Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 2:6

"And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah, Art in no wise least among the princes of Judah: For out of thee shall come forth a governor, Who shall be shepherd of my people Israel." — Matthew 2:6 (ASV)

While expectation that the Messiah must come from Bethlehem occurs elsewhere, here it rests on Mic 5:2, to which are appended some words from 2 Samuel 5:2. The addition of the shepherd language of 2 Samuel 5:2 makes it plain that the ruler in Mic 5:2 is none other than the one who fulfills the promises to David. Through these two OT texts, Matthew is hinting at a pair of contrasts (1) between the false shepherds of Israel who have provided sound answers but no leadership (cf. 23:2–7) and Jesus who is the true Shepherd of his people Israel, and (2) between a ruler like Herod and the one born to rule. Matthew also implies a contrast between the desires of the Gentile Magi to worship the Messiah and the apathy of the leaders who did not, apparently, take the trouble to go to Bethlehem.