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1 Now after Yehoshua was born in Beit-Lechem Yehudah, in the days of Herod* king — hinei! — chachamim from eretz Mizrach (the land of the East) arrived in Yerushalayim, 2 saying, Where is he that is born Melech HaYehudim? For we have seen his KOCHAV†(star) in the Mizrach and come to fall down before him. 3 Because Herod the king heard this, he was terribly shaken, and all Yerushalayim with him. 4 And assembling all the Rashei Hakohanim and Sofrim of the people, he inquired of them the place where Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was to be born. 5 They told him, In Beit-Lechem Yehudah; because so it stands written by the Navi: 6 And YOU, BEIT-LECHEM, (Bethlehem, Mic 5:1[2]) in eretz Yehudah are by no means least among the shtetlach (towns) or ruling‡ of Yehudah; because out of you will come a Moshel (Ruler) who will be the Ro'eh Ami Yisroel.
7 Then Herod secretly summoned the chachamim and ascertained from them the exact date of the manifestation of the KOCHAV. 8 Then he sent them to Beit-Lechem, saying, Go and make a thorough search for the yeled (child); as soon as you have found him, report to me, so that I, as you, may come and fall down before him. 9 After they heard the king, they departed, and hinei! The KOCHAV they had seen in the Mizrach (East) was going ahead of them until it came and stood above the place where the yeled was. 10 When they saw the KOCHAV, they rejoiced with exceedingly great nachas (joy). 11 And, entering the bais (house), they beheld the yeled with Miryam, his Em, and prostrated themselves before him. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a chalom (dream) not to return to Herod, they took refuge in their own country by another way.
13 And when they had gone — hinei! — a malach Hashem appeared to Yosef§ in a chalom (dream), saying, Arise, and take the yeled and his Em, and flee to Eretz Mitzrayim (Egypt), and stay there until I tell you, for Herod is about to seek the yeled to destroy him. 14 So, having got up, Yosef* took the yeled, and his Em by night and departed for Eretz Mitzrayim. 15 And Yosef† was there until the mot Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by Hashem through the Navi, UMIMITZRAYIM KARATI LIVNI‡(Out of Egypt have I called my Son).
16 When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the chachamim, he was greatly enraged, and he ordered the slaughter of all the yeladim in Beit-Lechem and its vicinity who were two years old or under, in accordance with the time that he had learned from the chachamim. 17 Then came the fulfillment of what was spoken through Yirmeyah HaNavi: 18 KOL BRAMAH NISHMAH§(A voice was heard in Ramah),* a voice of bitter weeping and mourning. Rachel is crying for her yeladim; she refuses to be comforted, because they are no more.
19 When Herod died, hinei, in Eretz Mitzrayim a malach Hashem appeared to Yosef† in a chalom (dream), 20 saying, Arise, and take the yeled and his Em and go to Eretz Yisroel, for those seeking the life of the yeled are dead. 21 And Yosef‡ arose and took the yeled and his Em, and entered Eretz Yisroel. 22 And when Yosef§ heard that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Yehudah, Yosef* was afraid to go there. And, having been warned in a chalom, he departed into the districts of the Galil. 23 And Yosef† made his home in the shtetl (Jewish village) called Natzeret, so that which was spoken by the Neviim might be fulfilled: He will be called a Natzri.‡
* 2:1 the Great, the Roman client † 2:2 Num 24:17 ‡ 2:6 alafim § 2:13 Ben Dovid * 2:14 ben Dovid † 2:15 ben Dovid ‡ 2:15 Hos 11:1 § 2:18 Jer 31:14 * 2:18 15 † 2:19 ben Dovid ‡ 2:21 ben Dovid § 2:22 ben Dovid * 2:22 ben Dovid † 2:23 ben Dovid ‡ 2:23 i.e., Moshiach the Netzer, Tzemach, Isa 11:1; Jer 23:5; Zech 3:8; Isa 53:2; Zech 6:11-12