1 map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.

2tn Grk "in the days."

3sn King Herod was Herod the Great, who ruled Palestine from 37 b.c. until he died in 4 b.c. He was known for his extensive building projects (including the temple in Jerusalem) and for his cruelty.

4sn The Greek term magi here describes a class of wise men and priests who were astrologers (L&N 32.40).

5map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

6tn Or "in its rising," referring to the astrological significance of a star in a particular portion of the sky. The term used for the "East" in v. 1 is ἀνατολαί (anatolai, a plural form that is used typically of the rising of the sun), while in vv. 2 and 9 the singular ἀνατολή (anatolh) is used. The singular is typically used of the rising of a star and as such should not normally be translated "in the east" (cf. BDAG 74 s.v. 1: "because of the sg. and the article in contrast to ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν, vs. 1, [it is] prob. not a geograph. expr. like the latter, but rather astronomical…likew. vs. 9").

7sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.

8tn Or "and scribes of the people." The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateu") as "scribe" does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean "professional copyist," if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus "expert in the law" comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.

9tn Or "Messiah"; both "Christ" (Greek) and "Messiah" (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean "one who has been anointed."

sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.

10sn A quotation from Mic 5:2.

11sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.

12tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

13tn Grk "and behold the star."

14tn See the note on the word "rose" in 2:2.

15tn Grk "they rejoiced with very great joy."

16tn Grk "they fell down." BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב has "fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion, before high-ranking persons or divine beings."

17sn Frankincense refers to the aromatic resin of certain trees, used as a sweet-smelling incense (L&N 6.212).

18sn Myrrh consisted of the aromatic resin of certain shrubs (L&N 6.208). It was used in preparing a corpse for burial.

19sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.

20tn Grk "behold, an angel." The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

21tn Or "the angel of the Lord." See the note on the word "Lord" in 1:20.

22sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. Herod the Great was particularly ruthless regarding the succession to his throne.

23tn The feminine singular genitive noun νυκτός (nuktos, "night") indicates the time during which the action of the main verb takes place (ExSyn 124).

24sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.

25sn A quotation from Hos 11:1.

26sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. Note the fulfillment of the prophecy given by the angel in 2:13.

27tn Or "soldiers."

28map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.

29tc The LXX of Jer 38:15 (31:15 ET) has "lamentation, weeping, and loud wailing"; most later mss (C D L W 0233 ˹³ 33 Ï) have a quotation in Matthew which conforms to that of the LXX (θρῆνος καὶ κλαυθμός καὶ ὀδυρμός; qrhno" kai klauqmo" kai odurmo"). But such assimilations were routine among the scribes; as such, they typically should be discounted because they are both predictable and motivated. The shorter reading, without "lamentation and," is thus to be preferred, especially since it cannot easily be accounted for unless it is the original wording here. Further, it is found in the better mss along with a good cross-section of other witnesses (א B Z 0250 ˹ pc lat co).

30tn Grk "are"; the Greek text uses a present tense verb.

31sn A quotation from Jer 31:15.

32sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. When Herod the Great died in 4 b.c., his kingdom was divided up among his three sons: Archelaus, who ruled over Judea (where Bethlehem was located, v. 22); Philip, who became tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis (cf. Luke 3:1); and Antipas, who became tetrarch of Galilee.

33tn Grk "behold, an angel." The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

34tn Or "the angel of the Lord." See the note on the word "Lord" in 1:20.

35tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as "so" to indicate the implied result of the angel's instructions.

36sn Archelaus took after his father Herod the Great in terms of cruelty and ruthlessness, so Joseph was afraid to go there. After further direction in a dream, he went instead to Galilee.

37sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.

38sn Nazareth was a very small village in the region of Galilee (Galilee lay north of Samaria and Judea). The town was located about 15 mi (25 km) west of the southern edge of the Sea of Galilee. According to Luke 1:26, Mary was living in Nazareth when the birth of Jesus was announced to her.

map For location see Map1-D3; Map2-C2; Map3-D5; Map4-C1; Map5-G3.

39tn There is no expressed subject of the third person singular verb here; the pronoun "he" is implied. Instead of this pronoun the referent "Jesus" has been supplied in the text to clarify to whom this statement refers.

40tn The Greek could be indirect discourse (as in the text), or direct discourse ("he will be called a Nazarene"). Judging by the difficulty of finding OT quotations (as implied in the plural "prophets") to match the wording here, it appears that the author was using a current expression of scorn that conceptually (but not verbally) found its roots in the OT.