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For some time after Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary stayed with him
in Bethlehem. The little baby was not kept long in the stable
sleeping in a manger; for after a few days they found room in a
house; and there another visit was made to Jesus by strange men from
a land far away.
In a country east of Judea, and many miles distant, were living some
very wise men who studied the stars. One night they saw a strange
star shining in the sky, and in some way they learned that the coming
of this star meant that a king was soon to be born in the land of
Judea. These men felt a call of God to go to Judea, far to the west
of their own home, and there to see this new-born king. They took a
long journey, with camels and horses, and at last they came to, the
land of Judea, just at the time when Jesus was born at Bethlehem. As
soon as they were in Judea, they supposed that every one would know
all about the king, and they said:
"Where is he that is born king of the Jews? In the east we have
seen his star, and we have come to worship him."
But no one of whom they asked had ever seen this king, or had heard
of him. The news of their coming was sent to Herod the king, who was
now a very old man. He ruled the land of Judea, as you know, under
the emperor at Rome, Augustus Cæsar. Herod was a very wicked
man, and when he heard of some one born to be a king, he feared that
he might lose his own kingdom. He made up his mind to kill this new king.
 He
sent for the priests and scribes, the men who studied and taught the
books of the Old Testament, and asked them about this Christ for whom
all the people were looking. He said: "Can you tell me where
Christ, the king of Israel, is to be born?" They looked at the
books of the prophets, and then they said: "He is to be born in
Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet, 'And thou
Bethlehem in the land of Judah are not the least among the princes of
Judah; for out of thee shall come forth one who shall rule my people Israel.'"
Then Herod sent for the wise men from the east, and met them alone,
and found from them at what time the star was first seen. Then he
said to them:
"Go to Bethlehem; and there search carefully for the little
child; and when you have found him, bring me word again, so that I
also may come and worship him."
Then the wise men went on their way toward Bethlehem; and suddenly
they saw the star again shining upon the road before them. At this
they were glad, and followed the star until it led them to the very
house where the little child was. They came in, and there they saw
the little one, with Mary, its mother. They knew at once that this
was the king; and they fell down on their faces and worshipped him as
the Lord. Then they brought out gifts of gold and precious perfumes,
frankincense and myrrh, which were used in offering sacrifices; and
they gave them as presents to the royal child.
That night God sent a dream to the wise men, telling them not to go
back to Herod, but to go home at once to their own land by another
way. They obeyed the Lord, and found another road to their own
country without passing through Jerusalem where Herod was living. So
Herod could not learn from those men who the child was that was born
to be a king.
And very soon after these wise men had gone away, the Lord sent
another dream to Joseph, the husband of Mary. He saw an angel, who
spoke to him, saying:
"Rise up quickly; take the little child and his mother, and go
down to the land of Egypt, for Herod will try to find the child to
kill him."
Then at once Joseph rose up in the night, without waiting even for
the morning. He took his wife and her baby, and quietly and quickly
went with them down to Egypt, which was on the southwest of Judea.
There they all stayed in safety, as long as the wicked king Herod
lived, which was not many months.
King Herod waited for the wise men to come back to him from their
visit to Bethlehem; but he soon found that they had gone to their
home without bringing to him any word. Then Herod was very angry. He
sent out his soldiers to Bethlehem. They came, and by the cruel
king's command they seized all the little children in Bethlehem who
were three years old, or younger, and killed them all. What a cry
went up to God from the mothers in Bethlehem, as their children were
torn from their arms and slain!
 But
all this time, the child Jesus whom they were seeking was safe with
his mother in the land of Egypt.
Soon after this king Herod died, a very old man, cruel to the last.
Then the angel of the Lord came again and spoke to Joseph in a dream,
saying: "You may now take the young child back to his own land,
for the king who sought to kill him is dead."
Then Joseph took his wife and the little child Jesus, and started to
go again to the land of Judea. Perhaps it was his thought to go again
to Bethlehem, the city of David, and there bring up the child. But he
heard that in that part of the land Archelaus, a son of Herod, was
now ruling, and who was as wicked and cruel as his father.
He feared to go under Archelaus' rule, and instead took his wife and
the child to Nazareth, which had been his own home and that of Mary
his wife before the child was born. Nazareth was in the part of the
land called Galilee, which at that time was ruled by another son of
king Herod, a king named Herod Antipas. He was not a good man, but
was not so cruel nor bloody as his wicked father had been.
So again Joseph the carpenter and Mary his wife were living in
Nazareth. And there they stayed for many years while Jesus was
growing up. Jesus was not the only child in their house, and he had
many other playmates among the boys of Nazareth.
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