Matthew 2:16 (WEB)
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men.
As quoted in the map (KJV)
Matthew 2:16 (KJV)
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.
Key words
- ἀνεῖλεν πάντας τοὺς παῖδαςaneilen pantas tous paidas · Greek
- 'slew all the children' — the massacre of the infants of Bethlehem.
- ΒηθλέεμBēthleem · Greek
- 'Bethlehem' — the birthplace of the Messiah and the burial place of Rachel (Genesis 35:19).
Why it matters
Herod slaughters the male children of Bethlehem, and Matthew immediately quotes Jeremiah's Rachel weeping for her children (v. 18). Pitre asks why Matthew places Rachel's lament here: because Rachel's tomb stands at Bethlehem and because Mary, the mother from Bethlehem, now takes up Rachel's role of weeping for and interceding for her children.
Catechism · 1
“The flight into Egypt and the massacre of the innocents” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mt 2:13-18.
Fathers and councils · 21
Tertullian
“…Him with approving shouts, proved its ability to offer Him testimony; while the other, by being slaughtered, for His sake of course, knew what violence meant.” — editor's note: Matt. ii. 16–18.
Read the whole comment“Let Herod, too, mend his manners, so that Jeremy may not glory over him.” — editor's note: Matt. ii. 16–18, and Jer. xxxi. 15.
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Irenaeus of Lyons
“…it that human infants should be martyrs, slain, according to the Scriptures, for the sake of Christ, who was born in Bethlehem of Judah, in the city of David.” — editor's note: Matt. ii. 16.
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Augustine of Hippo
“As wretched Herod feared, and for the Child slew the children.” — editor's note: Matt. ii. 16.
Read the whole comment“Thus, too, Herod, who himself also was a king, is [said there to be] afraid of the royal child, and to put so many little children to death in order to make sure that the one might be slain.” — editor's note: Matt. ii. 1–18.
Read the whole comment“…the parts of Galilee; and 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.” — editor's note: Matt. ii. 13–23.
Read the whole comment“Afterwards, when the things which had been done and said in the temple were made quite public, Herod perceived that he had been mocked; and then, in his desire to get at the death of Christ, he slew the multitude of children, as Matthew records.” — editor's note: Matt. ii. 3–16.
Read the whole comment“Cherish ye not the utterly vain terror that threw Herod the elder into consternation when the birth of Christ was announced, and led him to the murder of so many infants in the hope of including Christ in the fatal number, made more cruel by his fear than by his anger: “My kingdom,” He said, “is not of this world.”” — editor's note: Matt. ii. 3, 16.
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John Chrysostom
“Matt. II. 16.” — the author cites it
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Leo the Great
“…was circumcised: another, when the victim required by the Law is offered for him: another, when the three wise men attracted by the brightness of the new star arrive at Bethlehem from the East and worship the Infant with the mystic offering of Gifts.” — editor's note: It will be noticed that Leo’s order of events, though probably correct, is not that of the modern Kalendar, which places the Epiphany (Jan. 6) soon after the…
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Ambrose of Milan
“What shall I say of those two-year-old children of Bethlehem, who received the palm of victory before they felt their natural life within them?” — editor's note: S. Matt. ii. 16.
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Gregory of Nazianzus
“XVIII. One thing connected with the Birth of Christ I would have you hate…the murder of the infants by Herod.” — editor's note: Matt. ii. 16.
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
When the infant Jesus had subdued the Magi, not by the might of His flesh, but the grace of His Spirit, Herod “was exceeding wrath,” that they whom he, sitting on his throne, had no power to move, were obedient to an…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
And while he thus persecutes Christ, he furnished an army (or martyrs) clothed in white robes of the same age as the Lord.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Behold how this unrighteous enemy never could have so much profited these infants by his love, as he did by his hate; for as much as iniquity abounded against them, so much did the grace of blessing abound on them.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
O blessed infants! He only will doubt of your crown in this your passion for Christ, who doubts that the baptism of Christ has a benefit for infants. He who at His birth had Angels to proclaim Him, the heavens to…
Read the whole comment - Rabanus MaurusCatena Aurea on Matthew
He is not satisfied with the massacre at Bethlehem, but extends it to the adjacent villages; sparing no age from the child of one night old, to that of two years.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Magi had seen this unknown star in the heavens, not a few days, but two years before, as they had informed Herod when he enquired. This caused him to fix “two years old and under;” as it follows, “according to…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or because he feared that the Child to whom even stars ministered, might transform His appearance to greater or under that of His own age, or might conceal all those of that age: hence it seems to be that he slew all…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, disturbed by pressure of still more imminent dangers, Herod’s thoughts are drawn to other thoughts than the slaughter of children, he might suppose that the Magi, unable to find Him whom they had supposed born,…
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on Matthew
In this death of the children the precious death of all Christ’s martyrs is figured; that they were infants signifies, that by the merit of humility alone can we come to the glory of martyrdom; that they were slain…
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Cross-references · 10
Cited together in A Treatise on the Soul Chapter 19.
Cited together in A Treatise on the Soul Chapter 19.
Cited together in Catechism §530.
Cited together in Catechism §530.
Cited together in On the Duties of the Clergy I.41.
Cited together in On the Duties of the Clergy I.41.
Cited together in On the Duties of the Clergy I.41.
Cited together in On the Duties of the Clergy I.41.
Cited together in A Treatise on the Soul Chapter 19.
Cited together in Catechism §530.