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Selected Verse: Matthew 2:6 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Mt 2:6	Strong Concordance	And [2532] thou [4771] Bethlehem [965], in the land [1093] of Juda [2448], art [1488] not [3760] the least [1646] among [1722] the princes [2232] of Juda [2448]: for [1063] out of [1537] thee [4675] shall come [1831] a Governor [2233], that [3748] shall rule [4165] my [3450] people [2992] Israel [2474].
	King James	And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Juda--the "in" being familiarly left out, as we say, "London, Middlesex." art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, &c.--This quotation, though differing verbally, agrees substantially with the Hebrew and the Septuagint. For says the prophet, "Though thou be little, yet out of thee shall come the Ruler"--this honor more than compensating for its natural insignificance; while our Evangelist, by a lively turn, makes him say, "Thou art not the least: for out of thee shall come a Governor"--this distinction lifting it from the lowest to the highest rank. The "thousands of Juda," in the prophet, mean the subordinate divisions of the tribe: our Evangelist, instead of these, merely names the "princes" or heads of these families, including the districts which they occupied that shall rule--or "feed," as in the Margin. my people Israel--In the Old Testament, kings are, by a beautiful figure, styled "shepherds" (Eze 34:1-10, &c.). The classical writers use the same figure. The pastoral rule of Jehovah and Messiah over His people is a representation pervading all Scripture, and rich in import. (See Psa 23:1-6; Isa 40:11; Eze 37:24; Joh 10:11; Rev 7:17). That this prophecy of Micah referred to the Messiah, was admitted by the ancient Rabbins. The Wise Men Despatched to Bethlehem by Herod to See the Babe, and Bring Him Word, Make a Religious Offering to the Infant King, but Divinely Warned, Return Home by Another Way (Mat 2:7-12).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Juda--the "in" being familiarly left out, as we say, "London, Middlesex."

art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, &c.--This quotation, though differing verbally, agrees substantially with the Hebrew and the Septuagint. For says the prophet, "Though thou be little, yet out of thee shall come the Ruler"--this honor more than compensating for its natural insignificance; while our Evangelist, by a lively turn, makes him say, "Thou art not the least: for out of thee shall come a Governor"--this distinction lifting it from the lowest to the highest rank. The "thousands of Juda," in the prophet, mean the subordinate divisions of the tribe: our Evangelist, instead of these, merely names the "princes" or heads of these families, including the districts which they occupied

that shall rule--or "feed," as in the Margin.

my people Israel--In the Old Testament, kings are, by a beautiful figure, styled "shepherds" (Eze 34:1-10, &c.). The classical writers use the same figure. The pastoral rule of Jehovah and Messiah over His people is a representation pervading all Scripture, and rich in import. (See Psa 23:1-6; Isa 40:11; Eze 37:24; Joh 10:11; Rev 7:17). That this prophecy of Micah referred to the Messiah, was admitted by the ancient Rabbins.

The Wise Men Despatched to Bethlehem by Herod to See the Babe, and Bring Him Word, Make a Religious Offering to the Infant King, but Divinely Warned, Return Home by Another Way (Mat 2:7-12).

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Land of Judah To distinguish it from Bethlehem in the territory of Zebulon. Shall be shepherd of (ποιμανεῖ), from ποιμήν, a shepherd So Rev., rightly, instead of shall rule. The word involves the whole office of the shepherd - guiding, guarding, folding, as well as feeding. Hence appropriate and often applied to the guides and guardians of others. Homer calls kings "the shepherds of the people." To David the people said, "The Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed (as a shepherd) my people Israel" (Sa2 5:2; compare Psa 78:70-72). God is often called a shepherd (Gen 48:15; Psa 23:1; Psa 77:20; Psa 80:1; Isa 40:11; Ezekiel 34:11-31). Jesus calls himself the good shepherd (Joh 10:11). Peter, who is bidden by Jesus to shepherd his sheep (Joh 21:16, ποίμαινε, Rev., tend), calls him the Shepherd of Souls (Pe1 2:25), and the Chief Shepherd (Pe1 5:4); and in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Heb 13:20), he is styled the great Shepherd of the sheep. In Rev 2:27, rule is literally to shepherd (compare Rev 19:15); but Christ will shepherd his enemies, not with the pastoral crook, but with a sceptre of iron. Finally, Jesus will perpetuate this name and office in heaven among his redeemed ones, for "the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall be their shepherd (Rev 7:17, Rev.). In this verse the word governor is in harmony with the idea of shepherding, since the word ἡγούμενος originally means one who goes before, or leads the way, and suggests Christ's words about the good shepherd in Joh 10:3, Joh 10:4 : "He calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out....He goeth before them, and the sheep follow him." Inquired diligently (ἠκρίβωσεν) Better learned accurately. The verb is formed from ἄκρος, at the point or end. The idea is, therefore, he ascertained to the last point; denoting the exactness of the information rather than the diligence of the search for it. Compare Mat 2:8, "Search out carefully" (ἀκριβῶς). So the Rev. for diligently. What time the star appeared (τὸν χρόνον τοῦ φαινομένου ἀστέρος) Lit., the time of the appearing star. Herod asks, "How long does the star make itself visible since its rising in the East? rather than "At what time did it appear?"

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Thou art in nowise the least among the princes of Judah - That is, among the cities belonging to the princes or heads of thousands in Judah. When this and several other quotations from the Old Testament are compared with the original, it plainly appears, the apostles did not always think it necessary exactly to transcribe the passages they cited, but contented themselves with giving the general sense, though with some diversity of language. The words of Micah, which we render, Though thou be little, may be rendered, Art thou little? And then the difference which seems to be here between the prophet and the evangelist vanishes away. Mic 5:2.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda - To distinguish it from Bethlehem, in the tribe of Zebulon. Jos 19:15. See on Mat 2:1 (note). Art not the least - In Mic 5:2, it is read, Though thou be little - צעיר להיות tsdir lehayoth, little to be. Houbigant, struck with the oddness of the construction of the Hebrew, by dividing the last word, and making a small change in two of the letters, makes the prophet agree with the evangelist, צעיר לא היית ,tsilegna tsdir lo hayita, thou art not the least. Several learned men are of opinion, that the copy from which St. Matthew quoted, had the text in this way. However, some MSS. of very good note, among which is the Codex Bezae, have μη ελαχιστη ει, for ουδαμως ελαχιστη ει, Art thou not the least? This reconciles the prophet and evangelist without farther trouble. See the authorities for this reading in Griesbach and Wetstein. Among the princes of Juda - In Mic 5:2, it is, the thousands of Judah. There is much reason to believe that each tribe was divided into small portions called thousands, as in England certain small divisions of counties are called hundreds. For the proof of the first, the reader is referred to Jdg 6:15, where, instead of my Family is poor in Manasseh, the Hebrew is, my Thousand (אלפי) is the meanest in Manasseh: and to Sa1 10:19, Present yourselves before the Lord by your Tribes and by your Thousands: and to Ch1 12:20, Captains of the Thousands of Manasseh. Now these Thousands being petty governments, Matthew renders them by the word ηγεμοσιν, because the word princes or governors was more intelligible in the Greek tongue than thousands, though, in this case, they both signify the same. See Wakefield. That shall rule my people Israel - Οστις ποιμανει, Who shall Feed my people. That is as a shepherd feeds his flock. Among the Greeks, kings are called, by Homer, λαων ποιμενες, shepherds of the people. This appellation probably originated from the pastoral employment, which kings and patriarchs did not blush to exercise in the times of primitive simplicity; and it might particularly refer to the case of David, the great type of Christ, who was a keeper of his father's sheep, before he was raised to the throne of Israel. As the government of a good king was similar to the care a good shepherd has of his flock, hence ποιμην signified both shepherd and king; and ποιμαινω, to feed and to rule among the ancient Greeks.

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⁷ Then [5119] Herod [2264], when he had privily [2977] called [2564] the wise men [3097], enquired [198] of [3844] them [846] diligently [198] what time [5550] the star [792] appeared [5316].
⁸ And [2532] he sent [3992] them [846] to [1519] Bethlehem [965], and said [2036], Go [4198] and search [1833] diligently [199] for [4012] the young child [3813]; and [1161] when [1875] ye have found [2147] him, bring [518] me [3427] word again [518], that [3704] I may come [2064] and worship [4352] him [846] also [2504].
⁹ When [1161] they had heard [191] the king [935], they departed [4198]; and [2532], lo [2400], the star [792], which [3739] they saw [1492] in [1722] the east [395], went before [4254] them [846], till [2193] it came [2064] and stood [2476] over [1883] where [3757] the young child [3813] was [2258].
¹⁰ When [1161] they saw [1492] the star [792], they rejoiced [5463] with exceeding [4970] great [3173] joy [5479].
¹¹ And [2532] when they were come [2064] into [1519] the house [3614], they saw [2147] [1492] the young child [3813] with [3326] Mary [3137] his [846] mother [3384], and [2532] fell down [4098], and worshipped [4352] him [846]: and [2532] when they had opened [455] their [846] treasures [2344], they presented [4374] unto him [846] gifts [1435]; gold [5557], and [2532] frankincense [3030], and [2532] myrrh [4666].
¹² And [2532] being warned of God [5537] in [2596] a dream [3677] that they should [344] not [3361] return [344] to [4314] Herod [2264], they departed [402] into [1519] their own [846] country [5561] another [1223] [243] way [3598].

¹⁷ For [3754] the Lamb [721] which [3588] is in the midst [303] [3319] of the throne [2362] shall feed [4165] them [846], and [2532] shall lead [3594] them [846] unto [1909] living [2198] fountains [4077] of waters [5204]: and [2532] God [2316] shall wipe away [1813] all [3956] tears [1144] from [575] their [846] eyes [3788].

¹¹ I [1473] am [1510] the good [2570] shepherd [4166]: the good [2570] shepherd [4166] giveth [5087] his [846] life [5590] for [5228] the sheep [4263].

²⁴ And David [01732] my servant [05650] shall be king [04428] over them; and they all shall have one [0259] shepherd [07462]: they shall also walk [03212] in my judgments [04941], and observe [08104] my statutes [02708], and do [06213] them.

¹¹ He shall feed [07462] his flock [05739] like a shepherd [07462]: he shall gather [06908] the lambs [02922] with his arm [02220], and carry [05375] them in his bosom [02436], and shall gently lead [05095] those that are with young [05763].

¹ A Psalm [04210] of David [01732]. The LORD [03068] is my shepherd [07462]; I shall not want [02637].
² He maketh me to lie down [07257] in green [01877] pastures [04999]: he leadeth [05095] me beside the still [04496] waters [04325].
³ He restoreth [07725] my soul [05315]: he leadeth [05148] me in the paths [04570] of righteousness [06664] for his name's [08034] sake.
⁴ Yea, though I walk [03212] through the valley [01516] of the shadow of death [06757], I will fear [03372] no evil [07451]: for thou art with me; thy rod [07626] and thy staff [04938] they comfort [05162] me.
⁵ Thou preparest [06186] a table [07979] before [06440] me in the presence of mine enemies [06887]: thou anointest [01878] my head [07218] with oil [08081]; my cup [03563] runneth over [07310].
⁶ Surely goodness [02896] and mercy [02617] shall follow [07291] me all the days [03117] of my life [02416]: and I will dwell [03427] in the house [01004] of the LORD [03068] for ever [0753] [03117].

¹ And the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] came unto me, saying [0559],
² Son [01121] of man [0120], prophesy [05012] against the shepherds [07462] of Israel [03478], prophesy [05012], and say [0559] unto them, Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069] unto the shepherds [07462]; Woe [01945] be to the shepherds [07462] of Israel [03478] that do feed [07462] themselves! should not the shepherds [07462] feed [07462] the flocks [06629]?
³ Ye eat [0398] the fat [02459], and ye clothe [03847] you with the wool [06785], ye kill [02076] them that are fed [01277]: but ye feed [07462] not the flock [06629].
⁴ The diseased [02470] have ye not strengthened [02388], neither have ye healed [07495] that which was sick [02470], neither have ye bound up [02280] that which was broken [07665], neither have ye brought again [07725] that which was driven away [05080], neither have ye sought [01245] that which was lost [06]; but with force [02394] and with cruelty [06531] have ye ruled [07287] them.
⁵ And they were scattered [06327], because there is no shepherd [07462]: and they became meat [0402] to all the beasts [02416] of the field [07704], when they were scattered [06327].
⁶ My sheep [06629] wandered [07686] through all the mountains [02022], and upon every high [07311] hill [01389]: yea, my flock [06629] was scattered [06327] upon all the face [06440] of the earth [0776], and none did search [01875] or seek [01245] after them.
⁷ Therefore, ye shepherds [07462], hear [08085] the word [01697] of the LORD [03068];
⁸ As I live [02416], saith [05002] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069], surely because my flock [06629] became a prey [0957], and my flock [06629] became meat [0402] to every beast [02416] of the field [07704], because there was no shepherd [07462], neither did my shepherds [07462] search [01875] for my flock [06629], but the shepherds [07462] fed [07462] themselves, and fed [07462] not my flock [06629];
⁹ Therefore, O ye shepherds [07462], hear [08085] the word [01697] of the LORD [03068];
¹⁰ Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; Behold, I am against the shepherds [07462]; and I will require [01875] my flock [06629] at their hand [03027], and cause them to cease [07673] from feeding [07462] the flock [06629]; neither shall the shepherds [07462] feed [07462] themselves any more; for I will deliver [05337] my flock [06629] from their mouth [06310], that they may not be meat [0402] for them.

⁸ And [2532] he sent [3992] them [846] to [1519] Bethlehem [965], and said [2036], Go [4198] and search [1833] diligently [199] for [4012] the young child [3813]; and [1161] when [1875] ye have found [2147] him, bring [518] me [3427] word again [518], that [3704] I may come [2064] and worship [4352] him [846] also [2504].

⁴ And [2532] when [3752] he putteth forth [1544] his own [2398] sheep [4263], he goeth [4198] before [1715] them [846], and [2532] the sheep [4263] follow [190] him [846]: for [3754] they know [1492] his [846] voice [5456].

³ To him [5129] the porter [2377] openeth [455]; and [2532] the sheep [4263] hear [191] his [846] voice [5456]: and [2532] he calleth [2564] his own [2398] sheep [4263] by [2596] name [3686], and [2532] leadeth [1806] them [846] out [1806].

¹⁵ And [2532] out of [1537] his [846] mouth [4750] goeth [1607] a sharp [3691] sword [4501], that [2443] with [1722] it [846] he should smite [3960] the nations [1484]: and [2532] he [846] shall rule [4165] them [846] with [1722] a rod [4464] of iron [4603]: and [2532] he [846] treadeth [3961] the winepress [3025] [3631] of the fierceness [2372] and [2532] wrath [3709] of Almighty [3841] God [2316].

²⁷ And [2532] he shall rule [4165] them [846] with [1722] a rod [4464] of iron [4603]; as [5613] the vessels [4632] of a potter [2764] shall they be broken to shivers [4937]: even [2504] as [5613] I [2504] received [2983] of [3844] my [3450] Father [3962].

²⁰ Now [1161] the God [2316] of peace [1515], that brought again [321] from [1537] the dead [3498] our [2257] Lord [2962] Jesus [2424], that great [3173] shepherd [4166] of the sheep [4263], through [1722] the blood [129] of the everlasting [166] covenant [1242],

⁴ And [2532] when the chief Shepherd [750] shall appear [5319], ye shall receive [2865] a crown [4735] of glory [1391] that fadeth not away [262].

²⁵ For [1063] ye were [2258] as [5613] sheep [4263] going astray [4105]; but [235] are [1994] now [3568] returned [1994] unto [1909] the Shepherd [4166] and [2532] Bishop [1985] of your [5216] souls [5590].

¹⁶ He saith [3004] to him [846] again [3825] the second time [1208], Simon [4613], son of Jonas [2495], lovest thou [25] me [3165]? He saith [3004] unto him [846], Yea [3483], Lord [2962]; thou [4771] knowest [1492] that [3754] I love [5368] thee [4571]. He saith [3004] unto him [846], Feed [4165] my [3450] sheep [4263].

¹¹ I [1473] am [1510] the good [2570] shepherd [4166]: the good [2570] shepherd [4166] giveth [5087] his [846] life [5590] for [5228] the sheep [4263].

¹ To the chief Musician [05329] upon Shoshannimeduth [07802], A Psalm [04210] of Asaph [0623]. Give ear [0238], O Shepherd [07462] of Israel [03478], thou that leadest [05090] Joseph [03130] like a flock [06629]; thou that dwellest [03427] between the cherubims [03742], shine forth [03313].

²⁰ Thou leddest [05148] thy people [05971] like a flock [06629] by the hand [03027] of Moses [04872] and Aaron [0175].

¹ A Psalm [04210] of David [01732]. The LORD [03068] is my shepherd [07462]; I shall not want [02637].

¹⁵ And he blessed [01288] Joseph [03130], and said [0559], God [0430], before [06440] whom my fathers [01] Abraham [085] and Isaac [03327] did walk [01980], the God [0430] which fed [07462] me all my life long [05750] unto this day [03117],

⁷⁰ He chose [0977] David [01732] also his servant [05650], and took [03947] him from the sheepfolds [04356] [06629]:
⁷¹ From following [0310] the ewes great with young [05763] he brought [0935] him to feed [07462] Jacob [03290] his people [05971], and Israel [03478] his inheritance [05159].
⁷² So he fed [07462] them according to the integrity [08537] of his heart [03824]; and guided [05148] them by the skilfulness [08394] of his hands [03709].

² Also in time past [0865] [08032], when Saul [07586] was king [04428] over us, thou wast he that leddest out [03318] and broughtest in [0935] Israel [03478]: and the LORD [03068] said [0559] to thee, Thou shalt feed [07462] my people [05971] Israel [03478], and thou shalt be a captain [05057] over Israel [03478].

² But thou, Bethlehem [01035] Ephratah [0672], though thou be little [06810] among the thousands [0505] of Judah [03063], yet out of thee shall he come forth [03318] unto me that is to be ruler [04910] in Israel [03478]; whose goings forth [04163] have been from of old [06924], from everlasting [03117] [05769].

²⁰ As he went [03212] to Ziklag [06860], there fell [05307] to him of Manasseh [04519], Adnah [05734], and Jozabad [03107], and Jediael [03043], and Michael [04317], and Jozabad [03107], and Elihu [0453], and Zilthai [06769], captains [07218] of the thousands [0505] that were of Manasseh [04519].

¹⁹ And ye have this day [03117] rejected [03988] your God [0430], who himself saved [03467] you out of all your adversities [07451] and your tribulations [06869]; and ye have said [0559] unto him, Nay, but set [07760] a king [04428] over us. Now therefore present [03320] yourselves before [06440] the LORD [03068] by your tribes [07626], and by your thousands [0505].

¹⁵ And he said [0559] unto him, Oh [0994] my Lord [0136], wherewith [04100] shall I save [03467] Israel [03478]? behold, my family [0504] [0505] is poor [01800] in Manasseh [04519], and I am the least [06810] in my father's [01] house [01004].

¹ Now [1161] when Jesus [2424] was born [1080] in [1722] Bethlehem [965] of Judaea [2449] in [1722] the days [2250] of Herod [2264] the king [935], behold [2400], there came [3854] wise men [3097] from [575] the east [395] to [1519] Jerusalem [2414],

¹⁵ And Kattath [07005], and Nahallal [05096], and Shimron [08110], and Idalah [03030], and Bethlehem [01035]: twelve [08147] [06240] cities [05892] with their villages [02691].