Son of Herod the Great, Ethnarch of Judea
Archelaus
Named in 1 verse of Matthew, first in Matthew 2:22.
ἈρχέλαοςArchelaus
The name means “the prince of the people.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869
- Father
- Herod
About Archelaus Written by AI
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.
Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.
Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
Ruler of the people, son of Herod the Great, by Malthace, a Samaritan woman. He was educated along with his brother Antipas at Rome. He inherited from his father a third part of his kingdom viz., Idumea, Judea, and Samaria, and hence is called “king” (Matt. 2:22). It was for fear of him that Joseph and Mary turned aside on their way back from Egypt. Till a few days before his death Herod had named Antipas as his successor, but in his last moments he named Archelaus.
M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.
Where the Bible names him
- Matthew 2:22
But when he learned that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,
From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.