When he arose, he took the young child and his
mother,
&c.] That is, as soon as he awoke out of sleep, and rose from
his bed, he did as he was commanded, he prepared for his journey;
and very opportunely had the wise men presented their gifts; the
gold they brought served to defray the expense of this journey,
and which no doubt was so ordered by divine providence for this
purpose. Joseph was very punctual and expeditious in obeying the
command of God; he took the young child and his mother,
by night,
the very selfsame night in which he had this notice; and which
season was the most fitting to depart in for secrecy, and most
commodious and agreeable to travel in, in those hot countries:
hence it appears very manifest, that the coming of the wise men,
and the departure of Joseph with Mary and Jesus into Egypt, could
not be within a fortnight after the birth of Christ, nor any time
before Mary's Purification; since such a journey must have been
very improper and unsuitable, at any time within that period; but
rather Jesus must be about two years of age, whether something
under, or over, it matters not, when Joseph with him
departed into Egypt:
what part of Egypt he went into is not certain. The Jews say that
Jesus went to Alexandria in Egypt, and which is probable enough;
since this was a place greatly resorted to at this time by Jews,
and where provision was made for their sustenance; though they
greatly mistake the person with whom he went; for they say
F6 that R. Joshua ben Perachiah, whom
they pretend was his master, went to Alexandria in Egypt, and
Jesus with him. However, this is an acknowledgment of the truth
of this part of Christ's history, that he was in Egypt; as also
when they blasphemously and maliciously say F7, did
not Ben Stada, by whom they mean Jesus, bring enchantments or
magic, (Myrumm Mypvk) ,
"out of Egypt", in a cutting in the flesh? To which wicked
accusation Arnobius seems to refer F8, when he says,
``perhaps we may meet with many other of these reproachful and childish sayings; as that he was a magician, that he performed all these things by secret arts, and that he stole strange sciences, and the names of mighty angels, out of the temples of the Egyptians.''