Lexical Definition
Ἀρχέλαος Archélaos (ar-khel'-ah-os) Archelaus N:N-M-P
from ἄρχω and Λαοδικεύς
Archelaus.
- people-ruling
- Archelaus, a Jewish king
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Ἀρχέλαοσ | Archelaus | Matt.2.22 |
Abbott-Smith
Ἀρχέλαος, -ου, ὁ,
Archelaus, son of Herod the Great, King of Judæa, Samaria and Idumæa: Mt 2:22.†
Abbott-Smith References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Matthew | 2:22 |
Profile
Male • Son of Herod • Son of Herod the Great, Ethnarch of Judea
Ethnarch living at the time of the New Testament
Archelaus, son of Herod the Great, Ethnarch over Judea, causing Joseph to fear returning there with Mary and the child Jesus.
- Ethnarch living at the time of the New Testament, only mentioned at Mat.2.22;
- only referred to as Archelaus Ἀρχέλαος;
- son of Herod Ἡρώδης 'the Great';
- a brother of Herod Antipas I Ἡρώδης, Herod Philip I Φίλιππος and Herod Philip II Φίλιππος.
Archelaus was the son of Herod the Great, who ruled as king over Judea at the time of Jesus' birth. After Herod's death, his kingdom was divided among his sons, with Archelaus receiving the rule over Judea, Samaria, and Idumea. However, Archelaus' reign was marked by cruelty and tyranny, leading to his eventual banishment by the Roman emperor.
In the context of Jesus' early life, Archelaus is mentioned in Matthew 2:22. After the visit of the magi and the family's flight to Egypt, Joseph was warned in a dream not to return to Judea because Archelaus was ruling there in place of his father Herod. Fearing for the child's safety, Joseph instead took Mary and Jesus to the region of Galilee, settling in Nazareth. This decision, guided by divine intervention, led to the fulfillment of the prophecy that the Messiah would be called a Nazarene.
All entries for Archelaus: Ἀρχέλαος