Matthew 2:10

10 Now [when they] saw the star, they rejoiced [with] very great joy.

Matthew 2:10 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 2:10

When they saw the star
Which by its appearance, size, brightness they knew to be the same with that which they had seen, when in their own country;

they rejoiced with exceeding great joy;
a "pleonasm" or a redundancy of expression frequently used by the Hebrews, see ( John 4:6 ) and the Septuagint there; setting forth the rapture, the excess of joy they were in upon the sight of the star. Very probably before this, their hearts were sad, their countenances dejected, and they greatly discouraged, having taken so great a journey, and as yet to so little purpose. They had been at Jerusalem, where they expected to have found him that was born king of the Jews; they had been at court, and conversed with men of the greatest figure and intelligence, and could get no tidings of him; people of all ranks and degrees seemed to be troubled at the account they brought; no body cared to go along with them to Bethlehem: all these circumstances no doubt were discouraging to them; but as soon as they saw the star their spirits revived, joy filled their hearts, cheerfulness appeared in their countenances; and they pursued their journey with inexpressible delight, till they came to the place where the illustrious person was they were seeking after.

Matthew 2:10 In-Context

8 And he sent them to Bethlehem [and] said, "Go, inquire carefully concerning the child, and when you have found [him], report to me so that I also may come [and] worship him."

9 [After] they listened to the king, they went out, and behold, the star which they had seen at its rising led them until it came [and] stood above [the place] where the child was.

10 Now [when they] saw the star, they rejoiced [with] very great joy.

11 And [when they] came into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down [and] worshiped him. And opening their treasure boxes, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.

12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their [own] country by another route.

Footnotes

• [a]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("saw") which is understood as temporal