1. 'EV B>)SXgf/t* Trig lovdaiag, in Bethlehem of Judaea) It is thus distinguished from Bethlehem of the Zabulonites, mentioned in Josh. xix. 15. — 'UpuiBou, of Herod) i.e. Herod the Great, a native of Ascalon, a foreigner by descent, the sceptre being just on the point of departing from Judah. Amongst his sons1 were Arche- laus, mentioned in ver. 22, the Herods Antipas and Philip, mentioned in the 14th chapter of St Matthew and the 23d of St Luke, and Aristobulus, the father of Herod Agrippa, who is mentioned in Acts xii. — /do;), behold) This particle frequently points to a thing unexpected. The arrival of the Magi at Jerusalem had not been announced. — Mayo/, Magi) Mayoj occurs frequently in the Septuagint version of Daniel for the Hebrew *|^K, and signifies with the Persians a wise man or a philosopher. St Matthew considers it sufficient to denote them
1 The following genealogy of the Herodian Family, extracted from Lewin's Life of St Paul will be useful to the student : —
Antipater m. Cyprus, a. B.C. 43.
Joseph. Pheroras.
D. of Alexander Antipater Phasael. d. B.C. 4. 1
Phaedra, Mariamne, Malt 1 D. of Simon. d. I Roxana.
haw, Cleopatra, Elpis, .0.4 | Ealoma
HEROD PHILIP Tetrarch of Trachonitii, d. A.D. 34.
Aristobulus Alexander, Herod, Salamj m. Bemice, m. Glaphyra d. B.C. 6. d. B.C. 6.
1
so, Cyprus. m. Herudias.
Salome, m. 1. Herod Philip , 2. Aristobulus.
Tlgranes. Alexander, Tigranes, king of Armen Alexander, kingofCilic
ARCHELAUS, ANTIPAS, OlympU. ia, Ethnari'h of Judea Tetrart-h of Galilee Deposed A.D. 6. m. 1. D. of Aretas ; 2. Herodiaa. a. Deposed A.D. 40.
AGRIPPA I. Herod, Arlstobnlus, Herodias. Mariamne
Kingof Judea, King of Chalcis m. Jotape. m. 1. Philip, aliai m. Antipater
m. Cyprus, D. of in. 1. Mariamne; 2, Btrnice Herod ; 2. Antipas.
isampso; d. A.D. 48.
_j
Aristobulus Bernici
us. HjTcanus
T>rusiu9,