Matthew 2:18

Women in Ramah were weeping and wailing loudly. Women who were the descendants of Rachel, the ancestor of the women there [SYN], were grieving for what happened to their children. Even though people tried to comfort them, they would not be comforted {stop mourning}, because their children were dead.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

In Context

17Because Bethlehem and Ramah towns were in the area where the descendants of Jacob’s wife Rachel lived, when soldiers killed the infant boys, they fulfilled what Jeremiah the prophet wrote,

19After Herod died and while Joseph and his family were still in Egypt, an angel that the Lord had sent appeared to Joseph in Egypt in a dream.

Read all of Matthew 2

Cross References

Genesis 35:16Jacob and his family left Bethel and traveled south toward Ephrath town. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to have severe childbirth pains.

Genesis 37:33He recognized it, and he said, “Yes, it is my son’s robe! Some ferocious/wild animal must have attacked and killed him! I am sure that the animal has torn Joseph to pieces!”

Job 14:10But when we people lose all our strength and die, we stop breathing and then we are gone forever.

Jeremiah 9:17This is also what the Commander of the armies of angels says: “Think about what is happening, then summon those women who mourn when someone has died.

Ezekiel 2:10He unrolled the scroll. On both sides of it were written words that expressed sorrow and mourning and words about trouble/disaster.

Matthew Henry on Matthew 2:17-19

The Slaughter of the Children. 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. 17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Matthew 2:18