The visit of the Magi to King Herod

King Herod the Great is greatly disturbed by the Magi or wise men. They tell him that they have come to worship the baby born to be King.

The murderous King Herod, a Roman appointee, is fearful that he is going to be replaced by another king, the baby Jesus no less.

Herod, although he ruled Judea, was not a Jew. One of his many wives was born a Jewess. He could claim Esau as one of his ancestors.

In Greek, Herod means: heroic.

Background Reading: Herod replies to the Magi [The Wise Men]

3 When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, as was all of Jerusalem. 4 He called together all the high priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, because that is what was written by the prophet:

6 ‘O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
you are by no means least among the rulers of Judah,
because from you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod secretly called together the wise men, found out from them the time the star had appeared, 8 and sent them to Bethlehem. He told them, “As you go, search carefully for the child. When you find him, tell me so that I, too, may go and worship him.”
Matthew 2:3-8

More Information:

King Herod the Great was an Idumean and was made king in 37 BC by the Romans and died in 4BC.

How do we find which Herod is which?
There are a number of men called HEROD in the Bible, starting with King Herod the Great who died in spring sometime between 29th March and 4th April 4BC.

There are also a number of rulers descended from this man, to whom the Bible gives names other than Herod in their title, like King Agrippa 1 and King Agrippa 2. King Herod’s father known as, Antipater the Idumaean, was the first Herod.


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