Matthew 2:12-23 Flight to and return from Egypt

Matthew 2:12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. [kjv]

και χρηματισθεντες κατ οναρ μη ανακαμψαι προς ηρωδην δι αλλης οδου ανεχωρησαν εις την χωραν αυτων [gnt]

2:13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. [kjv]

αναχωρησαντων δε αυτων ιδου αγγελος κυριου φαινεται κατ οναρ τω ιωσηφ λεγων εγερθεις παραλαβε το παιδιον και την μητερα αυτου και φευγε εις αιγυπτον και ισθι εκει εως αν ειπω σοι μελλει γαρ ηρωδης ζητειν το παιδιον του απολεσαι αυτο [gnt]

How could Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus afford to make a trip to Egypt?

[God provides, Ethiopian connection]

There may be an Ethiopian connection here. Ethiopia was part of Egypt.
Ethiopian churches claim to have the Arc of the Covenant - but with hundreds of churches each claiming this. Which one is the real one?
The Arc has a place in end-time prophecy, but it disappeared, apparently during the reign of Manasseh and prophecy time of Isiah.

Matthew 2:12

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KJV: And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

Greek: και χρηματισθεντες κατ οναρ μη ανακαμψαι προς ηρωδην δι αλλης οδου ανεχωρησαν εις την χωραν αυτων

Matthew 2:13

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KJV: And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

Greek: αναχωρησαντων δε αυτων ιδου αγγελος κυριου φαινεται κατ οναρ τω ιωσηφ λεγων εγερθεις παραλαβε το παιδιον και την μητερα αυτου και φευγε εις αιγυπτον και ισθι εκει εως αν ειπω σοι μελλει γαρ ηρωδης ζητειν το παιδιον του απολεσαι αυτο

Matthew 2:14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: [kjv]

2:15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. [kjv]

When was a symbolic son called out of Egypt?

[God provides]

How did Mary and Joseph fly to Egypt?

Their donkey was very fast. So, they used a donkey-fly which is a smaller version of a horse-fly.

Matthew 2:14

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KJV: When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

Greek: ο δε εγερθεις παρελαβεν το παιδιον και την μητερα αυτου νυκτος και ανεχωρησεν εις αιγυπτον

Matthew 2:15

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KJV: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

Greek: και ην εκει εως της τελευτης ηρωδου ινα πληρωθη το ρηθεν υπο του κυριου δια του προφητου λεγοντος εξ αιγυπτου εκαλεσα τον υιον μου

Matthew 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. [kjv]

τοτε ηρωδης ιδων οτι ενεπαιχθη υπο των μαγων εθυμωθη λιαν και αποστειλας ανειλεν παντας τους παιδας τους εν βηθλεεμ και εν πασιν τοις οριοις αυτης απο διετους και κατωτερω κατα τον χρονον ον ηκριβωσεν παρα των μαγων [gnt]

Bethlehem was a small town. It could have been as few as 20 male infants were slaughtered.

The Greek for "coasts" is that of "boundaries" as in the nearby areas.

[pig in Herod's house, Herodotus and Astyages, Pharaoh and Moses]

Matthew 2:16

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KJV: Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

Greek: τοτε ηρωδης ιδων οτι ενεπαιχθη υπο των μαγων εθυμωθη λιαν και αποστειλας ανειλεν παντας τους παιδας τους εν βηθλεεμ και εν πασιν τοις οριοις αυτης απο διετους και κατωτερω κατα τον χρονον ον ηκριβωσεν παρα των μαγων

Matthew 2:17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, [kjv]

τοτε επληρωθη το ρηθεν δια ιερεμιου του προφητου λεγοντος [gnt]

2:18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. [kjv]

φωνη εν ραμα ηκουσθη κλαυθμος και οδυρμος πολυς ραχηλ κλαιουσα τα τεκνα αυτης και ουκ ηθελεν παρακληθηναι οτι ουκ εισιν [gnt]

The Greek word translated as "comforted" is that of "beyond calling".

Matthew 2:18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. [kjv]

Rama was one of the departure points for those deported to Babylon, the last place where mothers might see their sons.

For many, this exile was their new home. Most settled there and never returned. Eventually, everyone needs to depart this world.

[peaceful exportation - Daniel, friends, etc.]
[less peaceful exportation - general population]
[70 years, many never returned, Hebrew to Aramaic, Bethlehem of Ephrata]

For many, this exile was their new home. Most settled there and never returned.

Matthew 2:17

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KJV: Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,

Greek: τοτε επληρωθη το ρηθεν υπο δια ιερεμιου του προφητου λεγοντος

Matthew 2:18

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KJV: In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

Greek: φωνη εν ραμα ηκουσθη θρηνος και κλαυθμος και οδυρμος πολυς ραχηλ κλαιουσα τα τεκνα αυτης και ουκ ηθελεν παρακληθηναι οτι ουκ εισιν

Matthew 2:19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, [kjv]

2:20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. [kjv]

[death about 4 BC in Jericho - chronic kidney disease complicated by a very uncomfortable case of maggot-infested gangrene of the genitals]
[Herod's last request][Death of North Korean leader][Stalin and sitting down early]

Matthew 2:19

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KJV: But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

Greek: τελευτησαντος δε του ηρωδου ιδου αγγελος κυριου φαινεται κατ οναρ φαινεται τω ιωσηφ εν αιγυπτω

Matthew 2:20

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KJV: Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.

Greek: λεγων εγερθεις παραλαβε το παιδιον και την μητερα αυτου και πορευου εις γην ισραηλ τεθνηκασιν γαρ οι ζητουντες την ψυχην του παιδιου

Matthew 2:21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. [kjv]

2:22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: [kjv]

Matthew 2:23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. [kjv]

Did they originally come from Nazareth? It is not clear but that is where they settled down (again).
The "Mountain of Megiddo" is, from the Hebrew, "Armageddon" or, as said in Hebrew, "har megiddo".

Matthew 2:21

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KJV: And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

Greek: ο δε εγερθεις παρελαβεν το παιδιον και την μητερα αυτου και ηλθεν εισηλθεν εις γην ισραηλ

Matthew 2:22

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KJV: But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

Greek: ακουσας δε οτι αρχελαος βασιλευει επι της ιουδαιας αντι ηρωδου του πατρος αυτου ηρωδου εφοβηθη εκει απελθειν χρηματισθεις δε κατ οναρ ανεχωρησεν εις τα μερη της γαλιλαιας

Matthew 2:23

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KJV: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

Greek: και ελθων κατωκησεν εις πολιν λεγομενην ναζαρετ οπως πληρωθη το ρηθεν δια των προφητων οτι ναζωραιος κληθησεται