Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 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 male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had exactly learned of the Wise-men." — Matthew 2:16 (ASV)

That was how he interpreted it: that he had been mocked by the wise men. He was exceedingly angry, and when he was angry, his anger was terrible.

Augustus said of him that it would be better to be Herod's sow than Herod's son. This was true, for as he held to the Jewish faith, he would not kill a sow.

He did not kill swine, but he would not hesitate to kill anyone in his rage: He 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.

He took a wide range, so he thought, to make quite sure of killing the Child King whom he especially hated.

Herod, with all his craftiness, misses his mark. He considers himself made a fool of, though the wise men had no such intention. Proud men are quick to imagine insults. He is furious.

He must kill this newborn King to prevent Him from claiming his crown. Therefore, he orders the death of every child in Bethlehem two years old and under, allowing a wide margin so that none might escape through an error in age. What did it matter to him if a few babies were needlessly slain? He had to ensure the little King was destroyed, and he imagined that a speedy and indiscriminate slaughter of all who had reached their second year would put him beyond all fear of this reputed rival.

Men will do anything to be rid of Jesus. They do not care how many children, men, or women are destroyed, if only they can resist His kingdom and crush His holy cause in its infancy. Yet futile is their rage. The holy child is beyond their jurisdiction and their sword.