Matthew 2:1 and 2:
2:1(After) Jesus having been born in Bethlehem of Judea in (the) days of Herod the king - look!, magi from (the) risings arrived into Jerusalem .2saying, "Where is the king of the Judeans having been brought-forth, for we saw his star in the rising and came to worship him?"
After Jesus' birth in Bethlehem during the time of King Herod's reign – look! (behold, see – in the sense of calling attention to what is written), magi from the risings (eastern lands) arrived into Jerusalem.
"Magi" were men knowledgeable and wise in either astronomy or enchantment from Media, Persia or Babylonia. Here in Matthew, these magi were the truly knowledgeable and wise men who studied the stars, constellations, etc., in connection with what the only true God has proclaimed and written in the heavens regarding the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and future glory.
These magi came from the direction of the rising of light, which is from the east, to be in Jerusalem. When they got there they were saying, "Where is the king of the Judeans who has been brought-forth, for we saw (perceived) his star in the rising and came to worship (to pay homage to, be obeisant towards) him?"
"His star" refers to Jupiter. During that time-period, both planets and stars were referred to by the same word. Jupiter (the planet of the king and of righteousness) was in conjunction in the constellation of Leo (the sign associated with the tribe of Judah) twice with Venus (associated with the Messiah called the bright and morning star), and three times with the star Regulus (the brightest and king star within the constellation Leo), and then Jupiter massed with Venus, Regulus, Mars and Mercury. Certain scholars indicate that these signs occurred during the years 3 B.C and 2 B.C. Jesus Christ was born on Tishri 1st (perhaps September 11 in our calendar), 3 B.C, during the first conjunction of Jupiter and Regulus in Leo.
The magi took notice of these occurrences in the eastern sky while they were in their homeland and realized what had happened. Therefore they began their journey westwards and arrived in Jerusalem in December 2 B.C. The magi expected the people living in Jerusalem to know the details of what had happened!
[Reference: Genesis 1:14-19; Job 38:31-33; Luke 2:1-7, 21-38; Acts 13:6-8; Romans 1:19 and 20, 10:18.]
Verses 3-6:
.3But having heard, King Herod was disturbed and all Jerusalem with him, .4and having gathered-together all the chief-priests and scribes of the people he was asking-to-learn from them where the Christ is born. .5But the (chief-priests and scribes) said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it was written2 by means of the prophet: .6'And you Bethlehem' land of Judah certainly-not 'you are least among the leaders of Judah, for there will come-out from you (one) leading, he-who will shepherd My people Israel.'"
When King Herod heard what the magi were saying in Jerusalem, he was disturbed (stirred up, agitated - just like a normally calm pool of water is agitated and moves when something else is thrown into it breaking through its surface and causing a rippling effect over the whole pool) and all the people in Jerusalem in company and association with him.
So, he assembled all the chief/high priests (this refers to the high priest plus the other priests who were members of the Sanhedrin which was Israel's ruling religious council) and scribes (writers, those who copied and claimed to interpret what was written in the scrolls) of the Israeli/Judean people, and then he was continually asking to find out information from these religious-leaders, who were supposed to be wise in the Scriptures, until he got an answer. The question: Where is the Christ born?
When the chief-priests and scribes came up with the answer they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for in this manner it was written and is still written by means of the prophet: and you, Bethlehem land of Judah certainly-not (by no means) you are least (smallest in magnitude or number) among the leaders of Judah, for there will come-out from you one who is leading, he-who will shepherd My people Israel (will take-care of and protect, will exercise the whole office of a shepherd which involves not only feeding the flock with food but also leading and guiding and guarding, etc)." They gave Herod a reference to the Book of Micah 5:2, but not a direct quote.
[Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (2) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]
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