The Escape to Egypt
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “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.”
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod.
And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
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.
Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
The Return to Nazareth
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 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.”
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
1 Comment
Hi Walt
thanks for all the work you have done putting these verses together. I appreciate it.
While we cannot be certain when the magi came or when Mary & Joseph went to Eygpt, I think it was after Jesus was 40 days old probably up to a year old (Herod would have most likely doubled up the killing age).
Jesus was circumcised on the 8th day, probably at home, and was then presented at the temple in Jerusalem on or after the 40th day. Luke 2:21,22; Lev 12:1-8. If Mary & Joseph had the gifts from the magi when they went to the temple to present Jesus, they could have afforded to offer a lamb, but they could only afford two turtledoves or pigeons. And the narrative seems to imply that they went to Egypt shortley after the magi left. Just some thoughts.