Luke 2:17

17 When they had seen him, they told what the angels had said about this child.

Luke 2:17 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 2:17

And when they had seen it
Or "him", as the Arabic version reads, the child Jesus, or "them", Joseph, Mary, and the child; or this whole affair, as had been related to them:

they made known abroad;
not only in the inn, and among all the people there but throughout the city of Bethlehem,

the saying which was told them concerning this child:
both what the angel had told them concerning his birth, and what he was, and where he lay; and what Mary had told them concerning the notice she had from an angel of the conception of him, and the manner of it, and of what he should be; and likewise what Joseph had told them, how an angel had appeared to him, and had acquainted him, after the conception of him, that it was of the Holy Ghost; and was bid to call his name Jesus: as Mary also was, because he was to be the Saviour of his people from their sins: for, no doubt, but they had a conversation with Joseph and Mary about him; and as they could not fail of relating to them, what they had seen and heard that night in the fields, it is reasonable to suppose, that Joseph and Mary would give them some account of the above things; which all make up the saying, or report, they spread abroad: the Persic version reads, "what they had heard of the angel"; but there is no reason to confine it to that.

Luke 2:17 In-Context

15 When the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let's go to Bethlehem. Let's see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about."

16 So the shepherds went quickly and found Mary and Joseph and the baby, who was lying in a feeding box.

17 When they had seen him, they told what the angels had said about this child.

18 Everyone was amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

19 But Mary treasured these things and continued to think about them.