Matthew 2:22
But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
Original Language Analysis
ὅτι
that
G3754
ὅτι
that
Strong's:
G3754
Word #:
3 of 26
demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because
ἐπὶ
in
G1909
ἐπὶ
in
Strong's:
G1909
Word #:
6 of 26
properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e., over, upon, etc.; of re
τῆς
G3588
τῆς
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
7 of 26
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Ἰουδαίας
Judaea
G2449
Ἰουδαίας
Judaea
Strong's:
G2449
Word #:
8 of 26
the judaean land (i.e., judaea), a region of palestine
ἀντὶ
in the room
G473
ἀντὶ
in the room
Strong's:
G473
Word #:
9 of 26
opposite, i.e., instead or because of (rarely in addition to)
τοῦ
G3588
τοῦ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
11 of 26
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
πατρὸς
father
G3962
πατρὸς
father
Strong's:
G3962
Word #:
12 of 26
a "father" (literally or figuratively, near or more remote)
αὐτοῦ
of his
G846
αὐτοῦ
of his
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
13 of 26
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
ἐφοβήθη
he was afraid
G5399
ἐφοβήθη
he was afraid
Strong's:
G5399
Word #:
14 of 26
to frighten, i.e., (passively) to be alarmed; by analogy, to be in awe of, i.e., revere
ἀπελθεῖν·
to go
G565
ἀπελθεῖν·
to go
Strong's:
G565
Word #:
16 of 26
to go off (i.e., depart), aside (i.e., apart) or behind (i.e., follow), literally or figuratively
χρηματισθεὶς
being warned of God
G5537
χρηματισθεὶς
being warned of God
Strong's:
G5537
Word #:
17 of 26
to utter an oracle (compare the original sense of g5530), i.e., divinely intimate; by implication, (compare the secular sense of g5532) to constitute
κατ'
in
G2596
κατ'
in
Strong's:
G2596
Word #:
19 of 26
(prepositionally) down (in place or time), in varied relations (according to the case (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined)
εἰς
into
G1519
εἰς
into
Strong's:
G1519
Word #:
22 of 26
to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases
τὰ
G3588
τὰ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
23 of 26
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
μέρη
the parts
G3313
μέρη
the parts
Strong's:
G3313
Word #:
24 of 26
a division or share (literally or figuratively, in a wide application)
Cross References
Luke 2:39And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.John 7:52They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.Isaiah 30:21And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.Psalms 121:8The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.Psalms 73:24Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.Psalms 48:14For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.Matthew 2:19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,Matthew 1:20But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.Matthew 3:13Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.1 Samuel 16:2And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.
Historical Context
Archelaus inherited Judea, Samaria, and Idumea when Herod died. He was so brutal that Rome deposed him in AD 6. His cruelty made Galilee, ruled by his brother Herod Antipas, a safer choice despite Antipas later executing John the Baptist.
Questions for Reflection
- How does this passage demonstrate that faith and prudence work together rather than oppose each other?
- What role does godly wisdom play in making decisions while trusting God's sovereign providence?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
Joseph's fear of Archelaus demonstrates godly prudence that combines faith with wisdom. God's subsequent dream warning shows that trusting God doesn't mean ignoring legitimate dangers or abandoning discernment. The divine redirection to Galilee placed Jesus in the region where He would conduct most of His ministry, showing how God's providence works through human decisions informed by both reason and revelation.