Matthew 2:18

Grief Parents and children Death and loss Comfort

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,

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.

¹⁹ But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

²⁰ Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
KJV: 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.
WEB: “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn’t be comforted, because they are no more.”
ASV: A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; And she would not be comforted, because they are not.
DARBY: A voice has been heard in Rama, weeping, and great lamentation: Rachel weeping [for] her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
BLB: “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and much mourning, Rachel weeping [for] her children; and she would not be comforted, because they are not.”

ÅB: «En stemme ble hørt i Rama; gråt og stor klage. Rakel gråt over barna sine og ville ikke la seg trøste, for de er ikke lengre til.»
OTB: “En røst ble hørt i Rama, klage og bitter gråt, Rakel gråter over sine barn og vil ikke la seg trøste, for de er ikke mer.”
B1930: En røst blev hørt i Rama, gråt og stor klage; Rakel gråt over sine barn og vilde ikke la sig trøste, for de er ikke mere til.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Jeremiah 31:15
Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.
Read in context
Jeremiah 9:17–21
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for cunning women, that they may come:
Read in context
Jeremiah 4:31
For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.
Read in context
Genesis 35:16–20
And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.
Read in context
Ezekiel 2:10
And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.
Read in context
Genesis 37:30
And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?
Read in context
Job 14:10
But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
Read in context
Revelation 8:13
And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!
Read in context