Matthew 4 · Verse 13

Matthew 4:13

And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
Matthew 4:13, King James Version

Matthew 4:13 in other translations

BSBLeaving Nazareth, He went and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
WEBLeaving Nazareth, he came and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
ASVand leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali:
YLTand having left Nazareth, having come, he dwelt at Capernaum that is by the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtalim,
DARBYand having left Nazareth, he went and dwelt at Capernaum, which is on the sea-side in the borders of Zabulon and Nepthalim,
BBEAnd going away from Nazareth, he came and made his living-place in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the country of Zebulun and Naphtali:
WebsterAnd leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim;

What does Matthew 4:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. And leaving Nazareth--The prevalent opinion is that this refers to a first visit to Nazareth after His baptism, whose details are given by Luke (Lu 4:16, &c.); a second visit being that detailed by our Evangelist (Mt 13:54-58), and by Mark (Mr 6:1-6). But to us there seem all but insuperable difficulties in the supposition of two visits to Nazareth after His baptism; and on the grounds stated in Lu 4:16, &c., we think that the one only visit to Nazareth is that recorded by Matthew (Mt 13:53-58), Mark (Mr 6:1-6), and Luke (Lu 4:14-30). But how, in that case, are we to take the word "leaving Nazareth" here? We answer, just as the same word is used in Ac 21:3, "Now when we had sighted Cyprus, and left it on the left, we sailed into Syria,"--that is, without entering Cyprus at all, but merely "sighting" it, as the nautical phrase is, they steered southeast of it, leaving it on the northwest. So here, what we understand the Evangelist to say is, that Jesus, on His return to Galilee, did not, as might have been expected, make Nazareth the place of His stated residence, but, "leaving [or passing by] Nazareth," he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the seacoast--maritime Capernaum, on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee; but the precise spot is unknown. (See on Mt 11:23). Our Lord seems to have chosen it for several reasons. Four or five of the Twelve lived there; it had a considerable and mixed population, securing some freedom from that intense bigotry which even to this day characterizes all places where Jews in large numbers dwell nearly alone; it was centrical, so that not only on the approach of the annual festivals did large numbers pass through it or near it, but on any occasion multitudes could easily be collected about it; and for crossing and recrossing the lake, which our Lord had so often occasion to do, no place could be more convenient. But one other high reason for the choice of Capernaum remains to be mentioned, the only one specified by our Evangelist. in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim--the one lying to the west of the Sea of Galilee, the other to the north of it; but the precise boundaries cannot now be traced out.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 13. Leaving Nazareth. Because his townsmen cast him out, and rejected him. See Lk 4:14-30.

Came and dwelt in Capernaum. This was a city on the north-west corner of the sea of Tiberias. It is not mentioned in the Old Testament, but is repeatedly in the Gospels. Though it was once a city of renown, and the metropolis of all Galilee, the site it occupied is now uncertain. When Mr. Fisk, an American missionary, travelled in Syria in 1823, he found twenty or thirty uninhabited Arab huts, occupying what are supposed to be the ruins of the once exalted city of Capernaum.

In this place, and its neighbourhood, Jesus spent no small part of the three years of his public ministry. It is hence called his own city, Mt 9:1. Here he healed the nobleman's son, (Jn 4:47) Peter's wife's mother, (Mt 8:14) the centurion's servant, (Mt 8:5) and the ruler's daughter, (Mt 9:28-25.)

Upon the sea coast. The sea of Tiberius.

In the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim. These were two tribes of the children of Israel which were located in this part of the land of Canaan, and constituted, in the time of Christ, a part of Galilee. Comp. Gen 49:13, Josh 19:10,32. The word borders here means boundaries. Jesus came and dwelt in the boundaries or regions of Zebulun and Naphtali.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 And leaving Nazareth - Or, entirely leaving Nazareth, και καταλιπων την Ναζαρετ, from κατα, intensive, and Δειπω, I leave. It seems that, from this time, our blessed Lord made Capernaum his ordinary place of residence; and utterly forsook Nazareth, because they had wholly rejected his word, and even attempted to take away his life. See Luk 4:29. Galilee was bounded by mount Lebanon on the north, by the river Jordan and the sea of Galilee on the east, by Chison on the south, and by the Mediterranean on the west. Nazareth, a little city in the tribe of Zebulon, in lower Galilee, with Tabor on the east, and Ptolemais on the west. It is supposed that this city was the usual residence of our Lord for the first thirty years of his life. It was here he became incarnate, lived in subjection to Joseph and Mary, and from which he took the name of a Nazorean. Capernaum, a city famous in the New Testament, but never mentioned in the Old. Probably it was one of those cities which the Jews built after their return from Babylon. It stood on the sea-coast of Galilee, on the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim, as mentioned in the text. This was called his own city, Mat 9:1, etc., and here, as a citizen, he paid the half shekel, Mat 17:24. Among the Jews, if a man became a resident in any city for twelve months, he thereby became a citizen, and paid his proportion of dues and taxes. See Lightfoot. Capernaum is well known to have been the principal scene of our Lord's miracles during the three years of his public ministry. Zabulon, the country of this tribe, in which Nazareth and Capernaum were situated, bordered on the lake of Gennesareth, stretching to the frontiers of Sidon, Gen 49:13. Nephthalim was contiguous to it, and both were on the east side of Jordan, Jos 19:34.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 4:12-17

It is just with God to take the gospel and the means of grace, from those that slight them and thrust them away. Christ will not stay long where he is not welcome. Those who are without Christ, are in the dark. They were sitting in this condition, a contented posture; they chose it rather than light; they were willingly ignorant. When the gospel comes, light comes; when it comes to any place, when it comes to any…

Read the full comment on Matthew 4:12-17 →

Matthew 4:13 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
καταλιπὼνkatalipōnhaving leftG2641
τὴνtēn<the>G3588
Ναζαρά,NazaraNazareth,G3478
ἐλθὼνelthōnhaving comeG2064
κατῴκησενkatōkēsenhe dweltG2730
εἰςeisatG1519
ΚαφαρναοὺμKapharnaoumCapernaumG2584
τὴνtēnwhichG3588
παραθαλασσίανparathalassian[is] on the sea-sideG3864
ἐνeninG1722
ὁρίοιςhoriois[the] regionG3725
ΖαβουλὼνZaboulōnof ZebulunG2194
καὶkaiandG2532
Νεφθαλίμ,Nephthalimof Naphtali,G3508

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

Cross references for Matthew 4:13

  • John 4:46

    So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

  • Mark 1:21

    And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

  • Matthew 11:23

    And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

  • John 6:24

    When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.

  • John 6:59

    These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

  • Matthew 17:24

    And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?

  • John 6:17

    And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.

  • Joshua 19:32-39

    The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali, even for the children of Naphtali according to their families. And their coast was from Heleph, from Allon to Zaanannim, and Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, unto Lakum; and the outgoings thereof were at Jordan: And then the coast turneth westward to Aznoth–tabor, and goeth out from thence to Hukkok, and reacheth to Zebulun on the south side, and reacheth to Asher on the west side, and to Judah upon Jordan toward the sunrising. And the fenced cities are Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth, …

  • Luke 4:30-31

    But he passing through the midst of them went his way, And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.

  • John 2:12

    After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.

  • Joshua 19:10-16

    And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families: and the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid: And their border went up toward the sea, and Maralah, and reached to Dabbasheth, and reached to the river that is before Jokneam; And turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrising unto the border of Chisloth–tabor, and then goeth out to Daberath, and goeth up to Japhia, And from thence passeth on along on the east to Gittah–hepher, to Ittah–kazin, and goeth out to Remmon–methoar to Neah; …

  • Luke 4:23

    And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
leaving.
Lu 4:30,31
Capernaum.
11:23; 17:24; Mr 1:21; Joh 4:46; 6:17,24,59
Zabulon.
Jos 19:10-16
Zebulun. Nephthalim.
Jos 19:32-39
Naphtali.

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

Context

  • Matthew 4:12

    Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

  • Matthew 4:13

    And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

  • Matthew 4:14

    That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

Read all of Matthew 4

Matthew 4:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y dejando á Nazaret, vino y habitó en Capernaum, ciudad marítima, en los confines de Zabulón y de Nephtalim:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et ayant quitté Nazareth, il alla demeurer à Capernaüm, qui est au bord de la mer, sur les confins de Zabulon et de Nephthali,
German
Elberfelder 1871		und er verließ Nazareth und kam und wohnte in Kapernaum, das am See liegt, in dem Gebiet von Zabulon und Nephtalim;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et, relicta civitate Nazareth, venit, et habitavit in Capharnaum maritima, in finibus Zabulon et Nephthalim: