John Calvin on Matthew 2:18

18. A voice was heard in Ramah It is certain that the prophet describes (Jeremiah 31:15) the destruction of the tribe of Benjamin, which took place in his time: for he had foretold that the tribe of Judah would be cut off, to which was added the half of the tribe of Benjamin. He puts the mourning into the mouth of Rachel, who had been long dead. This is a personification, (προσωποποιϊα,) which has a powerful influence in moving the affections. It was not for the mere purpose of ornamenting his style, that Jeremiah employed rhetorical embellishments. There was no other way of correcting the hardness and stupidity of the living, than by arousing the dead, as it were, from their graves, to bewail those divine chastisements, which were commonly treated with derision. The prediction of Jeremiah having been accomplished at that time, Matthew does not mean that it foretold what Herod would do, but that the coming of Christ occasioned a renewal of that mourning, which had been experienced, many centuries before, by the tribe of Benjamin.

He intended thus to meet a prejudice which might disturb and shake pious minds. It might be supposed, that no salvation could be expected from him, on whose account, as soon as he was born, infants were murdered; nay more, that it was an unfavorable and disastrous omen, that the birth of Christ kindled a stronger flame of cruelty than usually burns amidst the most inveterate wars. But as Jeremiah promises a restoration, where a nation has been cut off, down to their little children, so Matthew reminds his readers, that this massacre would not prevent Christ from appearing shortly afterwards as the Redeemer of the whole nation: for we know that the whole chapter in Jeremiah, in which those words occur, is filled with the most delightful consolations. Immediately after the mournful complaint, he adds,

“Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord, and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to thine own border,” (Jeremiah 31:16, 17.)

Such was the resemblance between the former calamity which the tribe of Benjamin had sustained, and the second calamity, which is here recorded. Both were a prelude of the salvation which was shortly to arrive. “C'est que l'une et l'autre a est, comme le message apportant les nouvelles du salut qui approchoit.” — “It is, that both were, as it were, the message bringing the tidings of the salvation which was approaching.”

MATTHEW 2:19-23

Matthew 2:19-23

19. But when Herod was dead, lo, the angel of the Lord appeareth, by a dream, to Joseph in Egypt, 20. Saying, Arise, and take the child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead who sought the life “Qui demandoyent l’ame, ou la vie, du petit enfant;” — “who demanded the soul, or the life, of the little child.” , of the child. 21. And he rose and took “Surgens assumpsit;” — “rising took.” — “Joseph donc esveille print;” — “Joseph then awakened took.” the child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22. But when he had heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: but, warned by a heavenly communication through a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee. 23. Having come there, he dwelt in the city “La cite.” which is called Nazareth, that what had been spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, He shall be called a Nazarene.