16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the
wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the
male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years
old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the
prophet, saying: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.”
Commentary
When the wise men failed to return to Herod he realized that he had been deceived by them, and so the Child was not going to be betrayed to him by them. Therefore in a fit of rage Herod now orders the execution of every male child born in Bethlehem and its surrounding districts that were two years old and under, according to the time which he determined from the wise men when they had seen His star. Thus Herod by doing so in a very cold and calculating way sought to destroy any and all possible rivals to himself. Now the number of children put to death by him is not known, but what is known in doing so Herod was unwittingly fulfilling what the prophet Jeremiah foresaw and spoke of when he said; “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.” (Jer. 31:15). Now Ramah was located outside of Bethlehem and so it was there where the massacre took place, a location which was also the ancient burial place of Rachel, Jacob’s (i.e. Israel’s) wife, and thus she is seen in Jeremiah’s prophecy mourning and weeping over the loss of their children. This prophecy then being fulfilled by Herod’s heinous act will begin the journeys of the Lord Jesus Christ's Childhood and what will be the long awaited journey for Israel’s restoration to God through their King and Messiah the Lord Jesus Christ, the bulk of which is yet to be fulfilled, and won’t be fulfilled until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in (Rom. 11:25-27).
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
Commentary
When the wise men failed to return to Herod he realized that he had been deceived by them, and so the Child was not going to be betrayed to him by them. Therefore in a fit of rage Herod now orders the execution of every male child born in Bethlehem and its surrounding districts that were two years old and under, according to the time which he determined from the wise men when they had seen His star. Thus Herod by doing so in a very cold and calculating way sought to destroy any and all possible rivals to himself. Now the number of children put to death by him is not known, but what is known in doing so Herod was unwittingly fulfilling what the prophet Jeremiah foresaw and spoke of when he said; “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.” (Jer. 31:15). Now Ramah was located outside of Bethlehem and so it was there where the massacre took place, a location which was also the ancient burial place of Rachel, Jacob’s (i.e. Israel’s) wife, and thus she is seen in Jeremiah’s prophecy mourning and weeping over the loss of their children. This prophecy then being fulfilled by Herod’s heinous act will begin the journeys of the Lord Jesus Christ's Childhood and what will be the long awaited journey for Israel’s restoration to God through their King and Messiah the Lord Jesus Christ, the bulk of which is yet to be fulfilled, and won’t be fulfilled until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in (Rom. 11:25-27).
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
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