The Beginning:
After the visit of the Magi, Joseph is warned in a dream that Herod is seeking the child’s life. Joseph takes Mary and Jesus by night and departs for Egypt to protect the child.
The Middle:
Herod, realizing the Magi have not returned to him, orders the killing of the male children in Bethlehem and its surrounding region. Matthew presents this sorrow as echoing Israel’s grief, while Jesus remains safe in Egypt. The family stays there until Herod’s death.
The End:
After Herod dies, an angel tells Joseph in a dream to return to the land of Israel. When Joseph learns that Herod’s son Archelaus rules in Judea, he is warned again and turns instead to Galilee. The family settles in Nazareth, where Jesus grows up, fulfilling what Matthew describes as the prophets’ testimony that he would be called a Nazarene.
This story highlights God’s providential protection of Jesus in the face of political violence and opposition. It also frames Jesus’ early life in continuity with Israel’s story—going down to Egypt and returning—underscoring that the Messiah’s life fulfills God’s redemptive purposes announced in Scripture. Jesus’ preservation does not minimize human suffering, but it emphasizes that God’s saving plan moves forward even amid tragedy and threat.
Egypt was a plausible place of refuge for a Jewish family because it lay outside Herod’s jurisdiction and hosted long-established Jewish communities (notably in places like Alexandria). Travel between Judea and Egypt was common in the Roman period through established routes, making flight and temporary resettlement historically credible within the world Matthew describes.
“Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt.” — Matthew 2:13
Answer the questions below. When you choose an option, you will see the result and an explanation.
1. Why did Joseph take Mary and Jesus and leave for Egypt?
2. What caused Joseph to avoid returning to Judea and go to Galilee instead?