and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easily missed here is that Matthew is quoting from Hosea 11:1, which originally referred to Israel as a nation being called out of Egypt. By applying it to Jesus, Matthew highlights that Jesus' experience was a direct parallel, and in a deeper sense, the true fulfillment of Israel's story. This shows Jesus as the ultimate "son" through whom God's redemptive love for His people is fully realized.
and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following the terrifying threat of King Herod, Joseph and Mary took the infant Jesus and fled to Egypt. They remained there, safe from Herod's murderous rage, until after his death. Matthew sees this exile and return from Egypt as a fulfillment of God's ancient words, echoing Israel's own exodus from that land long ago, highlighting Jesus' parallel journey as God's beloved Son.
Why did Matthew quote a verse about Israel's exodus to describe Jesus' return from Egypt? It's more than just a historical echo.
Matthew sees a profound parallel between Israel's journey out of Egypt and Jesus' own return.
A Nation's Childhood
In Hosea 11:1, God speaks about calling "my son out of Egypt." In that context, "my son" refers to the entire nation of Israel. This was a pivotal moment where God delivered His people from slavery, establishing them as His chosen nation, His "firstborn son" (Exodus 4:22).
The Messiah's Journey
Matthew applies this same language to Jesus. When Joseph took Jesus and Mary from Egypt, Matthew points to Hosea 11:1, not to prove Jesus is the Son of God (that's established elsewhere!), but to show how Jesus' life mirrors the foundational experiences of Israel. It highlights that the Messiah's journey wasn't just an individual event, but a divinely orchestrated re-enactment of His people's story. The same God who loved and called Israel out of Egypt now brought His unique Son out of Egypt, underscoring Jesus' deep connection to His people's history.
Was Jesus' return from Egypt just a lucky parallel to Israel's story, or something more? Matthew insists it was divinely intentional.
Matthew uses the phrase "that it might be fulfilled" to signal divine purpose, not mere chance.
Divine Foreshadowing
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Scholars point out that the original context of Hosea 11:1 clearly speaks of Israel's exodus. However, Matthew, inspired by the Holy Spirit, saw how this event also served as a prophetic foreshadowing of Jesus' life. It's a 'type and antitype' fulfillment, where Jesus' experience replicates and elevates the experience of the nation.
God's Master Plan
The commentators suggest that Matthew isn't forcing a prophecy to fit. Rather, he's recognizing how God, in His wisdom, orchestrated events so that Jesus' life would resonate with and fulfill the patterns already established in Israel's history. The return from Egypt wasn't just a practical necessity for safety; it was a deliberate act that spoke volumes about Jesus being the true representative of God's people. This demonstrates God's consistent plan unfolding through different eras.
Understand the original words
prophētēs · Greek Noun
One who declares a message from God. Prophets were instruments of divine revelation, often pointing toward the Messiah and the ultimate unfolding of God's redemptive plan.
huios · Greek Noun
A male offspring. In a theological sense, this title identifies the unique relationship of the Messiah to God the Father, emphasizing His divinity, identity, and mission.
Matthew intentionally parallels Jesus' infancy with Israel's exodus from Egypt, highlighting Jesus as the true 'son' of God, fulfilling God's redemptive history in a new and ultimate way.
c. 730 BC
Hosea's Prophecy
The prophet Hosea records God's words, 'Out of Egypt I called my son,' referring to Israel's exodus from Egypt and their special relationship with God.
c. 40-37 BC
Herod the Great Reigns
Herod the Great, an Idumean client king of Rome, begins his reign over Judea, known for his ambitious building projects and political maneuvering.
c. 6-4 BC
Birth of Jesus
Jesus is born in Bethlehem during the reign of Herod the Great, a time of political tension and Roman authority in Judea.
c. 6-4 BC— this verse
Flight to Egypt
Warned in a dream, Joseph takes Mary and the infant Jesus to Egypt to escape Herod's murderous intentions, seeking refuge in the ancient land.
c. 4 BC
Death of Herod the Great
Herod the Great dies a brutal death, marking the end of his tyrannical rule and creating a political vacuum in Judea.
c. 4 BC
Return to Nazareth
After Herod's death, Joseph is warned again and leads his family out of Egypt, eventually settling in Nazareth in Galilee.
This passage from Exodus is the direct historical event that Hosea 11:1 is referencing, establishing the original 'calling of a son out of Egypt' as God's deliverance of Israel.
Hosea 11:1This is the original prophetic text that Matthew quotes, showing how the prophet originally applied the phrase 'my son' to the nation of Israel's exodus.
Matthew 1:22This verse directly precedes the one in question and also speaks of a fulfillment, setting the pattern for how Matthew interprets events in Jesus' early life as fulfilling Old Testament prophecy.
Psalm 2:7This Psalm refers to the 'Son of God' and is often linked to messianic expectations, providing a conceptual bridge for applying 'my son' from Israel to the Messiah.
Jeremiah 31:9This passage also speaks of God leading His people, describing them as 'my firstborn son,' further reinforcing the idea of Israel as God's son which is then paralleled with Jesus.
barnesMatthew 2:15: "And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son."
The death of Herod - Herod died in the thirty-seventh year of his reign. It is not certainly known in what year he began his reign, and hence it is impossible to determine the time that Joseph remained in Egypt. The best chronologers have supposed that he died somewhere between two and four years after the birth of Christ, but…
pulpitMatthew 2:15: "And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son."
Verse 15. - And was there until the death of Herod. The Revised Version rightly joins this with the preceding, not with the following, clause. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying (Matthew 1:22, notes), Out of Egypt have I called (Revised Version, did I call) my Son (Hosea 11:1, "When…
What's easily missed here is that Matthew is quoting from Hosea 11:1, which originally referred to Israel as a nation being called out of Egypt. By applying it to Jesus, Matthew highlights that Jesus' experience was a direct parallel, and in a deeper sense, the true fulfillment of Israel's story. This shows Jesus as the ultimate "son" through whom God's redemptive love for His people is fully realized.
Following the terrifying threat of King Herod, Joseph and Mary took the infant Jesus and fled to Egypt. They remained there, safe from Herod's murderous rage, until after his death. Matthew sees this exile and return from Egypt as a fulfillment of God's ancient words, echoing Israel's own exodus from that land long ago, highlighting Jesus' parallel journey as God's beloved Son.
Following the terrifying threat of King Herod, Joseph and Mary took the infant Jesus and fled to Egypt. They remained there, safe from Herod's murderous rage, until after his death. Matthew sees this exile and return from Egypt as a fulfillment of God's ancient words, echoing Israel's own exodus from that land long ago, highlighting Jesus' parallel journey as God's beloved Son.
"and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”" — What's easily missed here is that Matthew is quoting from Hosea 11:1, which originally referred to Israel as a nation being called out of Egypt. By applying it to Jesus, Matthew highlights that Jesus…
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Last reviewed October 2026