In Matthew 2, we are introduced to the story of the visit of the wise men, also known as the Magi, who came from the East to worship the newborn King of the Jews. These wise men had seen a star in the East and followed it until it led them to Bethlehem. Upon arriving, they inquired about the location of the child who was born King of the Jews. This news troubled King Herod and all of Jerusalem.
Herod called together the chief priests and scribes to inquire about the birthplace of the Messiah. They informed him that according to the prophecies, the Christ was to be born in Bethlehem. Herod then secretly met with the wise men and asked them to bring him news of the child’s whereabouts so that he could also worship Him. Following the star, the wise men found the young child, Jesus, and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Afterward, warned in a dream not to return to Herod, the wise men departed for their own country by a different route. Joseph also received a divine warning in a dream and fled to Egypt with Mary and Jesus to escape Herod’s wrath. Herod, realizing that he had been deceived by the wise men, became furious and ordered the killing of all male children under the age of two in Bethlehem and its surrounding regions.