Matthew 2:13-15

Context

The Escape to Egypt

2:13 After they had gone, an¹ angel of the Lord² appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod³ is going to look for the child to kill him.” 2:14 Then he got up, took the child and his mother during⁴ the night, and went to Egypt. 2:15 He stayed there until Herod⁵ died. In this way what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet was fulfilled: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”⁶

[2:13] ¹tn Grk “behold, an angel.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[2:13] ²tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:20.

[2:13] ³sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. Herod the Great was particularly ruthless regarding the succession to his throne.

[2:14] ⁴tn The feminine singular genitive noun νυκτός (nuktos, “night”) indicates the time during which the action of the main verb takes place (ExSyn 124).

[2:15] ⁵sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.

[2:15] ⁶sn A quotation from Hos 11:1.