圣经注释书

本章记载了我们救主婴孩时期的历史。我们看到他多么早就开始受苦——在他自己开始尽诸般的义之前，公义之言已在他身上得着应验。本章内容包括：一、博士们殷切地寻问基督的下落（太 2:1-8）；二、他们一旦得知他的所在，便虔诚地前来朝拜他（太 2:9-12）；三、基督为躲避希律的残暴而下到埃及（太 2:13-15）；四、伯利恒婴孩惨遭屠杀（太 2:16-18）；五、基督从埃及返回以色列地（太 2:19-23）。

Wise men come from the east to worship Christ, Matthew 2:1, Matthew 2:2. Herod, hearing of the birth of our Lord, is greatly troubled, Matthew 2:3; and makes inquiry of the chief priests and scribes, where the Christ should be born, Matthew 2:4. They inform him of the prophecy relative to Bethlehem, Matthew 2:5, Matthew 2:6. The wise men, going to Bethlehem, are desired by Herod to bring him word when they have found the child, pretending that he wished to do him homage, Matthew 2:7, Matthew 2:8. The wise men are directed by a star to the place where the young child lay, adore him, and offer him gifts, Matthew 2:9-11. Being warned of God not to return to Herod, they depart into their own country another way, Matthew 2:12. Joseph and Mary are divinely warned to escape into Egypt, because Herod sought to destroy Jesus, Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:14. They obey, and continue in Egypt till the death of Herod, Matthew 2:15. Herod, finding that the wise men did not return, is enraged, and orders all the young children in Bethlehem, under two years of age, to be massacred, Matthew 2:16-18. Herod dies, and Joseph is divinely warned to return to the land of Israel, Matthew 2:19-21. Finding that Archelaus reigned in Judea in place of his father Herod, he goes to Galilee, and takes up his residence at Nazareth, Matthew 2:22, Matthew 2:23.

CHAPTER 2.

HISTORY OF THE INFANCY CONTINUED.

The leading aim of the evangelist in this chapter is not to give biographic details as to the time and place of Christ’s birth. These are disposed of in an introductory subordinate clause with a genitive absolute construction: “Jesus being born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the King”: that is all. The main purpose is to show the reception given by the world to the new-born Messianic King. Homage from afar, hostility at home; “foreshadowing the fortunes of the new faith: acceptance by the Gentiles, rejection by the Jews; such is the lesson of this new section. It is history, but not of the prosaic sort: history with a religious bias, and wearing a halo of poetry. The story forms a natural sequel to the preceding account. The δὲ in Matthew 2:1, as in Matthew 1:18, is adversative only to the extent of taking the attention off one topic and fixing it on another connected and kindred. This, according to Klotz, who regards δὲ as a weak form of δὴ, is the original force of the particle. He says (in Devarius, p. 355): “Illa particula eam vim habet, ut abducat nos ab ea re, quae proposita est, transferatque ad id quod, missa illa priore re, jam pro vero ponendum esse videatur”.

CHAPTER 2

Matthew 2:8. ἀκριβ. ἐξετάσατε] According to B C* D א, 1, 21, 33, 82, 124, 209, Copt. Sahid. It. Vulg. Syr. p. Eus. Aug., we must read ἐξετάσατε ἀκριβῶς, with Lachm. and Tisch.

Matthew 2:9. ἔστη] B C D א, 33, 209, Or. Eus. read ἐστάθη. So Lachm. and Tisch., of the nature of a gloss; for the more precise definition of the conception in the passive, as in Matthew 27:11, in almost the same manuscripts.

Matthew 2:11. εἶδον] Elz.: εὗρον, against decisive testimony.

Matthew 2:13. φαίνεται κατʼ ὄναρ] C K Π, Curss. Theophyl.: κατʼ ὄναρ φαίνεται, Β: κατʼ ὄναρ ἐφάνη. So Lachm. Latter reading is derived from Matthew 1:20, which passage also led to the κατʼ ὄναρ being placed first. The Received reading is therefore here to be retained, and Matthew 2:19, after B D Z א, Curss. Verss., to be changed into φαίνεται κατʼ ὄναρ (with Lachm. and Tisch.).

Matthew 2:17. ὑπό] B C D Z א, Curss. Verss. Chrys. Jer. read διά. Corresponds to the standing style of quotation in Matth., therefore rightly approved (comp. on Matthew 3:3) by Griesbach and Schultz, after Gersdorf; adopted by Lachm. and Tisch.

Matthew 2:18. θρῆνος κ. κλαυθμός] B Z א, 1, 22, Verss. and Latin Fathers have merely κλαυθμός. So Lachm. and Tisch. The Received reading is an extension from that of the LXX.

Matthew 2:21. ἦλθεν] B C א: εἰσῆλθεν. So Lachm. and Tisch. 8, correctly: the compound was easily neglected.

Matthew 2:22. ἐπί] is wanting in B א, Curss. Eus. Deleted by Lachm. and Tisch. 8. But it was all the more easily omitted as unnecessary, because the syllable El preceded it.

The genuineness of the whole of the first and second chapters has been controverted, or at least suspected, by Williams (A Free Inquiry into the Authenticity of the First and Second Chapters of St. Matthew’s Gospel, Lond. 1771, enlarged, 1790), by Stroth (Eichhorn’s Repert. IX. p. 99 ff.), Hess (Biblioth. d. heil. Gesch. I. p. 208 ff.), Ammon (Diss. de Luca emendatore Matthaei, Erl. 1805), J. Jones (Sequel to Ecclesiastical Researches, etc., Lond. 1813). In answer to Williams, Flemming wrote a work (Free Thoughts upon a Free Inquiry, etc., Lond. 1771) and Velthusen (The Authenticity of the First and Second Chapters, etc., Lond. 1771); in answer to Stroth, Henke (de ev. Matth. integritate, etc., Helmst. 1782); to Hess, Rau (Symbola ad quaestionem de authentia, etc., 1793). Amongst the defenders are Griesbach (Epimetron ad Comment. crit. in Matth. II. p. 47 ff.), Schubert (de infantiae J. C. historiae authentia atque indole, Gripeswald 1815), Kuinoel (Proleg. § 6), Fritzsche (Commentar. Excurs. III.), Müller (üb. d. Aechth. der ersten Kapitel des Evang. nach Matth., Trier 1830). Amongst the writers of Introduction, Eichhorn and Bertholdt have gone over to the side of the opponents.

Both chapters are genuine—that is, they were integral portions of the Hebrew Gospel writing, of which our Matthew is the translation, and consequently belonged to the latter from the very beginning. For (1) all the Codices and Versions contain them, the Fathers of the second and third centuries (Irenaeus, iii. 9. 2 f., Clement of Alexandria, and others) also quote passages from them, and Celsus has made reference to them (Orig. c. Cels. i. 28, ii. 32); (2) their contents are highly appropriate to the beginning of a gospel writing composed for Jewish Christians; (3) the beginning of ch. 3 is connected with Matthew 2:23, where the residence of Jesus at Nazareth is mentioned; Matthew 4:13 also manifestly refers to Matthew 2:23. The construction and style of expression are in keeping with the character of the whole Gospel. See Griesbach, Epimetr. p. 57; Gersdorf, Beitr. p. 38 ff.; Credner, I. p. 62 ff.; Fritzsche, l.c. p. 850 ff.

The main argument of those who oppose the genuineness is, that our chapters were wanting in the Gospel of the Ebionites (Epiph. Haer. xxx. 13). But on a correct estimate of the Gospel secundum Hebraeos in its relation to the Gospel of Matthew, that counter argument can be of no weight (see Introduction, § 2); and, in accordance with Ebionitic views, it is very conceivable that they did not admit the miraculous preliminary history, and made their Gospel (according to Epiphanius), in keeping with the original gospel type, begin at once with the appearance of the Baptist. It is also related of Tatian (Theodoret, Haeret. fab. i. 20): τάς τε γενεαλογίας περικόψας καὶ τὰ ἄλλα, ὅσα ἐκ σπέρματος Δαβὶδ κατὰ σάρκα γεγεννημένον τὸν κύριον δείκνυσιν. But Tatian was a disciple of Docetism, and his treatment was determined by dogmatic considerations. As, moreover, the genealogy contained in ch. 1 implies the use of a piece of writing already in existence, so also the legendary character of both chapters in general,—and the certainly peculiar manner in which the third chapter is connected with them, which, amid all its literal connection with what has preceded it, passes over the whole history of the youth of Jesus,—appear to point to this, that the portions composing both chapters were originally special gospel documents. Ch. Matthew 1:1-16 appears to have been one such document by itself, then Matthew 2:18-23 a second, and ch. 2 a third, in which are now found for the first time the locality and time of the birth of Jesus. The unity of the Greek style of expression with that in the other parts of the Gospel is not opposed to this (Ewald, Bleek, Holtzmann), but is to be explained from the unity of the translator. How much, however, considering the free style of quoting Old Testament passages, is to be set down to the account of the first author of these documents, or to that of the Hebrew editor of the Gospel, or to the translator, cannot be determined.

Mt 2:1-12。

博士到耶路撒冷与伯利恒朝拜。

东方博士抵达耶路撒冷——公会在希律的要求下，断定伯利恒为预言中弥赛亚的诞生地

(Mt 2:1-6)。

1. 当希律王的时候，耶稣生在犹太的伯利恒——之所以称“犹太的”，是为与加利利海滨、西布伦支派境内的另一个伯利恒相区别

(Jos 19:15)；

又因属犹大支派，故又称伯利恒·犹大（Beth-lehem-judah）

(Jud 17:7)；

又称以法他（Ephrath）

(Ge 35:16)；

二者合并，则称伯利恒·以法他（Beth-lehim Ephratah）

(Mic 5:2)。

它位于耶路撒冷西南约六英里。但约瑟和马利亚为何从他们所住的拿撒勒迁到那里？并非出于自愿，更非为要应验论及弥赛亚诞生之地的预言；不，他们停留在拿撒勒，直到马利亚差不多已无法安全旅行之时；若不是一道不容选择的谕旨把他们逼到指定之地，他们根本不会动身。这一切行动背后都有高升之手在掌管。（参见

Lu 2:1-6）。

希律王的时候——称为“大希律”；是以土买人安提帕特之子，由罗马人立为王。这样，“圭必不离犹大”

(Ge 49:10)

的预言正在应验，表明弥赛亚已经近了。既然希律已知死于罗马建城 750 年、即我们公元纪元开始之前第四年，那么基督的诞生必当比通常所定早四年——即便祂是生于希律去世之年之内，而这一点几乎可以肯定。

有几个博士——直译为“Magi”或“Magians”，大概是研习星象学及相近学科的学者阶层。巴兰的预言

(Nu 24:17)，

以及但以理的预言

(Da 9:24

等)，可能藉传统传到他们那里；但他们究竟如何，并无确切资料。

从东方——是阿拉伯、波斯，还是美索不达米亚，则不确定。

到耶路撒冷——因那是犹太的京城。

当耶稣生在……的时候——关于他降生的完整记载，见Luke 2:1-20。

在犹太的伯利恒——伯利恒是基督的诞生地，是耶路撒冷以南约六英里的一个小镇。"伯利恒"一名意为"粮之家"（house of bread）——这名字大概因该地极其肥沃而得。它又名以法他（Ephrata），一般认为这词同样意为肥沃，Genesis 35:19；Ruth 4:11；Psalm 132:6。它称为大卫的城，Luke 2:4，因为那是他出生的城，1 Samuel 16:1, 1 Samuel 16:18。它之称为犹太的伯利恒，是为与加利利一座同名的小镇区分，Joshua 19:15。伯利恒的土壤以肥沃著称，古代旅行者常谈及它的出产。这镇坐落在丘陵与山谷之间的高地上。目前（约1880年代）那里约有二百座房屋，居民主要是基督徒和穆斯林，他们和睦共处。在伯利恒以东约二百步的地方，至今仍指认着据信是我们的救主诞生之处。那里有一座教堂和一所修道院；教堂之下有一间地下礼拜堂，由三十二盏灯照明，据说那就是耶稣降生时所住马槽的所在；然而，把这里当作救主诞生地的传统，并无可确信的依据。

希律王的时候——我们的救主降生的犹太，是罗马帝国的一个行省。它约在救主降生之前六十三年被庞培（Pompey）攻取，沦为纳贡之地。希律从罗马人那里受任，到耶稣降生时已为王三十四年。他虽获准称为王，却在各方面都依附于罗马皇帝。人们通常称他为"希律大帝"，因为他在与安提柯（Antigonus）及其他仇敌的战争中卓有声望，也因为在治理保卫本国、修缮圣殿、建造并装点王国诸城上显示出卓越才干。然而，他的残暴与罪恶，与他的伟大同样出名。这时罗马的皇帝是奥古斯都（Augustus）。世界正处于和平之中。地上已知民族的大部分都统于罗马皇帝之下。各国之间的往来便捷而安全。相似的法律通行各地。希腊语的使用遍及全世界。这一切情势汇合起来，使此时成为引进福音、传遍天下的有利时机；神以这种方式为基督教的便捷与迅速传开预备万民，其护理诚然显著。

有几个博士——原文在此的词是μάγοι（magoi），我们的magician（术士）一词即由此而来；这词如今含贬义，原文却不然。这里所指的人是哲学家、祭司或天文学家。他们主要住在波斯和阿拉伯。他们是东方民族中的学者，致力于天文学、宗教和医学。他们受波斯宫廷的极高敬重，被接纳为顾问，战时随营献策。

从东方——他们来自波斯还是阿拉伯，无从得知。"东方"一词可以兼指这两国——即犹太以东之地。

到耶路撒冷——犹太的首都。由于新约常提到耶路撒冷；由于它是公众敬拜神的地方；由于救主一生许多重大事件发生于此，他也死在这里；又由于任何主日学教师若对这城毫无认识，便无法透彻讲解新约，故在此对其作一简述似属合宜。更详尽的描述可见于Calmet's Dictionary以及论犹太古物的通行著作。耶路撒冷是犹大王国的首都，建于犹大支派与便雅悯支派分界的线上。它曾名"撒冷"（Salem），Genesis 14:18；Psalm 76:2，在亚伯拉罕时代是麦基洗德的居所。以色列人得了应许之地时，发现这堡垒在耶布斯人手中，他们称之为耶布斯（Jebus）或耶布西（Jebusi），Joshua 18:28。

"耶路撒冷"这名称，大概是由"耶布斯"与"撒冷"两个名字合成——仅改一个字母，且为发音之故，不称"耶布斯撒冷"（Jebusalem）而称"耶路撒冷"。古时的撒冷大概建在摩利亚山或亚克拉山——即后来建造耶路撒冷的东、西两山——之上。耶布斯人占据此地之后，在城的南区筑了一座堡垒，后来称为锡安山，但他们称之为"耶布斯"；虽然以色列人占领了四邻之地，Joshua 18:28，耶布斯人仍保有这堡垒即上城，直到大卫时代；大卫从他们手中夺取了它，2 Samuel 5:7-9，随后把朝廷从希伯仑迁到耶路撒冷，从此那里便称为大卫的城，2 Samuel 6:10, 2 Samuel 6:12；1 Kings 8:1。耶路撒冷建于数座山上：南有锡安山，东有摩利亚山（圣殿后来建于此，参见Matthew 21:12注释），西有亚克拉山，北有贝泽塔山。

摩利亚山与锡安山之间隔着一道山谷，约瑟夫称之为"奶酪商谷"（Valley of Cheesemongers），谷上有一道桥或高架通道连接两山。摩利亚山的东南、在它与锡安山之间，有一处可设坚固防御的峭壁或高岩，称为俄斐勒（Ophel）。该城四面环山。西面有俯瞰全城的诸山；南面有约沙法谷，即欣嫩子谷（参见Matthew 5:22注释），把它与所谓"腐坏山"隔开；东面有汲沦谷或汲沦溪，把城与橄榄山分开。北面地势较平，但仍属崎岖起伏之地。在东南方，汲沦谷与约沙法谷合流，水流穿过破碎的山岭向东南流入约十五英里外的死海。

耶路撒冷城位于北纬31度50分、格林尼治东经35度20分。它在雅法（Jaffa）——古约帕（Joppa），其出海港——东南三十四英里，在大马士革西南一百二十英里。眺望耶路撒冷全城，最佳位置在东面的橄榄山（参较Matthew 21:1注释），因为东面的山比西面的略高。此城古时围有城墙，一部分至今犹存。城墙的位置历代屡有变更，随城市或大或小、向不同方向扩展而异。南面的城墙昔日囊括整个锡安山，而今日的城墙越过山顶，只包含这山约一半。在救主的时代，北墙只围到亚克拉山与摩利亚山之北；他死后，亚基帕（Agrippa）把城墙扩展，把北面的贝泽塔山也圈了进来。

其中约一半包含在今日的城墙之内。东西两面的城界因受地势决定，较为固定持久。此城部分靠城东的西罗亚泉供水（其描述见Luke 13:4注释及Isaiah 7:3注释），部分靠城西的基训泉（Gihon），其水流入约沙法谷；在所罗门时代又靠一条水道供水——水道的一部分至今犹存——从伯利恒附近引水而来。"所罗门的池子"共有三个，一个高于一个，宜于蓄大量之水，至今仍在伯利恒附近。西罗亚的泉源至今涌流不息（见Isaiah 7:3注释），基训泉则通常干涸；然而基训仍存有一个蓄水池或水柜。耶路撒冷的荣华，大概在所罗门时代达于极盛。约四百年后，它被尼布甲尼撒彻底摧毁。在犹太人被掳的七十年间，它完全荒凉。

此后它得重建，恢复了昔日若干程度的壮丽，存留了约六百年，直到公元70年被提多（Titus）彻底摧毁。哈德良（Adrian）在位时，此城以埃利亚（AElia）之名部分重建。城中竖起了异教偶像崇拜的纪念物，并处于异教管辖之下，直到君士坦丁之母海伦娜（Helena）推翻偶像崇拜的纪念物，在那被认为是救赎主受难与埋葬之处的地点上建起一座宏伟的教堂。叛教者尤利安（Julian）为要败坏救主关于圣殿必存留荒凉的预言之信用（Matthew 24），试图重建圣殿。他自己的史家阿米阿努斯·马尔切利努斯（Ammianus Marcellinus）（见Warburton的Divine Legation of Moses）说，工人被从地下喷出的火球所阻，他被迫放弃这项工程。

耶路撒冷继续在东罗马诸帝手中，直到穆罕默德之后第三任哈里发欧麦尔（Omar）约于640年将其收归治下。撒拉森人作耶路撒冷的主宰直到1099年，该城被布永的戈弗雷（Godfrey of Bouillon）麾下的十字军攻取。他们建立了一个以耶路撒冷为首都的新王国，历九王、延续八十八年。这王国终被萨拉丁（Saladin）倾覆；虽然基督徒一度重新占据该城，却不得不再次放弃。1217年，撒拉森人被土耳其人驱逐，此后土耳其人一直占据该城。耶路撒冷曾十七次被攻取、被劫掠，城内被杀戮者以百万计。如今圣殿原址上有一座宏伟的清真寺——欧麦尔清真寺。耶路撒冷现有人口（约1880年代）估计不一，从一万五千到三万不等：特纳（Turner）估计为两万六千；理查森（Richardson）两万；乔伊特（Jowett）一万五千；罗宾逊博士（Dr. Robinson）一万一千，即穆斯林四千五百、犹太人三千、基督徒三千五百。——Biblical Researches, vol. ii. p. 83, 84。

犹太人有若干会堂。罗马天主教有一所修道院，并掌管圣墓教堂。希腊人有十二所修道院；亚美尼亚人在锡安山有三所、城内一所；科普特人、叙利亚人和阿比西尼亚人各有修道院一所。街道狭窄，房屋皆石造，大多低矮不规则，有平顶或露台，朝街只开小窗，通常以铁栅防护。以上描述取自多种来源，逐一指明出处并无用处。

Bethlehem of Judea - This city is mentioned in Judges 17:7, and must be distinguished from another of the same name in the tribe of Zebulon, Joshua 19:15. It is likewise called Ephrath, Genesis 48:7, or Ephratah, Micah 5:2, and its inhabitants Ephrathites, Ruth 1:2; 1 Samuel 17:12. It is situated on the declivity of a hill, about six miles from Jerusalem. בית לחם Beth-lechem, in Hebrew, signifies the house of bread. And the name may be considered as very properly applied to that place where Jesus, the Messiah, the true bread that came down from heaven, was manifested, to give life to the world. But לחם lehem also signifies flesh, and is applied to that part of the sacrifice which was burnt upon the altar. See Leviticus 3:11-16; Leviticus 21:6. The word is also used to signify a carcass, Zephaniah 1:17. The Arabic version has Beet lehem, and the Persic Beet allehem: but lehem, in Arabic, never signifies bread, but always means flesh. Hence it is more proper to consider the name as signifying the house of flesh, or, as some might suppose, the house of the incarnation, i.e. the place where God was manifested in the flesh for the salvation of a lost world.

In the days of Herod the king - This was Herod, improperly denominated the Great, the son of Antipater, an Idumean: he reigned 37 years in Judea, reckoning from the - time he was created - king of that country by the Romans. Our blessed Lord was born in the last year of his reign; and, at this time, the scepter had literally departed from Judah, a foreigner being now upon the throne.

As there are several princes of this name mentioned in the New Testament, it may be well to give a list of them here, together with their genealogy.

Herod, the Great, married ten wives, by whom he had several children, Euseb. l. i. c. 9. p. 27. The first was Doris, thought to be an Idumean, whom he married when but a private individual; by her he had Antipater, the eldest of all his sons, whom he caused to be executed five days before his own death.

His second wife was Mariamne, daughter to Hircanus, the sole surviving person of the Asmonean, or Maccabean, race. Herod put her to death. She was the mother of Alexander and Aristobulus, whom Herod had executed at Sebastia, (Joseph. Antiq. l. xvi. c. 13. - De Bello, l. i. c. 17), on an accusation of having entered into a conspiracy against him. Aristobulus left three children, whom I shall notice hereafter.

His third wife was Mariamne, the daughter of Simon, a person of some note in Jerusalem, whom Herod made high priest, in order to obtain his daughter. She was the mother of Herod Philippus, or Herod Philip, and Salome. Herod or Philip married Herodias, mother to Salome, the famous dancer, who demanded the head of John the Baptist, Mark 6:22. Salome had been placed, in the will of Herod the Great, as second heir after Antipater; but her name was erased, when it was discovered that Mariamne, her mother, was an accomplice in the crimes of Antipater, son of Herod the Great. Joseph de Bello, lib. i. c. 18,19,20.

His fourth wife was Malthake, a Samaritan, whose sons were Archelaus and Philip. The first enjoyed half his father's kingdom under the name of tetrarch, viz. Idumea, Judea, and Samaria: Joseph. Antiq. l. xvii. c. 11. He reigned nine years; but, being accused and arraigned before the Emperor Augustus, he was banished to Vienna, where he died: Joseph. Antiq. l. xvii. c. 15. This is the Archelaus mentioned in Matthew 2:22.

His brother Philip married Salome, the famous dancer, the daughter of Herodias; he died without children, and she was afterwards married to Aristobulus.

The fifth wife of Herod the Great was Cleopatra of Jerusalem. She was the mother of Herod surnamed Antipas, who married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, while he was still living. Being reproved for this act by John the Baptist, Matthew 14:3; Mark 6:17; Luke 3:19, and having imprisoned this holy man, he caused him to be beheaded, agreeable to the promise he had rashly made to the daughter of his wife Herodias, who had pleased him with her dancing. He attempted to seize the person of Jesus Christ, and to put him to death. It was to this prince that Pilate sent our Lord, Luke 13:31, Luke 13:32. He was banished to Lyons, and then to Spain, where both he and his wife Herodias died. Joseph. Antiq. l. xv. c. 14. - De Bello, l. ii. c. 8.

The sixth wife of Herod the Great was Pallas, by whom he had Phasaelus: his history is no ways connected with the New Testament.

The seventh was named Phoedra, the mother of Roxana, who married the son of Pheroras.

The eighth was Elpida, mother of Salome, who married another son of Pheroras.

With the names of two other wives of Herod we are not acquainted; but they are not connected with our history, any more than are Pallas, Phoedra, and Elpida, whose names I merely notice to avoid the accusation of inaccuracy.

Aristobulus, the son of Herod the Great by Mariamne, a descendant of the Asmoneans, left two sons and a daughter, viz. Agrippa, Herod, and Herodias, so famous for her incestuous marriage with Antipas, in the life-time of his brother Philip.

Agrippa, otherwise named Herod, who was imprisoned by Tiberius for something he had inconsiderately said against him, was released from prison by Caligula, who made him king of Judea: Joseph. Antiq. l. xviii. c. 8. It was this prince who put St. James to death, and imprisoned Peter, as mentioned in 12. of Acts. He died at Caesarea, in the way mentioned in the Acts, as well as by Josephus, Antiq. l. xix. c. 7. He left a son named Agrippa, who is mentioned below.

Herod, the second son of Aristobulus, was king of Chalcis, and, after the death of his brother, obtained permission of the emperor to keep the ornaments belonging to the high priest, and to nominate whom he pleased to that office: Joseph. Antiq. l. xx. c. 1. He had a son named Aristobulus, to whom Nero gave Armenia the lesser, and who married Salome, the famous dancer, daughter to Herodias.

Agrippa, son of Herod Agrippa, king of Judea, and grandson to Aristobulus and Mariamne; he was at first king of Chalcis, and afterwards tetrarch of Galilee, in the room of his uncle Philip: Joseph. Antiq. l. xx. c. 5. It was before him, his sister Berenice, and Felix, who had married Drusilla, Agrippa's second daughter, that St. Paul pleaded his cause, as mentioned Acts 26.

Herodias, the daughter of Mariamne and Aristobulus, is the person of whom we have already spoken, who married successively the two brothers Philip and Antipas, her uncles, and who occasioned the death of John the Baptist. By her first husband she had Salome, the dancer, who was married to Philip, tetrarch of the Trachonitis, the son of Herod the Great. Salome having had no children by him, she was married to Aristobulus, her cousin-german, son of Herod, king of Chalcis, and brother to Agrippa and Herodias: she had by this husband several children.

This is nearly all that is necessary to be known relative to the race of the Herods, in order to distinguish the particular persons of this family mentioned in the New Testament. See Basnage, Calmet, and Josephus.

There came wise men from the east - Or, Magi came from the eastern countries. "The Jews believed that there were prophets in the kingdom of Saba and Arabia, who were of the posterity of Abraham by Keturah; and that they taught in the name of God, what they had received in tradition from the mouth of Abraham." - Whitby. That many Jews were mixed with this people there is little doubt; and that these eastern magi, or philosophers, astrologers, or whatever else they were, might have been originally of that class, there is room to believe. These, knowing the promise of the Messiah, were now, probably, like other believing Jews, waiting for the consolation of Israel. The Persic translator renders the Greek Μαγοι by mejooseean, which properly signifies a worshipper of fire; and from which we have our word magician. It is very probable that the ancient Persians, who were considered as worshippers of fire, only honored it as the symbolical representation of the Deity; and, seeing this unusual appearance, might consider it as a sign that the God they worshipped was about to manifest himself among men. Therefore they say, We have seen his star - and are come to worship him; but it is most likely that the Greeks made their Μαγοι magi, which we translate wise men, from the Persian mogh, and moghan, which the Kushuf ul Loghat, a very eminent Persian lexicon, explains by atush perest, a worshipper of fire; which the Persians suppose all the inhabitants of Ur in Chaldea were, among whom the Prophet Abraham was brought up. The Mohammedans apply this title by way of derision to Christian monks in their associate capacity; and by a yet stronger catachresis, they apply it to a tavern, and the people that frequent it. Also, to ridicule in the most forcible manner the Christian priesthood, they call the tavern-keeper, peeri Mughan, the priest, or chief of the idolaters. It is very probable that the persons mentioned by the evangelist were a sort of astrologers, probably of Jewish extraction, that they lived in Arabia-Felix, and, for the reasons above given, came to worship their new-born sovereign. It is worthy of remark, that the Anglo-saxon translates the word Μαγοι by astrologers, from a star or planet, and to know or understand.