41,42,52

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

Context

  • Matthew 2:21

    And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

  • Matthew 2:22

    But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea 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:

  • Matthew 2:23

    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.

Read all of Matthew 2

Matthew 2:22 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y oyendo que Archelao reinaba en Judea en lugar de Herodes su padre, temió ir allá: mas amonestado por revelación en sueños, se fué á las partes de Galilea.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		mais, ayant entendu dire qu’Archélaüs régnait en Judée à la place d’Hérode son père, il craignit d’y aller; et ayant été averti divinement, en songe, il se retira dans les quartiers de la Galilée,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Als er aber hörte, daß Archelaus über Judäa herrsche, anstatt seines Vaters Herodes, fürchtete er sich, dahin zu gehen; und als er im Traum eine göttliche Weisung empfangen hatte, zog er hin in die Gegenden von Galiläa
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Audiens autem quod Archelaus regnaret in Judæa pro Herode patre suo, timuit illo ire: et admonitus in somnis, secessit in partes Galilææ.