Now when ‘Isa was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men[1] from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 2“Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.“ 3When Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where al-Masih would be born. 5They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written through the prophet,
6‘But you Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Are in no way least among the rulers of Judah:
Out of you will come forth a ruler,
Who will shepherd my people Israel.‘”[2]
7Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.“
9They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with very great joy. 11They came into the house and saw the young child with Maryam, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12Being warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.
13Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Yusuf in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.“
14He arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt, 15and was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called my son.“[3]
16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was very angry, and sent out, and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men. 17Then that which was spoken by Armiya the prophet was fulfilled, saying,
18“A voice is heard in Ramah,
Weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children;
She refuses to be comforted,
Because they are no more.“ [4]
19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Yusuf in Egypt, saying, 20“Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.“
21He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee, 23and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, that he will be called a Nasrani.[5]
[1] 2:1 The word for “wise men“ (magi) can also mean teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, or sorcerers.
[2] 2:6 Quoting the Taurat, Micah 5:2. See also 2 Samuel 5:2 where similar words were said of Prophet Dawud (pbuh), the forefather of ‘Isa Ibn Maryam.
[3] 2:15 Quoting the Taurat, Hosea 11:1.
[4] 2:18 Quoting the Taurat, Armiya 31:15.
[5] 2:23 The Greek Injil says “Nazoraios,“ the meaning of which is connected with “Nazareth“. Nazareth is an ancient city in the northern regions of Palestine.