The Visit of the Magi

During the reign of King Herod, magi arrived in Jerusalem from the east seeking the one born king of the Jews, having seen his star at its rising (Matthew 2:1-2). Upon hearing this, King Herod was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. He assembled the chief priests and scribes of the people, inquiring where the Christ was to be born. They informed him it would be in Bethlehem of Judea, citing the words of a prophet (Matthew 2:3-6).

Herod privately summoned the magi to determine the exact time the star appeared and sent them to Bethlehem. He instructed them to search for the child and report back so that he might also go and worship him, though the text does not say if this was his true intent. The magi departed, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was located (Matthew 2:7-9).

Upon entering the house, the magi saw the child with Mary his mother, and they knelt down and worshiped him. They opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11). Having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi departed for their own country by another route (Matthew 2:12). The text does not say how many magi were present or the specific names of the magi.