What Does Matthew 2:19 Mean?
But when Herod had died, look, a messenger of the LORD appeared to Joseph in a dream in Egypt,
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,THE KEY
The messenger appears within the narrow place, before the way out begins.
THE MEANING
The narrow place can remain while the force that made it dangerous has ended. A message meets you there, within the dream, before you move outward.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie is that you must first escape the narrow place before a message can reach you.
THE ROOT
φαίνεται
phainetai
GROWS FROM
φαίν-
To shine forth, bring into view, appear.
“appeareth” in this verse is phainetai. The Greek word belongs to a family that links appearing with being brought into view. The messenger becomes present to Joseph in the dream while his location remains unchanged.
ALSO GROWS
epiphainō: Appear, shine upon.
ἐπιφαίνω
It carries the same φαίν- stem and describes something coming into view upon someone.
epiphaneia: Appearance, manifestation.
ἐπιφάνεια
Its related φαν- stem names an appearance as something made manifest.
ἄγγελος
angelos
GROWS FROM
ἀγγελ-
Announce, report; the one who carries an announcement.
“messenger of the LORD” in this verse is angelos. The Greek word identifies the figure by the work of announcing. The messenger’s role is carried in the word itself: a message reaches Joseph inside Egypt.
ALSO GROWS
angellō: Announce, report.
ἀγγέλλω
This verb shares the root and names the act that the messenger carries.
angelia: Message, report.
ἀγγελία
This noun shares the root and names what the messenger brings.
מִצְרַיִם
Mitzrayim
GROWS FROM
צרר
Bind, press in, constrict.
The Hebrew name מִצְרַיִם (Mitzrayim, Egypt) carries the צַר (tsar, narrow or constricting) word-family and its dual ending, the two narrows. Joseph remains within that constriction, yet the messenger appears there; the scene changes before the geography does.
ALSO GROWS
tsarar: Bind, tie up, press in.
צָרַר
It shares all three root consonants and gives the root’s pressing or binding force.
tseror: Bundle, tied parcel.
צְרוֹר
It shares the root consonants and pictures things held together in a bound form.
tsar: Narrow, tight, constricted.
צַר
Its צ־ר consonants belong to the same family and name the narrowness echoed in Mitzrayim.
THE PATTERN
A message can appear in a night vision before the person’s outward route changes.
And God spoke to Israel in the sights of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here I am.A vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood there, urging him and saying, Cross over into Macedonia and help us.THE THREAD
When they had withdrawn, look, a messenger of the LORD appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Rise, take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word, for Herod will seek the young child to make him perish.The same Greek word ἄγγελος (angelos, messenger) appears in both verses. In 2:13 the message sends Joseph into Egypt; here the messenger reaches him there after Herod’s death, making the same place first a refuge from danger and then the setting for the next message.
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