What Does Matthew 2:5 Mean in the King James?
And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The answer is not just a map point: Bethlehem, “house of bread,” makes the destination itself part of the message.
THE MEANING
You meet the answer in a name that carries nourishment: Bethlehem, the house of bread. The written word gives the present moment a way to recognize what is unfolding; a place can hold a promise larger than its size.
THE ROOT
γέγραπται
gegraptai
GROWS FROM
γραφ
To write, inscribe, or mark.
The Greek form means “it has been written,” with the written word still standing in the present. Here, writing makes Bethlehem recognizable as part of the unfolding message.
ALSO GROWS
graphē: Writing; a written text or scripture.
γραφή
It shares γραφ and shows how an act of writing becomes a text that can be read.
epigraphē: An inscription or written title.
ἐπιγραφή
It shares γραφ; an inscription marks a name or identity in writing, as the prophet’s words name Bethlehem.
בֵּית לֶחֶם
Bēt Leḥem
GROWS FROM
לחם
The consonants ל־ח־ם occur in the word for bread and in a verb meaning to fight.
“Bethlehem” in this verse is Bēt Leḥem. The Hebrew name means “house of bread.” Its bread element gives this place-name a sense of nourishment, while the same consonants also appear in the word for struggle.
ALSO GROWS
leḥem: Bread; food.
לֶחֶם
This is the bread element in Bethlehem, so the named place carries nourishment within its name.
laḥam: To fight or wage battle.
לָחַם
It shares the consonants לחם, placing struggle alongside the bread sense in this consonantal family.
THE PATTERN
Written testimony lets the present recognize meaning already carried by a name or promise.
But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.THE THREAD
But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.Matthew’s answer points directly into the words Micah gives about Bethlehem. The name “house of bread” and Micah’s description of a little place let the location carry meaning beyond its size.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us