Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 2:9

"And they, having heard the king, went their way; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was." — Matthew 2:9 (ASV)

The reason Herod wanted to learn, at his secret meeting with the Magi, the exact time the star appeared was that he had already schemed to kill the small boys of Bethlehem (cf. v.16). The entire story hangs together. Herod’s hypocritical humility in v.8 deceived the Magi. Conscious of his success, Herod sent no escort with them. Herod could scarcely have been expected to foresee God’s intervention (v.12). Matthew does not say that the rising star the Magi had seen led them to Jerusalem. They went first to the capital city because they thought it the natural place for the King of the Jews to be born. But now the star reappeared ahead of them as they made their way to Bethlehem (it was not uncommon to travel at night). Taking this as confirming their purposes, the Magi were overjoyed. The Greek text does not imply that the star pointed out the house where Jesus was; it may simply have hovered over Bethlehem as the Magi approached it. They would then have found the exact house through discreet inquiry since (Lk 2:17-18) the shepherds who came to worship the newborn Jesus did not keep silent about what they saw.