Matthew 2:3When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
The setting
Jerusalem, 4 BC. Palace throne room. Herod the Great, age 69, paranoid and dying, receives disturbing news from eastern visitors...
The emotion here: recording the irony of evil trembling at goodness
The original word
ἐταράχθη (etarachthē) — deeply shaken, like water violently stirred
Why it matters
Herod had already murdered his wife Mariamne and three of his sons to protect his throne
Read with care
What most readers miss in Matthew 2:3
ALL Jerusalem was troubled — the people knew Herod's pattern of mass murder when threatened
Common misconceptionPeople think only Herod was troubled, but Matthew emphasizes ALL Jerusalem feared — they knew their king's violent response to threats.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Matthew 2:3
Bible Genome reading
Matthew 2:3 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Matthew 2:3 comes from the book of Matthew, written during the gospel period. The setting is a royal palace. These words are attributed to Matthew. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include fear, power, threat. Notable phrases: Herod was troubled; all Jerusalem with him.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does Matthew 2:3 mean to you, today?
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