19 But when Herod died , behold , an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt , and said , 20 "Get up, take the Child and His mother , and go into the land of Israel ; for those who sought the Child's life are dead ." 21 So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother , and came into the land of Israel . 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod , he was afraid to go there . Then after being warned by God in a dream , he left for the regions of Galilee , 23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth . This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets : "He shall be called a Nazarene ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Matthew 2:19-23
Commentary on Matthew 2:19-23
(Read Matthew 2:19-23)
Egypt may serve to sojourn in, or take shelter in, for awhile, but not to abide in. Christ was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, to them he must return. Did we but look upon the world as our Egypt, the place of our bondage and banishment, and heaven only as our Canaan, our home, our rest, we should as readily arise and depart thither, when we are called for, as Joseph did out of Egypt. The family must settle in Galilee. Nazareth was a place held in bad esteem, and Christ was crucified with this accusation, Jesus the Nazarene. Wherever Providence allots the bounds of our habitation, we must expect to share the reproach of Christ; yet we may glory in being called by his name, sure that if we suffer with him, we shall also be glorified with him.