King Herod – When Did He Die?

Posted on January 9, 2018May 6, 2024 by K.B. Vogelman

Nativity accounts of both Matthew and Luke report that Jesus of Nazareth was born during the lifetimes of three historical personages – Augustus, Herod and Quirinius.^[1] King Herod’s death occurred shortly after the birth of Jesus of Nazareth making it the lynch pin date to determine his birth year, but it isn’t easy to determine.

Standardized calendars during Antiquity do not exist; instead, timelines and dates are linked to well-known historical events. Establishing the date of Herod’s death requires piecing together such clues as the reigns of Tiberius, King Herod and his sons; the Battle of Actium; the Jewish religious calendar; astronomy data, Josephus’ accounts, etc.

Adding another level of complexity is “inclusive reckoning,” the question of whether a partial year was counted as a full year in historical references. The unsettled question instills a plus or minus factor of at least a year.^[2]

Jewish historian Josephus wrote extensively in Antiquities of the Jews about the days surrounding Herod’s death marked by bookend events of a lunar eclipse and the following Passover that Spring.

Philip, one of King Herod’s sons, began reigning upon the death of the King when he was appointed by Caesar Augustus as tetrarch. Printed copies of Antiquities say Philip died in the “twentieth year of Tiberius,” after ruling for 37 years.^[3]

“…Philip, Herod’s brother, departed this life, in the twentieth year of the reign of Tiberius after he had been tetrarch of Trachonitis, and Gaulonitis, and of the nation of Bataneana also thirty-seven years.” – Josephus (*printed)^[4]

Tiberius began his reign when Caesar Augustus died in 14 AD, then adding 20 years lands in 34 AD, minus Philip’s reign of 37 years calculates to 3 BC to determine when King Herod died. Since a partial lunar eclipse occurred on March 13^th, 4 BC, this year of 4 BC becomes the commonly accepted secular year for Herod’s death meaning Jesus had to be born earlier.^[5]

King Herod’s death year controversy, aside from peculiar dating, also has some experts the questioning the timeline between the eclipse and Passover. Could all these events described by Josephus have occurred in the span of just 4 weeks if Herod died in 4 BC?

Eclipse to Passover Events

A gripping scene in Jerusalem begins with rumors that Herod had died. Incited insurrectionists removed the long-hated sacrilege of Rome’s golden eagle insignia Herod had mounted over the entrance gate.^[6]

Unfortunately for the insurrectionists, the King was not yet dead. In response, Herod had the High Priest removed from office and 40 insurrectionists burned alive.^[7] That very night was marked by a lunar eclipse and Josephus describes in detail the events that took place before the upcoming Passover.

Herod’s loathsome protruding bowels and gangrenous groin condition worsened. His physicians recommended therapy in the warm baths of Callirrhoe, about a 2-days journey from Jerusalem bypassing his palace in Jericho, then across the Jordan River to the hot springs. ^[8]

Gaining no relief, his physicians then recommended soaking in a full vat of oil. Back to his closer palace in Jericho, King Herod soaked in a vat for three days, but that too did not work.

Treatments had failed and Herod welcomed the relief that death would bring. Preparing for the final chapter in his life, the King sent letters throughout Judea summoning all the “principal men” to Jericho:

“all the principal men of the entire Jewish nation, wheresoever they lived, should be called to him…a great number that came, because the whole nation was called, and all men heard of this call, and death was the penalty of such as should despise the epistles.” – Josephus ^[9]

Misery overcame the King who decided to hasten his inevitable death by suicide with a kitchen carving knife. His cousin saw what was about to happen, grabbed the King’s hand and began screaming.^[10]

Echoing screams throughout the halls of the palace were misinterpreted that Herod had died touching off a great wailing lamentation. Antipater, Herod’s imprisoned eldest son, believed a twist of fate had now posited the kingdom into his grasp.

Antipater promised his jailer fortunes to release him immediately. Instead, the jailer informed Herod who became enraged, beat his head and ordered his son to be promptly executed.^[11]

Herod died 5 days later after Antipater’s execution.^[12] News of the King’s death spread across Judea and to other nations.

International dignitaries and top military personnel including centurions, captains and officers; and full regiments of the Thracians, Germans, Galatians and Gauls all outfitted in full battle gear traveled to the King’s funeral in Jericho. Meanwhile, a funeral bier was built of gold embroidered by “very precious stones of a great variety” and lined with purple material “of various contexture.”

After the funeral, an elaborate and slow procession to Herodium for the King’s interment took many more days. Following the King’s burial was a 7-day morning period, then a feast was given for the people of Judea before the Passover.^[13]

Death year calculations

Consultant and Biblical hobbyist, David Beyer, compared the 1544 Gutenberg printings of Antiquities used to determine the 4 BC date to two dozen older, handwritten manuscripts predating Gutenberg. He discovered all older handwritten Antiquities manuscripts said that Philip died in the 22^nd year of Tiberius, not the 20^th year, and when corrected to 22 years places Herod’s death in the 1 BC timeframe.^[14]

Secular history ends the reign of Tiberius in March, 37 AD, after almost 22 and half years when he began his reign in August, 14 AD. After factoring in the 37-year reign of Philip, he could not have began his reign in 4 BC upon the death of his father, Herod.

Josephus’ two other references in Antiquities of the Jews and Wars of the Jews each back-up Beyer. In Antiquities, Josephus states that Tiberius died after serving as Caesar “twenty-two years, five months and three days” aligning with the secular history date of early 37 AD and places Herod’s death in the 1 BC timeframe.^[15]

Wars marked the Battle of Actium in the 7^th year of Herod’s reign, the war being academically recognized as occurring in the year 31 BC. Josephus wrote that Herod served for 37 years backdating the beginning of Herod’s reign to 38 BC who then reigned himself for 37 years thereby again reckoning Herod’s death in 1 BC.

Agrippa in 36 AD traveled to Rome before the death of Tiberius. After saying to Caligula (Caius/Gaius) in a carriage ride that he wished Tiberius would die, the carriage driver told Tiberius who the had Agrippa thrown into prison.

Six months later after the death of Tiberius, his successor who was Caligula, gave Philip’s unfilled tetrarchy to Agrippa in 37 AD. Once again, factoring the reign of Tiberius, backdating Philip’s death after reigning for 37 years reckons to Herod’s death in 1 BC.^[16^]

Historian expert Gerard Gertoux, using several calculations methods, arrived at similar results. Approaching the dilemma from several angles, Gertoux determined the King’s death occurred in 1 BC.^[17]

Three historical references by Josephus are calculated three different ways, and all land in the year 1 BC. Changing the date of Herod’s death to 1 BC poses a second question – what about the lunar eclipse referenced by Josephus marking the final days of King Herod?

NASA lunar eclipse data for Jerusalem reveals that on January 9-10, 1 BC, a full lunar eclipse occurred. Passover that year was observed on April 6^th, twelve and half weeks later allowing eight additional weeks for the events described by Josephus to occur.^[18]

By comparison, NASA data for Jerusalem shows only a partial, less-than-half lunar eclipse occurred on March 13^th, 4 BC, used to support the secular 4 BC timeline.^[19] Passover in 4 BC fell on April 10^th, four weeks later.^[20]

Question

Historical records, archeological discoveries and astronomy data point to the death of Herod in the 1 BC time frame vs. the questionable secular 4 BC date. Did Herod’s death actually occur in 1 BC or the traditionally accepted year of 4 BC?

Updated January 30, 2024.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

REFERENCES:

[1] Matthew 2. Luke 2.
[2] Gertoux. “Dating the Death of Herod.” pp 3-4. Maier, Paul L. The New Complete Works of Josephus. Trans. William Whiston. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications. 1999. Dissertation 5, Appendix #38. Google Books. n.d. <http://books.google.com/books?id=kyaoIb6k2ccC&lpg=PP1&dq=the%20complete%20works%20of%20josephus&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false > Ramsay. Was Christ Born in Bethlehem? Chapter 11 & end note. Jachowski, Raymond. Academa.Edu. “The Death of Herod the Great and the Latin Josephus: Re-Examining the Twenty-Second Year of Tiberius.” n.d. <https://www.academia.edu/19833193/The_Death_of_Herod_the_Great_and_the_Latin_Josephus_Re_Examining_the_Twenty_Second_Year_of_Tiberius>
[3] Josephus. Antiquities of the Jews. Book XVII, Chapter XII; Book XVIII, Chapters V. Bunson, Matthew. Encyclopedia of the Roman Empire. “Galilee; Judaea.” 2002. <https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780816045624> Jachowski. Academa.Edu. “The Death of Herod the Great and the Latin Josephus: Re-Examining the Twenty-Second Year of Tiberius.” Philip. Bible Wiki. image. n.d. <https://bible.fandom.com/wiki/Philip_the_Tetrarch>
[4] Josephus. Antiquities of the Jews. Book XVIII, Chapters IV.6. (printed copy)
[5] Whiston. The Works of Flavius Josephus, the Learned and Authentic Jewish Historian.” 1850. p 349 footnote. <https://books.google.com/books?id=e0dAAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&hl=en#v=snippet&q=349&f=false> Bernegger, P.M. “Affirmation of Herod’s Death in 4 B.C.” Journal of Theological Studies. 1983. Vol. 34, no 2, pp 526-531, <http://www.redatedkings.com/postings/Bernegger.pdf> Schurer, Emil. A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ. 1890. Volume 1, pp 464-465, footnote 165. <http://books.google.com/books?id=BRynO3W9FPcC&pg=PP1#v=snippet&q=Tiberius&f=false> Doig, Kenneth F. New Testament Chronology. 1990. Chapter 4. <http://nowoezone.com/NT_Chronology.htm
[6] Josephus, Flavius. Antiquities of the Jews. Book VII, Chapters VI – IX. The Complete Works of Josephus. 1850. <http://books.google.com/books?id=e0dAAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false> Josephus, Flavius. Wars of the Jews. Chapter XXXIII; Book II, Chapter I. The Complete Works of Josephus. 1850. <http://books.google.com/books?id=e0dAAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
[7] Josephus. Antiquities. Book XVII, Chapter VI, VII. Josephus. Wars. Book I, Chapter XXXIII.
[8] Josephus. Antiquities. Book XVII, Chapter VI. Josephus. Wars. Book I, Chapter XXXIII. “Tulul Abul Alayiq (Herodian Jericho) – Jericho.” This Week in Palestine. Issue No. 102, October 2006. <http://www.thisweekinpalestine.com/details.php?id=1948&ed=132&edid=132> “Callirrhoe.” Jewish Encyclopedia. 2011. <http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/3933-callirrhoe> “Map of New Testament Israel.” Bible-history.com. Map. n.d. <http://www.bible-history.com/geography/ancient-israel/israel-first-century.html>
[9] Josephus. Antiquities. Book XVII, Chapter VI.5. CR Josephus. Wars. Book I, Chapter XXXIII.
[10] Josephus. Antiquities. Book XVII, Chapter VII. Josephus. Wars. Book I, Chapter XXXIII.
[11] Josephus. Antiquities. Book XVII, Chapter VII. Josephus. Wars. Book I, Chapter XXXIII.
[12] Josephus. Antiquities. Book XVII, Chapter VI-VII. Josephus. Wars. Book I, Chapter XXXIII.
[13] Josephus. Antiquities. Book XVII, Chapters VII-VIII. Josephus. Wars. Book I, Chapter XXXIII; Book II, Chapter I. Whiston. The Works of Flavius Josephus, the Learned and Authentic Jewish Historian.” 1850. p 450, footnote. <https://books.google.com/books?id=e0dAAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&hl=en#v=snippet&q=349&f=false >; “Highways and Roads of Palestine.” 2017. Map. Bible-history.com. <http://www.bible-history.com/geography/ancient-israel/israel-first-century.html > San José, Juan Antonio Revilla. “On the Year of Herod’s Death.” A partial translation from “La Fecha de Muerte de Herodes y La Estrella de Belén.” 1999. Astrology of the New Centaurs. <;href=”http://www.expreso.co.cr/centaurs/steiner/herod.html”> Smallwood, E. Mary. The Jews Under Roman Rule: From Pompey to Diocletian. 2^nd Ed. 1981. p 104, footnote 158. <http://books.google.com/books?id=jSYbpitEjggC&lpg=PA151&ots=VWqUOinty4&dq=census%20Syria%20Rome&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false>; Reinhold, Roy A. “Other Scholarship Proving the Exact Date of Birth of Yeshua (Jesus), part 5.” Codes in the Bible. 2001. <http://www.ad2004.com/Biblecodes/articles/yeshuabirth5.html “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jewish Encyclopedia. 2011. <http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8616-jesus-of-nazareth> Beyer, David W. “Josephus Reexamined: Unraveling the Twenty-Second Year of Tiberius.” 1998. p 88. Chronos, Kairos, Christos II. Ed. Jerry Vardaman. <http://books.google.com/books?id=mWnYvI5RdLMC&lpg=PP1&dq=isbn%3A0865545820&pg=PA85#v=snippet&q=beyer&f=false> Gertoux, Gerard. “Dating the death of Herod.” 2015 Academia.edu. <http://www.academia.edu/2518046/Dating_the_death_of_Herod /a>
[14] Beyer. “Josephus Reexamined.” pp 86-87, 90-93, 95-96. Josephus. Antiquities. Book XVIII, Chapter II. 2. Josephus. Wars. Book II, Chapter IX.1, 6. Wolfram, Chuck. “The Herodian Dynasty.” 2004. <http://web.archive.org/web/20151013221102/http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cwolfram/herod Martin, Ernest L. The Star of Bethlehem – The Star That Astonished the World. 2^nd Ed. 2003. Chapter 13. A.S.K. (Associates for Scriptural Knowledge. <://web.archive.org/web/20170917115234/http://www.askelm.com/star/star015.htm> Josephus. Antiquities. Book XVIII, Chapter VI.6-8, 10. Jachowski. Academa.Edu. “The Death of Herod the Great and the Latin Josephus: Re-Examining the Twenty-Second Year of Tiberius.”
[15] Josephus. Antiquities. Book XVIII, Chapter II. 2; Chapter VI.5. Josephus. Wars. Book I, Chapter XXXIII.8. “Tiberius.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2023. <https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tiberius> “Tiberius.” World History Encyclopedia. 2023. <https://www.worldhistory.org/Tiberius/> Steinmann, Andrew E.; Young, Rodger. Academia.Edu. “Elapsed Times for Herod the Great in Josephus.” 2023. <https://www.academia.edu/39731184/Elapsed_Times_for_Herod_the_Great_in_Josephus?email_work_card=thumbnail>
[16] Josephus. Antiquities. Book XVIII, Chapter VI.10. Josephus. Wars. Book II, Chapter IX.6. “Augustus.” UNRV History |The Roman Empire. United Nations of Roma Victrix. 2017. <http://www.unrv.com/fall-republic/augustus.php> “Did Caesar and Cleopatra really have a son?” The Ancient Standard. 2010. <http://ancientstandard.com/2010/12/03/did-caesar-and-cleopatra-really-have-a-son
[17] Josephus. Antiquities. Book XV, Chapter V, Book XVII, Chapters VI – Chapter VIII. Josephus. Wars. Book I, Chapter XXXIII. “Actium (31 BCE).” Livius.org. Ed. Jona Lendering. 2019. <https://www.livius.org/articles/battle/actium-31-bce> “King Herod the Great.” Livius.org. 2017. <http://www.livius.org/he-hg/herodians/herod_the_great01.html> “The Actium Project.” New World Encyclopedia. The University of South Florida and the Greek Ministry of Culture. Dir. William M. Murray. Research Project. 1997. <http://luna.cas.usf.edu/~murray/actium/brochure.html> Chesser, Preston. “The Battle of Actium.” Ohio State University. 2002. <http://ehistory.osu.edu/articles/battle-actium> Gertoux. “Dating the Death of Herod.” pp 6, 9, 11. “HEROD I. (surnamed the Great).” Gertoux, Gerard. “Herod the Great and Jesus: Chronological, Historical and Archaeological Evidence.” Academia.edu. n.d. <https://www.academia.edu/2518046/Herod_the_Great_and_Jesus_Chronological_Historical_and_Archaeological_Evidence?email_work_card=view-paper> Jewish Encyclopedia. 2011. <http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/7598-herod-i> Villalba i Varneda, Pere. The Historical Method of Flavius Josephus. 1986. p14. <http://books.google.com/books?id=kdUUAAAAIAAJ&lpg=PA14&ots=2ek7SgCy2c&dq=josephus%2C%20battle%20of%20actium%2C%20herod&pg=PA14#v=onepage&q=josephus,%20battle%20of%20actium,%20herod&f=false> Bernegger. “Affirmation of Herod’s Death in 4 B.C.” San José, Juan Antonio Revilla. “On the Year of Herod’s Death.” Pages 14, 140. “World History 50-0 BC.” HistoryCentral.com. MultiEducator, Inc. n.d. <http://www.historycentral.com/dates/50bc.html>
[18] Espenak, Fred. NASA Lunar Eclipse Website. 2007. Asia and Asia Minor – Jerusalem, Israel; Century Selection -0001 – 0100. <https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/JLEX/JLEX-AS.html> Espenak. NASA Eclipse Website. Asia and Asia Minor – Jerusalem, Israel. Century Selection -0001 – 0100. Espenak, Fred. “Six Millennium Catalog of Phases of the Moon.” NASA Eclipse Website. n.d. “Phase years Table: -0099 – 0000.” <https://archive.is/UsEwe> Kidger, Mark R. “The Date of Passover 11BC – 10AD.” <http://www.observadores-cometas.com/cometas/Star/Passover.html> Reinhold. “Other Scholarship Proving the Exact Date of Birth of Yeshua (Jesus), part 5.”
[19] Espenak. NASA Eclipse Website. Asia and Asia Minor – Jerusalem, Israel. Century Selection -0001 – 0100.
[20] Martin. The Star of Bethlehem. Chapter 13. Bernegger. “Affirmation of Herod’s Death in 4 B.C.”

A Game-Changing Proclamation in Nazareth

Posted on December 14, 2017January 22, 2024 by K.B. Vogelman

A Game-Changing Proclamation in Nazareth

Highly unlikely was that Jesus would be born any place other than Nazareth. The angel, Gabriel, who visited Mary announcing her supernatural conception, did not instruct her to go anywhere else to bear her child and there was no reason to think otherwise.

Mary was expected to give birth at home – most certainly not in a stone enclave used to shelter livestock in the faraway town of Bethlehem.^[1] Nearly 9 months pregnant, she would have been looking forward to having the support of her husband Joseph, family and friends over the few remaining days when that special moment would arrive.

Suddenly and unexpectedly, a Town Crier, known as a praeco in Latin, shouted out a proclamation that changed history…and Mary’s destiny. He announced a decree from none other than Roman Caesar Augustus just days before Mary was to give birth.^[2] It was a game-changer having an immediate major impact on Joseph and Mary.

^{LK 2: 1-3} “And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.” _NKJV

Traditional Nativity stories cite a “census” decree issued by Caesar Augustus was announced by the praeco. Perhaps surprisingly, the word “census” is not used in many of the English Gospel translations.

Translating Greek to English has its challenges and Luke’s Nativity story is a prime example. The difficulty for translators is capturing the correct distinctions in the English translation by relying, at least to some degree, on their contextual interpretation of the text.^[3]

Greek for “census” is kensos meaning “tax” which does not appear in Luke’s Greek text. Used only four times in the Bible, kensos is used exclusively by the author of Matthew, a former tax collector, where each time is specifically in the context of “tax” and not related to the Nativity story.^[4] Latin for “census” is the word censēre which is not found anywhere in New Testament Greek texts nor any works by historian Josephus during the Roman era.^[5]

First and third verses of Luke chapter 2 contains the Greek word apographo, a verb meaning an activity to “write off (a copy or list), i.e. enrollment.”^[6] Caesar’s decree initiated an action to make a list of the population in the Roman Empire by conducting an enrollment process. It has been translated into English in various Bible versions as “census,” “registration,” “enrolled,” “numbering,” and “taxed.”^[7]

Verse 2 uses the Greek word apographe, a noun meaning “an enrollment, by implication an assessment.”^[8] It refers to the actual documented record – a written enrollment register or listing resulting from the enrollment activity initiated by Caesar’s decree.

A Roman “census” was not just used for taxation assessments per se. Rather, it was used to enumerate the population; establish a public registry; identify Roman citizens; and size military needs.^[9] Oft overlooked, it required an oath to be given at the time of registration that is not unlike today’s legal agreements and ULAs required for various email, mobile phone and other online services.

Common to all five English translation variations of Augustus’ decree have the characteristics of taking an action that required an oath; enumerated the population; and produced a documented enrollment registration or a listing that was later used for taxation purposes. All translations are thus consistent with a typical Roman census registration process.^[10]

Informing the people of the town, the announcement by the praeco of Augustus’ decree told them when and where to appear for the registration.^[11] Compliance was not optional – failure to comply could result in loss of property, slavery, imprisonment or even death.^[12]

^{LK 2: 4-6} “Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was,that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.”_NKJV

Announcement of the decree by the praeco came at the tail end of months of Roman government planning and implementation throughout the vast Empire.^[13] Interestingly, if the announcement had occurred just a week later or a couple of weeks earlier, as very easily could have happened, Jesus would have been born in Nazareth.

Timing of the proclamation, instead, set up a unique confluence of events already set in motion that was soon to take place in Bethlehem. Augustus’ registration decree compelled Joseph and Mary to do the unthinkable.

On short notice at the point when Mary was ready to give birth to her baby, the couple set out on the long, 90-mile trek on foot facing the dangers and risks that came with walking on the winding and hilly path through the wilderness to Bethlehem.^[14] Both knew that Mary would give birth before they returned to Nazareth.

Meanwhile, Magi from a foreign country were planning a month’s long journey to Jerusalem not knowing they would eventually also end up in Bethlehem…a small town where neither they nor Joseph and Mary had planned to be. King Herod would actually send the Magi to Bethlehem to find the baby “King of the Jews” as part of a plot to kill him.

Was the timing of the praeco’s announcement of Caesar’s decree merely a coincidence that unexpectedly changed the birthplace of Jesus from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the birthplace of King David, or was it a fulfillment of Micah’s Messiah prophecy?

Updated December 14, 2023.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

REFERENCES:

[1] Finkel, Michael. “Bethlehem 2007 A.D.” National Geographic. December, 2007.
[2] Smith, William. “Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography.” 3^rd Ed., Vol. 1. 1901. “Census.” Google Books. <https://books.google.com/books?id=Cu89AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA403&lpg=PA403&dq=greek+word+for+census&source=bl&ots=LM1MjmCiJt&sig=1_yjJgyNxcCcSWZvf0QK69IJuMw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjx0oPA04DYAhXo6YMKHebvAEwQ6AEIejAK#v=onepage&q=census&f=false> Livius, Titus. The History of Rome. Book 33, #28. <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0144:book=33:chapter=28&highlight=crier> Pliny the Elder. The Natural History. 1.Dedication C. Plinius Secundus to His Friend Titus Vespasian. <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0137:book=1:chapter=dedication&highlight=crier#note-link34> Gaffiot, Felix. Dictionnaire Faffiot. “praeco” drawing. 1934. <http://digital-gaffiot.sourceforge.net/p.html>
[3] Hu, Shuqin. “Context in Translation.” Journal of Language Teaching and Research. 2010. Vol. 1, No. #, pp 325-325. <http://www.academypublication.com/issues/past/jltr/vol01/03/25.pdf> “Importance of Context in Translation.” OneHourTranslation.com. 2015. <https://www.onehourtranslation.com/translation/blog/importance-context-translation>
[4] Net.Bible.org. kensos <2778>. http://classic.net.bible.org/strong.php?id=2778>; Search results, <http://classic.net.bible.org/search.php?search=greek_strict_index:2778> Strong, James, LL.D., S.T.D. The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. “2778 kensos.” 1990. “G2778.” Lexicon-Concordance Online Bible n.d. <http://lexiconcordance.com/greek/2778.html>
[5] “Census.” Merriam-Webster. 2017. <https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/census> Bunson, Matthew. Encyclopedia of the Roman Empire. “Censor; Census.” <https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780816045624>
[6] Net.bible.org. Luke Greek text. Strong, James. “apographo <583> (Greek).” The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. 1990. Smith, William; Wayte, William; Marindin, G.E., Ed. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. 1890. “apographe.” <https://books.google.com/books?id=Cu89AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA403&lpg=PA403&dq=greek+word+for+census&source=bl&ots=LM1MjmCiJt&sig=1_yjJgyNxcCcSWZvf0QK69IJuMw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjx0oPA04DYAhXo6YMKHebvAEwQ6AEIejAK#v=onepage&q=register&f=false>
[7] NASV, NRSV, ASV, BBE, KJV.
[8] Net.bible.org. Greek text. Strong. “aprographe <582> (Greek).” The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.
[9] Smith, William. “Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography.” 3^rd Ed., Vol. 1. 1901. “Census.” Augustus, Caesar. The Deeds of the Devine Augustus. #8. <http://classics.mit.edu/Augustus/deeds.html> Cicero, M. Tullius. “For Marcus Caelius.” #32. <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0020:text=Cael.:chapter=32&highlight=census> Cicero. “For Milo.” #27. <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0020:text=Mil.:chapter=27&highlight=census> Cicero. “For Archias.” #5. <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0019:text=Arch.:chapter=5&highlight=censors> Livius. The History of Rome. Book 9, #19. <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0026:book=9:chapter=19&highlight=census> Livius. The History of Rome. Book 43, #14. <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0144:book=43:chapter=14&highlight=censors>
[10] Net.bible.org. “proserchomai <4334>”; “telones <5057>; “telonion <5058>”; phoros <5411>; “kensos <2778>”.
[11] Smith, William. “Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography.” 3^rd Ed., Vol. 1. 1901. “Census.” “Paternity.” Jewish Encyclopedia. 2011. <http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11939-paternity>
[12] “incense.” Merriam-Webster. Peck, Harry Thurston. Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities (1898). “Incensus.” <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0062:entry=incensus-harpers&highlight=incensus> Smith, W. “Censor.” Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. Tarwacka, Anna. “The consequences of avoiding census in Roman law.” 2013. <https://www.academia.edu/5525859/The_consequences_of_avoiding_census_in_Roman_law>
[13] Gertoux, Gerard. “Dating the two Censuses of Quirinius.” n.d. Academia.edu. <http://www.academia.edu/3184175/Dating_the_two_Censuses_of_Quirinius> Heinrich, Bill. Mysteries of the Messiah. 2016. “The Registration (Census).” <https://www.mysteriesofthemessiah.net/2016/01/04-03-09-bethlehem-c-6-5-b-c-the-registration-or-census/#_ftnref3> Tarwacka, Anna. “The consequences of avoiding census in Roman law.” 2013. <https://www.academia.edu/5525859/The_consequences_of_avoiding_census_in_Roman_law>
[14] “Paternity.” Jewish Encyclopedia. 2011. <http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11939-paternity> “What is the distance between Nazareth and Bethlehem?” Reference.com. 2017. <https://www.reference.com/geography/distance-between-nazareth-bethlehem-6ac7e95c8360c7c7#> “Distance between Nazareth and Bethlehem.” DistanceFromTo.net. 2017. <https://www.distancefromto.net/between/Nazareth/Bethlehem>

The Magi’s Provocation of King Herod

Posted on November 26, 2017December 29, 2023 by K.B. Vogelman

The Magi’s Provocation of King Herod

Arriving in Jerusalem, the Magi had been traveling on a month’s long quest to find the newborn King of the Jews.^[1] Believing their search was to be somewhere in Judea, it made perfect sense to start in Jerusalem with the King of Judea – Herod.

Promptly the Magi gained direct access to the King, their reputation as Magi probably making that possible. First words spoken by the Magi to Herod in Matthew’s Nativity account sets the stage in the palace:

^{MT 2:2} “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” _{(NASB, NKJV)}

No doubt, it was shocking news to the reigning king who knew nothing about this royal birth. After all, this child certainly was not Herod’s son. Qualifying their revelation, the Magi explained how they knew their conclusion was true saying:

^{MT 2:2} “For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship him.” _(NKJV)

Now the second shock wave – they came to worship this newborn King of the Jews! No one worshiped the great Herod.

Howbeit these Magi had traveled hundreds of miles from a foreign land emphasizing their personal conviction of what they had observed – what child would be worthy of such worship? Leaving the palace, the Magi did not get an answer to their question.

Unusual was their arrival in Jerusalem being off the normal trade routes. Maybe, too, it was the conspicuous caravan of camels; their foreign grandiose attire; or maybe even they were regarded as kings from Persia.^[2]

All of Jerusalem was “troubled” by the news, translated from Matthew’s Greek text word tarasso meaning “to stir or agitate (roil water).”^[3]Stirring the pot tends to cause people to act in peculiar ways.

News from the Magi certainly shook things up undoubtedly getting the attention of everyone in the palace. Good gossip is just too hard to keep a secret.

A newborn king of the Jews – who was his father if it wasn’t Herod? A child worthy of worship by the reputed king-makers? Could he even be the promised Messiah? Now this was newsworthy!

Servants came from among the general population where they still had family and friends not to mention that throughout the history palaces of kings and queens notoriously have been unable to hold their secrets. Herod’s family was no exception, scandalously known for their loose lips.

Word about a new king undoubtedly raised hopes, yet at the same time, it was just as troubling – would the new king be worse than Herod or hopefully a good king? Regardless, it would still be years before this new king would begin his reign.

For any king, especially with the personality profile of Herod, this whole affair would be an embarrassment and no king should ever be embarrassed. As the story unfolds, the King came to quickly view this child’s birth as a real threat that must be dealt with such as Herod had done many times before using whatever means necessary.^[4]

Processing in his mind the Magi’s alarming news, after the Magi left the palace, the King immediately assembled “all the chief priests and scribes of the people.”^[5] Not just a select few – the King was leaving no stone unturned.

Making it clear he believed the Magi’s proclamation, he asked the Jewish religion experts to determine “where the Christ was to be born.”^[6] It was not a question of if … and it was a 2-fold conclusion.

Herod used the Greek word, Christos, translated as “Christ” or “Anointed” and asked where he was to be born? Jewish religion experts understood the King’s question and responded, “In Bethlehem of Judea” citing the prophecy of Micah.^[7]

Up to this point, the actual appearance of the star witnessed by the Magi astronomers had been only incidental information. Had the star been the most attention-getting news from the Magi, a cynical Herod would have been expected to question it, even scoff at it – he didn’t. It was a detail; however, that did not pass his attention.

Matthew does not say Herod was unaware of the star event – it can only be said that he did not know when it had occurred. Events in the sky would likely have been a relatively petty matter to the King prior the Magi’s visit, especially considering his bigger political problems in the kingdom, with Rome, and scheming family affairs.

Upon hearing of Micah’s prophecy, his focus changed. No star was mentioned in Micah’s prophecy nor recorded by Matthew in the response from the chief priests and scribes.

As religion experts, they were likely fully aware of Balaam’s prophecy of a star coming forth from Jacob signifying a ruler of Israel.^[8] Maybe they mentioned this to Herod, maybe not, regardless the King believed the Magi.

One thing is for certain, Herod had a new fixation: when did this star appear? This one detail was now important – the information would establish a timeline.

Summoning the Magi back to the palace, Herod wanted this second meeting to be in secret. Since word was all over Jerusalem about the Magi’s initial visit to the palace, the secrecy of the second meeting strongly suggests the King had something to hide.

Herod now possessed two details of interest to the Magi – Micah’s prophecy corroborating the birth of a Jewish ruler and the general location of Bethlehem where he could be found. He could use this information as leverage to learn when the star had appeared. During this second meeting, Herod answered the question of the Magi.

Wanted by Herod was one other thing … the Magi were asked to report back to him with the exact location of the child. Of course, he said, it was under the pretense that he, too, could worship the new king.

In Bethlehem, the Magi found Jesus and worshiped him offering expensive gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The Magi may have intended to inform Herod of the child’s whereabouts until they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod contrary to the deal with the King.

Returning home by another route the Magi avoided Jerusalem. Herod soon realized he had been duped and became enraged, then ordered all the children 2 years and younger to be killed in the district of Bethlehem based on the timing of the star’s first appearance ascertained from the Magi.

King Herod was more than capable of such cruelty. Among many murders, he had killed a chief priest, his second wife, her grandfather, her two sons and would soon execute his firstborn son by his first wife.^[9] His cruelty extended even to his death bed when he summoned all the principal men of Judea to Jericho, locked them in the hippodrome, and gave orders to have them killed just to deny them the opportunity to gloat over his death.^[10]

Does Herod’s reactions ring true to the Magi’s declaration that the Messiah, King of the Jews, had been born in Bethlehem?

Updated December 22, 2023.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

REFERENCES:

[1] “Trade between the Romans and the Empires of Asia.” 2000. Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. <http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/silk/hd_silk.htm> “Trade Routes.” Smithsonian|The National Museum of American History. n.d. <http://web.archive.org /web/20160618154742/http://americanhistory.si.edu/numismatics/parthia/frames/pamaec.htm> “46178 -wisemen-magi-jesusbirth.” KFAX AM 1100. photo. n.d. <https://media.swncdn.com/cms/CW/46178-wisemen-magi-jesusbirth.1200w.tn.jpg>
[2] Flavius. Antiquities of the Jews. Book XV, Ch.VII-VIII; Book XVI, Ch. VIII, XI, IX, XIII, XVI. Book XVII, Ch. I, V. Josephus. Wars. Book I, Ch. XVIII, XXII, XXIV, XXXI, XXXIII. The Complete Works of Josephus. 1850. <http://books.google.com/books?id=e0dAAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false> Strabo. Geography. Chapters II-III. n.d. <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0239:book=1:chapter=2&highlight=magi > <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0239:book=15:chapter=3&highlight=magi > Diogenes Laertius. Lives of Eminent Philosophers. n.d. <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0258:book=1:chapter=prologue&highlight=magi > Stillwell, Richard et. al. “Gaza Israel.” The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites. n.d. <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0006:entry=gaza&highlight=caravan >
[3] Net.bible.org. Matthew 2:2 Greek text. <http://classic.net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Mat&chapter=2&verse=2> Strong, James, LL.D., S.T.D. The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. “tarasso <5015>” Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1990.
[4] Josephus. Antiquities. Book V, Ch. 1; Book XV, Ch. 1, 3, 6, 7; Book XVI, Ch.VII, VIII, X; Book XVII, Ch. IV, VI. Josephus. Wars. Book I, Ch. XXVI, XXII, XXIV, XXVI, XXX, XXXI. “Herod the Great.” 2017. Livius.org. <http://www.livius.org/articles/person/herod-the-great
[5] Matthew 2:4. NRSV, NKJV, NASB.
[6] NET, NIV, NASB, NRSV, NKJV.
[7] Matthew 2:5. NET, NIV, NASB, NRSV, NKJV. Matthew 2:4. NetBible.org. Greek text. “5547.” n.d. <https://classic.net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Mat&chapter=2&verse=4> “G5547.” LexiConcordance..com. n.d. <http://lexiconcordance.com/greek/5547.html>
[8] Maimonides, Moses. Mishneh Torah. “The Law Concerning Moshiach.” Kesser.org. n.d. <http://www.kesser.org/moshiach/rambam.html#SIE> Rich, Tracey R. “Mashiach: The Messiah.” Judaism101. 2011. <http://www.jewfaq.org/mashiach.htm
[9] Josephus. Antiquities. Book XV, Ch. III-VII, IX, XIII, XVI; Book XVI, Ch. XI; Book XVII, Ch. IX.
Josephus. Wars. Book I, Chapter XXII, XXVII, XXXIII.
[10] Josephus. Antiquities. Book XVII, Ch. VI. Josephus. Wars. Book I, Ch. XXXIII.