Matthew 2:7 - Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.

Generated Verse: Matthew 2:7

What does "Matthew 2:7" mean?


This verse is part of the story of the Magi (or wise men) visiting Jerusalem in search of the newborn King of the Jews. Here's a breakdown of what Matthew 2:7 means:

"Then Herod secretly called the wise men..." King Herod, the ruler of Judea at the time, felt threatened by the news of a new king being born. Instead of addressing the situation publicly and possibly causing unrest, he summoned the Magi privately. This shows Herod's manipulative and paranoid nature. He wanted to gather information without raising suspicion.

"...and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared." Herod wanted to know precisely when the star that heralded the birth of the new king had appeared. This was crucial information for him. Why? Because knowing the timing would allow him to calculate approximately how old the child was and, therefore, narrow down his search to eliminate the potential rival to his throne. This also reveals Herod's intention to eliminate the baby.

In essence, this verse highlights Herod's fear, his cunning, and his plan to use the wise men to pinpoint the location of the newborn king so he could eliminate him. It sets the stage for the subsequent events, including the Massacre of the Innocents.