Prophecies of Jesus-12

A massacre of children would happen at Messiah's birth.

Old Testament Scripture. Jer. 31:15

New Testament Fulfillment. Mat. 2:16-18

Jer. 31:15 Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.

This verse is quoted in Mat. 2:18 of the lamentation of the parents of the infants who were killed by Herod in seeking the life of the baby Jesus; but it will have another and more complete fulfillment in the future weeping and lamentation of Israel when one-third of the nation will be destroyed in the coming tribulation (Isa. 66:7-8; Dan. 12:1; Zec. 12:10-13:1, 13:9; Rom. 11:25-29).

Thus...

כּה

kôh

Definition:

1) thus, here, in this manner

1a) thus, so

1b) here, here and there

1c) until now, until now...until then, meanwhile

Part of Speech: demonstrative adverb

saith...

אמר

'âmar

Definition:

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one’s heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Part of Speech: verb

the Lord (God/Father);...

יהוה

yehôvâh

Definition:

Jehovah = “the existing One”

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointing of the Lord

Part of Speech: noun proper deity

a voice...

קל / קול

qôl

Definition:

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

2) lightness, frivolity

Part of Speech: noun masculine

was heard...

שׁמע

shâma‛

Definition:

1) to hear, listen to, obey (verb)

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)

1a2) to hear of or concerning

1a3) to hear (have power to hear)

1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to

1a5) to understand (language)

1a6) to hear (of judicial cases)

1a7) to listen, give heed

1a7a) to consent, agree

1a7b) to grant request

1a8) to listen to, yield to

1a9) to obey, be obedient

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound)

1b2) to be heard of

1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed

1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound

1d2) to sound aloud (musical term)

1d3) to make proclamation, summon

1d4) to cause to be heard

2. sound (noun masculine)

   Part of Speech: see above in Definition

   
   

   Rachel was buried at Ramah (1Sam. 10:2). Here she is represented as weeping for her children, then being comforted by the promise of restoration of all Israel under the Messiah. Her seed is to come forth from the enemy and all will have hope in the end when Israel returns to her own land (Jer. 31:15-17).

   
   

   in Ramah,...

   
   

   רמה

râmâh

Definition:

Ramah = “hill”

1) a town in Benjamin on the border of Ephraim about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from Jerusalem and near to Gibeah

2) the home place of Samuel located in the hill country of Ephraim

3) a fortified city in Naphtali

4) landmark on the boundary of Asher, apparently between Tyre and Zidon

5) a place of battle between Israel and Syria

5a) also ‘Ramoth-gilead’

6) a place rehabilitated by the Benjamites after the return from captivity

Part of Speech: noun proper locative

lamentation,...

נהי

nehı̂y

Definition:

1) wailing, lamentation, mourning song

1a) wailing

1b) mourning song

Part of Speech: noun masculine

and bitter...

תּמרוּר

tamrûr

Definition:

1) bitterness

Part of Speech: noun masculine

weeping;...

בּכי

bekı̂y

Definition:

1) a weeping, weeping

Part of Speech: noun masculine

Here Rachel, the mother of three tribes—Benjamin, Manasseh, and Ephraim—might be considered the mother of the whole of Israel with Benjamin representing the southern kingdom and Ephraim the northern kingdom. Rachel’s work was that of bearing children, and by death she was deprived of the joy for which she labored; but in the resurrection with her children restored to her, she will receive her wages. She had pined for children all her life and died in sorrow when Benjamin was born; so his name was called Benoni, the son of my sorrow (Gen. 35:18-19).

Rahel...

רחל

râchêl

Definition:

Rachel = “ewe”

1) daughter of Laban, wife of Jacob, and mother of Joseph and Benjamin

Part of Speech: noun proper feminine

weeping...

בּכה

bâkâh

Definition:

1) to weep, bewail, cry, shed tears

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to weep (in grief, humiliation, or joy)

1a2) to weep bitterly (with cognate acc.)

1a3) to weep upon (embrace and weep)

1a4) to bewail

1b) (Piel) participle

1b1) lamenting

1b2) bewailing

Part of Speech: verb

for...

על

‛al

Definition:

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against (preposition)

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

2) because that, because, notwithstanding, although (conjunction)

Part of Speech: see above in Definition

her children...

בּן

bên

Definition:

1) son, grandson, child, member of a group

1a) son, male child

1b) grandson

1c) children (plural - male and female)

1d) youth, young men (plural)

1e) young (of animals)

1f) sons (as characterisation, i.e. sons of injustice [for unrighteous men] or sons of God [for angels])

1g) people (of a nation) (plural)

1h) of lifeless things, i.e. sparks, stars, arrows (figuratively)

1i) a member of a guild, order, class

Part of Speech: noun masculine

refused...

מאן

mâ'ên

Definition:

1) (Piel) to refuse

Part of Speech: verb

to be comforted...

נחם

nâcham

Definition:

1) to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted

1a) (Niphal)

1a1) to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion

1a2) to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent

1a3) to comfort oneself, be comforted

1a4) to comfort oneself, ease oneself

1b) (Piel) to comfort, console

1c) (Pual) to be comforted, be consoled

1d) (Hithpael)

1d1) to be sorry, have compassion

1d2) to rue, repent of

1d3) to comfort oneself, be comforted

1d4) to ease oneself

Part of Speech: verb

for... see above.

her children,... see above.

because...

כּי

kı̂y

Definition:

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

Part of Speech: conjunction

they were not...

אין

'ayin

Definition:

1) nothing, not, nought

1a) nothing, nought (noun)

1b) not (negative)

1c) to have not (of possession)

1d) without (adverb)

1e) for lack of (with a preposition)

Part of Speech: see above in Definition

In the next verses Ephraim, who came from Rachel through Joseph and whose name is used of the northern kingdom of ten tribes, is seen bemoaning himself and praying to God for restoration, being ashamed of the past life of sin (Jer. 31:18-19). Then in the next two verses (20-21) we see the yearning of God for Ephraim as a parent yearning for his child. In all of God’s cursing of Ephraim for his sins, He still had fond memories of him, and promised to have mercy upon him again (Jer. 31:20).

Herod Kills the Children

Mat. 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

As soon as Herod learned that the Magi had not complied with his orders to give him the exact location of the newborn King, he put into action a plan to kill all the male children in Bethlehem. The age of two… and under was selected in compliance with the time… the Magi saw “the star” in the East. Perhaps this time reference also indicated that when the Magi visited Jesus, He was under two years of age.

This slaughter of the male children is mentioned only here in the biblical record. Even the Jewish historian Josephus (a.d. 37-?100) did not mention this dastardly deed of putting to death innocent babies and young children. But it is not surprising that he and other secular historians overlooked the death of a few Hebrew children in an insignificant village, for Herod’s infamous crimes were many. He put to death several of his own children and some of his wives whom he thought were plotting against him. Emperor Augustus reportedly said it was better to be Herod’s sow than his son, for his sow had a better chance of surviving in a Jewish community. In the Greek language, as in English, there is only one letter difference between the words “sow” (huos) and “son” (huios).

This event too was said to be the fulfillment of a prophecy by Jeremiah. This statement (Jer. 31:15) referred initially to the weeping of the nation as a result of the death of children at the time of the Babylonian Captivity (586 b.c.). But the parallel to the situation at this time was obvious, for again children were being slaughtered at the hands of non-Jews. Also, Rachel’s tomb was near Bethlehem and Rachel was considered by many to be the mother of the nation. That is why she was seen weeping over these children’s deaths.