In brief
Herod the Great is the king of Judea at the time of Jesus' birth. Wise men from the East arrive in Jerusalem asking where the king of the Jews has been born, and Herod is troubled. He asks them to tell him where the child is, saying he wants to worship him. Warned in a dream, they return by another way. Herod, in a rage, has the children of Bethlehem killed, but Joseph, warned by an angel, has already taken Jesus to Egypt. His story shows the fear of one who rejects the true king.
What does the name Herod the Great mean?
The name Herod is a Greek name, generally linked to the word hero, but the biblical text gives no explanation of the name. The Bible does place this king in time: Luke 1:5 speaks of Herod, king of Judea, at the time of the birth of John the Baptist.
The story of Herod the Great
A king of Judea
Luke 1:5Luke sets the events of the birth of John the Baptist in the days of Herod, king of Judea. A priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah, lives there with his wife Elizabeth. This detail shows that the story of Jesus takes place at a precise moment, under a very real political power, that of a king on his throne.
Troubled by the birth of the king of the Jews
Matthew 2:1-8Wise men from the East arrive in Jerusalem and ask where the king of the Jews has been born. King Herod hears this and is troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. He gathers the chief priests and scribes to learn where the Christ is to be born, then sends the wise men to Bethlehem, asking them to come back and tell him where the child is.
Tricked by the wise men, he sends to kill the children
Matthew 2:12-16The wise men, warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, go back to their country by another way. An angel appears to Joseph and tells him to flee to Egypt, because Herod will search for the child to destroy him. Seeing that he has been tricked, Herod becomes furious and has all the boys in Bethlehem who were two years old and under killed.
The end of Herod
Matthew 2:19-20After Herod's death, an angel of the Lord appears again in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and tells him to return to the land of Israel, because those who sought the child's life are dead. Herod's plan did not stop God's plan: the child was protected and comes back.
What Herod the Great teaches us
- Fear of losing one's place and power can lead to rejecting the true king, even to violence.
- Herod pretends to want to worship Jesus: one can speak of faith without a sincere heart.
- The plans of the powerful cannot stop God's plan: the child is protected by a dream.
- Facing the same king, some are troubled like Herod, others worship like the wise men.
Key verses
When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. The birth of the true king unsettles the one who clings to his power, and a whole city shares his anxiety.
Herod tells the wise men to go and search diligently for the child and, when they have found him, to bring him word so that he too may come and worship him. These words hide an evil plan.
The angel tells Joseph to rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt and stay there until he tells him, for Herod is about to search for the child to destroy him. God protects his Son.
Sermons about Herod the Great
Frequently asked questions
Who was Herod the Great in the Bible?
Herod the Great is the king of Judea at the birth of Jesus (Luke 1:5, Matthew 2:1). Troubled by the coming of the wise men looking for the king of the Jews, he has the children of Bethlehem who were two years old and under killed (Matthew 2:16). He dies before Joseph and Jesus return from Egypt.
What does the name Herod mean?
Herod is a Greek name, generally linked to the word hero. The Bible does not explain the name, so it is best to stay cautious about its meaning. It is also borne by other members of his family, such as Herod Antipas in the Gospels.
Where can I find the story of Herod the Great in the Bible?
His story is found mainly in the Gospel of Matthew, in chapter 2: the visit of the wise men, the massacre of Bethlehem and the flight to Egypt. Luke 1:5 also mentions him as king of Judea at the time of the birth of John the Baptist.