Matthew 2:16

2:16 When Herod ¹  saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent men ²  to kill all the children in Bethlehem ³  and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men.

Matthew 19:12

19:12 For there are some eunuchs who were that way from birth, ⁴  and some who were made eunuchs ⁵  by others, ⁶  and some who became eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept this should accept it.”

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¹ sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. Note the fulfillment of the prophecy given by the angel in 2:13.

² tn Or “soldiers.”

³ map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.

⁴ tn Grk “from the womb of the mother” (an idiom).

⁵ tn The verb εὐνουχίζω occurs twice in this verse, translated the first time as “made eunuchs” and the second time as “became eunuchs.” The term literally refers to castration. The second occurrence of the word in this verse is most likely figurative, though, referring to those who willingly maintain a life of celibacy for the furtherance of the kingdom (see W. D. Davies and D. C. Allison, Matthew [ICC], 3:23).

⁶ tn Grk “people.”