Chapter II · Flight into Egypt

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

make known; make an announcement

From this reading Under such circumstances, we can easily imagine that the Magi, who paid such attention to the stars in general, should eagerly watch for the appearance of one, which was to announce, that the long-looked-for King was born in Judaea.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading The Messiah, we must recollect, was promised to Gentiles as well as to Jews; and therefore all nations who had heard any of the prophecies concerning Him, expected some benefit from the birth of this wonderful Being.

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

come into existence; take on form or shape

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading The Messiah, we must recollect, was promised to Gentiles as well as to Jews; and therefore all nations who had heard any of the prophecies concerning Him, expected some benefit from the birth of this wonderful Being.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading Under such circumstances, we can easily imagine that the Magi, who paid such attention to the stars in general, should eagerly watch for the appearance of one, which was to announce, that the long-looked-for King was born in Judaea.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading The Messiah, we must recollect, was promised to Gentiles as well as to Jews; and therefore all nations who had heard any of the prophecies concerning Him, expected some benefit from the birth of this wonderful Being.

past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

financial assistance in time of need

From this reading The Messiah, we must recollect, was promised to Gentiles as well as to Jews; and therefore all nations who had heard any of the prophecies concerning Him, expected some benefit from the birth of this wonderful Being.

the time when something begins (especially life)

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

brought into existence

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Under such circumstances, we can easily imagine that the Magi, who paid such attention to the stars in general, should eagerly watch for the appearance of one, which was to announce, that the long-looked-for King was born in Judaea.

the state of being imprisoned

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)

From this reading Under such circumstances, we can easily imagine that the Magi, who paid such attention to the stars in general, should eagerly watch for the appearance of one, which was to announce, that the long-looked-for King was born in Judaea.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

-ing form of “concern” — be relevant to

From this reading The Messiah, we must recollect, was promised to Gentiles as well as to Jews; and therefore all nations who had heard any of the prophecies concerning Him, expected some benefit from the birth of this wonderful Being.

not invading healthy tissue

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

plural of “country” — a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

with eagerness; in an eager manner

From this reading Under such circumstances, we can easily imagine that the Magi, who paid such attention to the stars in general, should eagerly watch for the appearance of one, which was to announce, that the long-looked-for King was born in Judaea.

with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)

From this reading Under such circumstances, we can easily imagine that the Magi, who paid such attention to the stars in general, should eagerly watch for the appearance of one, which was to announce, that the long-looked-for King was born in Judaea.

the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

belief about (or mental picture of) the future

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading The Messiah, we must recollect, was promised to Gentiles as well as to Jews; and therefore all nations who had heard any of the prophecies concerning Him, expected some benefit from the birth of this wonderful Being.

a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Under such circumstances, we can easily imagine that the Magi, who paid such attention to the stars in general, should eagerly watch for the appearance of one, which was to announce, that the long-looked-for King was born in Judaea.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The Messiah, we must recollect, was promised to Gentiles as well as to Jews; and therefore all nations who had heard any of the prophecies concerning Him, expected some benefit from the birth of this wonderful Being.

applying to all or most members of a category or group

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

usually; as a rule

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

plural of “gentile” — a person who does not acknowledge your god

From this reading The Messiah, we must recollect, was promised to Gentiles as well as to Jews; and therefore all nations who had heard any of the prophecies concerning Him, expected some benefit from the birth of this wonderful Being.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading The Messiah, we must recollect, was promised to Gentiles as well as to Jews; and therefore all nations who had heard any of the prophecies concerning Him, expected some benefit from the birth of this wonderful Being.

the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

for this reason

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The Messiah, we must recollect, was promised to Gentiles as well as to Jews; and therefore all nations who had heard any of the prophecies concerning Him, expected some benefit from the birth of this wonderful Being.

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case

From this reading Under such circumstances, we can easily imagine that the Magi, who paid such attention to the stars in general, should eagerly watch for the appearance of one, which was to announce, that the long-looked-for King was born in Judaea.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

impart knowledge of some fact, state of affairs, or event to

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

Jewish republic in southwestern Asia at eastern end of Mediterranean; formerly part of Palestine

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

French biochemist who (with Jacques Monod) studied regulatory processes in cells (born in 1920)

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

plural of “jew” — a person belonging to the worldwide group claiming descent from Jacob (or converted to it) and connected by cultural or religious ties

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

the southern part of ancient Palestine succeeding the kingdom of Judah; a Roman province at the time of Christ

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

apprehended with certainty

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

plural of “land” — the land on which real estate is located

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Under such circumstances, we can easily imagine that the Magi, who paid such attention to the stars in general, should eagerly watch for the appearance of one, which was to announce, that the long-looked-for King was born in Judaea.

(New Testament) the sages who visited Jesus and Mary and Joseph shortly after Jesus was born

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

all of the living human inhabitants of the earth

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

any expected deliverer

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

having or showing great strength or force or intensity

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading The Messiah, we must recollect, was promised to Gentiles as well as to Jews; and therefore all nations who had heard any of the prophecies concerning Him, expected some benefit from the birth of this wonderful Being.

plural of “nation” — a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading The Messiah, we must recollect, was promised to Gentiles as well as to Jews; and therefore all nations who had heard any of the prophecies concerning Him, expected some benefit from the birth of this wonderful Being.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Under such circumstances, we can easily imagine that the Magi, who paid such attention to the stars in general, should eagerly watch for the appearance of one, which was to announce, that the long-looked-for King was born in Judaea.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

above and across; more than

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

marked by the reception of pay

From this reading Under such circumstances, we can easily imagine that the Magi, who paid such attention to the stars in general, should eagerly watch for the appearance of one, which was to announce, that the long-looked-for King was born in Judaea.

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment

From this reading The Messiah, we must recollect, was promised to Gentiles as well as to Jews; and therefore all nations who had heard any of the prophecies concerning Him, expected some benefit from the birth of this wonderful Being.

plural of “prophecy” — knowledge of the future (usually said to be obtained from a divine source)

From this reading The Messiah, we must recollect, was promised to Gentiles as well as to Jews; and therefore all nations who had heard any of the prophecies concerning Him, expected some benefit from the birth of this wonderful Being.

the second of three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection

From this reading The Messiah, we must recollect, was promised to Gentiles as well as to Jews; and therefore all nations who had heard any of the prophecies concerning Him, expected some benefit from the birth of this wonderful Being.

a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

the imperial authority symbolized by a scepter

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

for a short time

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

the utterance of intelligible speech

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

From this reading Under such circumstances, we can easily imagine that the Magi, who paid such attention to the stars in general, should eagerly watch for the appearance of one, which was to announce, that the long-looked-for King was born in Judaea.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Under such circumstances, we can easily imagine that the Magi, who paid such attention to the stars in general, should eagerly watch for the appearance of one, which was to announce, that the long-looked-for King was born in Judaea.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

in or at that place or location

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

for that reason; as a result

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading Under such circumstances, we can easily imagine that the Magi, who paid such attention to the stars in general, should eagerly watch for the appearance of one, which was to announce, that the long-looked-for King was born in Judaea.

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

being of use or service

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

look attentively

From this reading Under such circumstances, we can easily imagine that the Magi, who paid such attention to the stars in general, should eagerly watch for the appearance of one, which was to announce, that the long-looked-for King was born in Judaea.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

in or at the place that

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Balaam, who was well known in those countries of which we are speaking, had said, "there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"; hence it was generally believed, that the appearance of some peculiar star in the Heavens, would inform mankind of the birth of this mighty King.

which person or people

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers

From this reading The Messiah, we must recollect, was promised to Gentiles as well as to Jews; and therefore all nations who had heard any of the prophecies concerning Him, expected some benefit from the birth of this wonderful Being.

the words that are spoken

From this reading To understand the question of the Magi, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" a few words of explanation may be useful.

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.

the third of three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures

From this reading The expectation of a coming Messiah was not confined to the Jews: through the long captivity of the Jews, the writings of the prophets had become known throughout many lands, and there was therefore at this time, in all the countries of the East, a general idea that a King would shortly be born in Judaea, who should rule over all the world.