Joseph's dream, the family trip, and the fulfillment of prophecy in Matthew 2:19-23 is one of those passages that requires at least a brief look at other passages. First, Luke 2:39-40 mentions that they went to the town of Nazareth in Galilee, so it's worth reading and maybe adding to pre-story context. Second, any time that an Old Testament passage is quoted, it should be read. The interesting thing is that none of the versions below help, for those of us who would like to see where that quote is in the Old Testament.
Matthew 2:19-23 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
The return to Nazareth
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.’
21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Matthew 2:19-23 Good News Translation (GNT)
The Return from Egypt
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go back to the land of Israel, because those who tried to kill the child are dead.” 21 So Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went back to Israel.
22 But when Joseph heard that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Judea, he was afraid to go there. He was given more instructions in a dream, so he went to the province of Galilee 23 and made his home in a town named Nazareth. And so what the prophets had said came true: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
Matthew 2:19-23 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
The Return from Egypt
19 After King Herod died, an angel from the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph while he was still in Egypt. 20 The angel said, “Get up and take the child and his mother back to Israel. The people who wanted to kill him are now dead.”
21 Joseph got up and left with them for Israel. 22 But when he heard that Herod’s son Archelaus was now ruler of Judea, he was afraid to go there. Then in a dream he was told to go to Galilee, 23 and they went to live there in the town of Nazareth. So the Lord’s promise came true, just as the prophet had said, “He will be called a Nazarene.”[a]
Footnotes:
- 2.23 He will be called a Nazarene: The prophet who said this is not known.
Matthew 2:19-23 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, 20 “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” 21 So [a]Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, 23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”
Footnotes:
- Matthew 2:21 Lit he
Matthew 2:19-23 King James Version (KJV)
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
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.
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
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:
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.
Matthew 2:19-23 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Joseph and Mary Return From Egypt
19 While Joseph was in Egypt, Herod died. An angel from the Lord came to Joseph in a dream 20 and said, “Get up! Take the child with his mother and go to Israel. Those who were trying to kill the child are now dead.”
21 So Joseph took the child and the mother and went to Israel. 22 But he heard that Archelaus was now king in Judea. Archelaus became king when his father Herod died. So Joseph was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he went away to the area of Galilee. 23 He went to a town called Nazareth and lived there. This gave full meaning to what God said through the prophets. God said the Messiah[a] would be called a Nazarene.[b]
Footnotes:
- Matthew 2:23 the Messiah Literally, “he.” See “Messiah” in the Word List.
- Matthew 2:23 Nazarene A person from the city of Nazareth. This name sounds like the Hebrew word for “branch.” So Matthew may be referring to the promise of a “branch” of David’s family. See Isa. 11:1.
Matthew 2:19-23 Disciples’ Literal New Testament (DLNT)
After Herod Dies, Joseph Returns To Israel And Settles In Nazareth
19 And Herod having come-to-an-end[a], behold— an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream in Egypt 20 saying, “Having arisen, take the Child and His mother and proceed into the land of Israel. For the ones seeking the life of the Child are dead”. 21 And the one, having arisen, took the Child and His mother and entered into the land of Israel. 22 But having heard that Archelaus[b] was king of Judea in place of his father Herod, he feared to go there. And having been warned in a dream, he withdrew into the regions of Galilee. 23 And having come, he dwelled in a city being called Nazareth— so that the thing having been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, because[c] He will be called a Nazarene.
Footnotes:
- Matthew 2:19 That is, having died.
- Matthew 2:22 This son of Herod the Great ruled part of his father’s kingdom from 4 b.c. until a.d. 6, when the Romans deposed him.
- Matthew 2:23 Matthew may be referring to the prophets who say Messiah will be despised and lowly. He sees this as partially fulfilled in that Jesus is called a Nazarene. Or, ‘that’, if what follows is a summary quote to this effect.
Matthew 2:19-23 English Standard Version (ESV)
The Return to Nazareth
19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Matthew 2:19-23 THE CHILDREN'S NEW TESTAMENT
Joseph Goes From Egypt To Nazareth (Luke 2:39-40)
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream while he was in the country of Egypt. 20 He said, "Get up. Take the young Child and His mother and go into the land of the Jews. Those who tried to kill the young Child are dead." 21 Joseph got up. He took the young Child and His mother and came into the land of the Jews. 22 Joseph heard that Archelaus was the king of the country of Judea. Herod, the father of Archelaus, had died. Joseph was afraid to go there. God told him in a dream to go to the country of Galilee, and he went. 23 Joseph stayed in a town called Nazareth. It happened as the early preachers said it would happen. They said, "Jesus will be called a Nazarene."
Matthew 2:19-23 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Home in Nazareth
19 Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” 21 Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. 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.”
Matthew 2:19-23 New International Version (NIV)
The Return to Nazareth
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Matthew 2:19-23 New English Translation (NET Bible)
The Return to Nazareth
19 After Herod[a] had died, an[b] angel of the Lord[c] appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” 21 So[d] he got up and took the child and his mother and returned to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus[e] was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod,[f] he was afraid to go there. After being warned in a dream, he went to the regions of Galilee. 23 He came to a town called Nazareth[g] and lived there. Then what had been spoken by the prophets was fulfilled, that Jesus[h] would be called a Nazarene.[i]
Footnotes:
- Matthew 2:19 sn 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.
- Matthew 2:19 tn 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).
- Matthew 2:19 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:20.
- Matthew 2:21 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s instructions.
- Matthew 2:22 sn 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.
- Matthew 2:22 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
- Matthew 2:23 sn 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.
- Matthew 2:23 tn 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.
- Matthew 2:23 tn 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.
