Matthew 2:7
New International Version
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.

New Living Translation
Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared.

English Standard Version
Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared.

Berean Literal Bible
Then Herod, having called the Magi secretly, inquired of them the exact time of the star appearing.

King James Bible
Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

New King James Version
Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.

New American Standard Bible
Then Herod secretly called for the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared.

NASB 1995
Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared.

NASB 1977
Then Herod secretly called the magi, and ascertained from them the time the star appeared.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Herod secretly called the magi and carefully determined from them the time the star appeared.

Amplified Bible
Then Herod secretly sent for the magi and learned from them the [exact] time the star [had first] appeared.

Christian Standard Bible
Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared.

American Standard Version
Then Herod privily called the Wise-men, and learned of them exactly what time the star appeared.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And then Herodus secretly called The Magi and learned from them at what time the star had appeared to them.

Contemporary English Version
Herod secretly called in the wise men and asked them when they had first seen the star.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Then Herod, privately calling the wise men, learned diligently of them the time of the star which appeared to them;

English Revised Version
Then Herod privily called the wise men, and learned of them carefully what time the star appeared.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Herod secretly called the wise men and found out from them exactly when the star had appeared.

Good News Translation
So Herod called the visitors from the East to a secret meeting and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.

International Standard Version
Then Herod secretly called together the wise men, found out from them the time the star had appeared,

Literal Standard Version
Then Herod, having called the magi privately, inquired exactly from them the time of the appearing star,

Majority Standard Bible
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared.

New American Bible
Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.

NET Bible
Then Herod privately summoned the wise men and determined from them when the star had appeared.

New Revised Standard Version
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared.

New Heart English Bible
Then Herod secretly called the Magi, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then Herod, when he had privately called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

Weymouth New Testament
Thereupon Herod sent privately for the Magi and ascertained from them the exact time of the star's appearing.

World English Bible
Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.

Young's Literal Translation
Then Herod, privately having called the mages, did inquire exactly from them the time of the appearing star,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Pilgrimage of the Magi
6‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of My people Israel.’ ” 7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8And sending them to Bethlehem, he said: “Go and search carefully for the Child, and when you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”…

Cross References
Numbers 24:17
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth.

Matthew 2:1
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,

Matthew 2:8
And sending them to Bethlehem, he said: "Go and search carefully for the Child, and when you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him."

Matthew 2:16
When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi.

Acts 24:22
Then Felix, who was well informed about the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, "When Lysias the commander comes, I will decide your case."


Treasury of Scripture

Then Herod, when he had privately called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

Matthew 26:3-5
Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, …

Exodus 1:10
Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

1 Samuel 18:21
And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.

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Accurately Appeared Appearing Ascertained Determined Diligently Enquired Exact Exactly Found Herod Inquire Inquired Learned Magi Privately Privily Questions Secretly Star Summoned Thereupon Time Wise
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Accurately Appeared Appearing Ascertained Determined Diligently Enquired Exact Exactly Found Herod Inquire Inquired Learned Magi Privately Privily Questions Secretly Star Summoned Thereupon Time Wise
Matthew 2
1. The wise men from the east enquire after Jesus;
3. at which Herod is alarmed.
9. They are directed by a star to Bethlehem, worship him, and offer their presents.
13. Joseph flees into Egypt with Jesus and his mother.
16. Herod slays the children;
20. himself dies.
23. Jesus is brought back again into Galilee to Nazareth.














(7) When he had privily called.--True to his nature to the last--himself probably a believer in astrology, and haunted by fears of what the star portended--the king's next measure is to ascertain the limits of his danger. The English "what time the star appeared" is not quite accurate. Literally, the time of the star that was appearing--i.e., at what time the star, which was still visible (Matthew 2:9), had first appeared.

Enquired of them diligently.--Better, ascertained exactly.

Verse 7. - Then Herod, when he had privily called the Wise Men. Secrecy was doubly necessary. He would not publicly commit himself to acknowledging the rights of the new King, and he would give no opportunity for others to warn the Child's parents of the dangerous interest that Herod was taking in him. Duplicity was very characteristic of Herod; cf. his assassination of Aristobulus the high priest (Josephus, 'Ant.,' 15:03. 3), and his alluring his son Antipater home to death (ibid., 17:5. 1). Inquired of them diligently; learned of them carefully (Revised Version); "lerned of hem bisili" (Wickliffe); ἠκρίβωσεν παρ αὐτῶν. The stress is not upon Herod's careful questioning, but on the exact information that he obtained. What time the star appeared. Although this is not the literal translation, it may, perhaps, represent the sense of the original ( τὸν χρόνον τοῦ φαινομένου ἀστέρος) , the participle characterizing the star in its most important relation - its appearance, and the words being treated as a compound expression (cf. John 12:9, 12). Herod supposed that the birth of the Babe was synchronous with the first appearance of the star. The translation, however, of the Revised Version margin, "the time of the star that appeared," better suits the exact wording ( χρόνον, not καιρόν;φαινομένου, not φανέντος) , the phrase thus including both the first appearance and also the period of continuance (cf. Grotius, "non initium, sed continuitas"). But it is difficult to see What Herod would have learned from this latter particular. Some even think that the star was still visible (Plumptre; Weiss, 'Matthew'), but in this case the joy of the Magi in ver. 10 is not satisfactorily explained.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Then
Τότε (Tote)
Adverb
Strong's 5119: Then, at that time. From ho and hote; the when, i.e. At the time that.

Herod
Ἡρῴδης (Hērōdēs)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2264: Compound of heros and eidos; heroic; Herod, the name of four Jewish kings.

called
καλέσας (kalesas)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2564: (a) I call, summon, invite, (b) I call, name. Akin to the base of keleuo; to 'call'.

the
τοὺς (tous)
Article - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Magi
μάγους (magous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3097: A sorcerer, a magician, a wizard. Of foreign origin; a Magian, i.e. Oriental scientist; by implication, a magician.

secretly
λάθρᾳ (lathra)
Adverb
Strong's 2977: Secretly, privately. Adverb from lanthano; privately.

[and] learned
ἠκρίβωσεν (ēkribōsen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 198: To learn carefully, inquire with exactness. From the same as akribestatos; to be exact, i.e. Ascertain.

from
παρ’ (par’)
Preposition
Strong's 3844: Gen: from; dat: beside, in the presence of; acc: alongside of.

them
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

{exact} time
χρόνον (chronon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5550: A space of time or interval; by extension, an individual opportunity; by implication, delay.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

star
ἀστέρος (asteros)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 792: A star. Probably from the base of stronnumi; a star, literally or figuratively.

had appeared.
φαινομένου (phainomenou)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 5316: Prolongation for the base of phos; to lighten, i.e. Show.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 2:7 Then Herod secretly called the wise men (Matt. Mat Mt)
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