Matthew 2:5

5 They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet:

Matthew 2:5 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 2:5

And they said unto him
They answer without any hesitation, it being a generally received notion, and a thing well known among them,

in Bethlehem of Judea;
and give their reason for it; for

thus it is written by the prophet,
that is, the prophet Micah, in whose prophecy, ( Micah 5:2 ) it stands, and is as follows:

Matthew 2:5 In-Context

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;
4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet:
6 'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.'"
7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared;
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.