Matthew 2 · Verse 7

Matthew 2:7

Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

Matthew 2:7, King James Version

Matthew 2:7 in other translations

BSB	Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared.
WEB	Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.
ASV	Then Herod privily called the Wise-men, and learned of them exactly what time the star appeared.
YLT	Then Herod, privately having called the mages, did inquire exactly from them the time of the appearing star,
DARBY	Then Herod, having secretly called the magi, inquired of them accurately the time of the star that was appearing;
BBE	Then Herod sent for the wise men privately, and put questions to them about what time the star had been seen.
Webster	Then Herod, when he had privately called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

What does Matthew 2:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

7. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men--Herod has so far succeeded in his murderous design: he has tracked the spot where lies his victim, an unconscious babe. But he has another point to fix--the date of His birth--without which he might still miss his mark. The one he had got from the Sanhedrim; the other he will have from the sages; but secretly, lest his object should be suspected and defeated. So he inquired of them diligently--rather, "precisely." what time the star appeared--presuming that this would be the best clue to the age of the child. The unsuspecting strangers tell him all. And now he thinks he is succeeding to a wish, and shall speedily clutch his victim; for at so early an age as they indicate, He would not likely have been removed from the place of His birth. Yet he is wary. He sends them as messengers from himself, and bids them come to him, that he may follow their pious example.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 7. Privily. Secretly, privately. He did this to ascertain the time when Jesus was born.

Diligently. Accurately; exactly. He took pains to learn the precise time that the star appeared. He did this because he naturally concluded that the star appeared just at the time of his birth, and he wished to know precisely how old the child was.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 2:1-8

Those who live at the greatest distance from the means of grace often use most diligence, and learn to know the most of Christ and his salvation. But no curious arts, or mere human learning, can direct men unto him. We must learn of Christ by attending to the word of God, as a light that shineth in a dark place, and by seeking the teaching of the Holy Spirit. And those in whose hearts the day-star is risen, to give…

Read the full comment on Matthew 2:1-8 →

Matthew 2:7 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.

ΤότεToteThenG5119

ἩρῴδηςHērōdēsHerodG2264

λάθρᾳlathrasecretlyG2977

καλέσαςkalesashaving calledG2564

τοὺςtoustheG3588

μάγουςmagousMagiG3097

ἠκρίβωσενēkribōseninquired exactlyG198

παρ᾽par᾽ofG3844

αὐτῶνautōnthemG846

τὸνtontheG3588

χρόνονchronontimeG5550

τοῦtouof theG3588

φαινομένουphainomenouappearingG5316

ἀστέρος,asterosstar,G792

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

Cross references for Matthew 2:7

1 Samuel 18:21
And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.
Psalms 83:3-4
They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
Psalms 55:21
The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
Psalms 64:4-6
That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them? They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.
Exodus 1:10
Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.
Isaiah 7:5-7
Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying, Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal: Thus saith the Lord God, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.
Psalms 10:9-10
He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.
Revelation 12:1-5
And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. …
Ezekiel 38:10-11
Thus saith the Lord God; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
Matthew 26:3-5
Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.
Revelation 12:15
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

26:3-5; Ex 1:10; 1Sa 18:21; Ps 10:9,10; 55:21; 64:4-6; 83:3,4
Isa 7:5-7; Eze 38:10,11; Re 12:1-5,15

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

Context

Matthew 2:6
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.
Matthew 2:7
Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
Matthew 2:8
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.

Read all of Matthew 2

Matthew 2:7 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Entonces Herodes, llamando en secreto á los magos, entendió de ellos diligentemente el tiempo del aparecimiento de la estrella;
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Alors Hérode, ayant appelé secrètement les mages, s’informa exactement auprès d’eux du temps de l’étoile qui apparaissait;
German Elberfelder 1871	Dann berief Herodes die Magier heimlich und erforschte genau von ihnen die Zeit der Erscheinung des Sternes;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Tunc Herodes clam vocatis magis diligenter didicit ab eis tempus stellæ, quæ apparuit eis: