Matthew 2:23

“And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, etc.] Which was a city of Galilee, and where Joseph and Mary had both dwelt before, (<420126>Luke 1:26 2:4) here they came and fixed their habitation, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet. This affair of going into Galilee, and settling at Nazareth, was brought about with this view, to accomplish what had been foretold by the prophets, or prophet, the plural number being used for the singular, as in (<430645>John 6:45 <441340>Acts 13:40). And indeed it is so rendered here in the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions; and designs the prophet Isaiah, and respects that prophecy of his in (<231101>Isaiah 11:1) “and there…”

“And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth--a small town in Lower Galilee, lying in the territory of the tribe of Zebulun, and about equally distant from the Mediterranean Sea on the west and the Sea of Galilee on the east. Note--If, from Luk 2:39, one would conclude that the parents of Jesus brought Him straight back to Nazareth after His presentation in the temple--as if there had been no visit of the Magi, no flight to Egypt, no stay there, and no purpose on returning to settle again at Bethlehem--one might, from our Evangelist's way of speaking here, equally conclude that the parents of our Lord had never been at Nazareth until now. Did we know exactly the sources from which the…”

“And he came and dwelt - That is, he made it his permanent residence. The Lord Jesus, in fact, resided there until he entered on the work of his ministry until he was about 30 years of age. In a city called Nazareth - This was a small town, situated in Galilee, west of Capernaum, and not far from Cana. It was built partly in a valley and partly on the declivity of a hill, Luke 4:29. A hill is yet pointed out, to the south of Nazareth, as the one from which the people of the place attempted to precipitate the Saviour. It was a place, at that time, proverbial for wickedness, John 4:46. It is now (circa 1880’s) a large village, with a convent and two churches. One of the churches, called the…”

“He came and dwelt in Nazareth - (where he had dwelt before he went to Bethlehem) a place contemptible to a proverb. So that hereby was fulfilled what has been spoken in effect by several of the prophets, (though by none of them in express words,) He shall be called a Nazarene - that is, he shall be despised and rejected, shall be a mark of public contempt and reproach. Next: Matthew Chapter 3”

“2:23 “He will be called a Nazarene”: Matthew associates the name Nazareth with words in the prophets (see Isa 11:1, where the Messiah is called a “Branch,” [Hebrew netser]; and Judg 13:5, where Samson is called a “Nazirite”).”

“Nazareth: Joh 18:5, Joh 18:7, Joh 19:19; Act 2:22 He shall: Mat 26:71; Num 6:13; Jdg 13:5; Sa1 1:11; Psa 69:9, Psa 69:10; Isa 53:1, Isa 53:2; Amo 2:10-12; Joh 1:45, Joh 1:46; Act 24:5 Next: Matthew Chapter 3”