JESUS' FAMILY FLEES TO EGYPT

Passage: Matthew 2:13-23

Key verse: 14-15a

NIV

The Escape to Egypt

13 When they had gone, an angel(A) of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.(B) “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”(C)

14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled(D) what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”[a](E)

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:(F)

18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
    weeping and great mourning,
Rachel(G) weeping for her children
    and refusing to be comforted,
    because they are no more.”[b](H)

The Return to Nazareth

19 After Herod died, an angel(I) of the Lord appeared in a dream(J) to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”(K)

21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream,(L) he withdrew to the district of Galilee,(M) 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth.(N) So was fulfilled(O) what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.(P)

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 2:15 Hosea 11:1
  2. Matthew 2:18 Jer. 31:15
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Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Flight to Egypt

13 Now when they had departed, behold, (A)an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. (B)This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, (C)“Out of Egypt I called my son.”

Herod Kills the Children

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 (D)Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

18 (E)“A voice was heard in Ramah,
    weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
    she refused to be comforted, because they (F)are no more.”

The Return to Nazareth

19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for (G)those who sought the child's life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and (H)being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called (I)Nazareth, (J)so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

First, escaping Herod's wrath (13-18)

God knew exactly what Herod wanted to do to Jesus, and he sent an angel to Joseph to warn him to flee with Mary and Jesus to Egypt. They had to run for their lives in the middle of the night. But even this hardship was the fulfillment of God's prophecy. Jesus is the culmination of Israel, whom God called out of Egypt. When Herod found out the Magi had frustrated his plan, he gave orders to wipe out all the baby boys around Bethlehem. Herod was the tool of Satan, who is the true enemy of God's work in Jesus.

Second, the danger passes (19-23)

Herod was just a man and did not live long after this. The angel came again to Joseph in Egypt to tell them it was safe to return home and warned him not to settle near Jerusalem. Joseph went to live in Nazareth in Galilee, where Jesus would grow up.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for protecting me against all the enemy's attacks so far. Help me endure hardships bravely in spiritual battle.

One Word: God protects from spiritual danger