THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT ; 35

With what glad hearts they set out on their homeward journey. They had left their own
land and homes some months ago, and had been travelling ever since in search of the
child, and at last they had found Him, Ah, they little thought in their joy what trouble
they were bringing upon the Holy Family. But so it turned out. They had come in
their search first to Jerusalem, thinking the birth of the child they were looking for
was sure to be known there. “Where is He that is born King of the Jews?” they asked.
But no one seemed to know or care. At last the news was brought to Herod the King of

 

the Jews, that rich strangers‘had come in search of a new-born King of the Jews. What
could it mean? He was King of the Jews. Why were they asking about another king?
Was there really a baby born who was going to turn him out of his kingdom, and take
his throne and place? So when Herod the King heard these things, he was troubled,
and he sent for all the men in Jerusalem who were learned in the Jewish Scriptures, and
asked them if they could explain what it meant ; and they told him that it was written in
the book of the prophet Micah that a great one should be born in the little village of
Bethlehem in Judah to be a ruler in Israel.

How uneasy Herod must have been as he listened to them. Sooner than lose his
crown the new-born baby must die. So he called the wise men, and told them to go to
Bethlehem, and search diligently for the young child, and when they had found Him they
were to be sure to come and tell him, that he too might go and worship Him, when all the
time he had made up his mind to kill Him. :