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Bible references
But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: (Matthew 2:22 KJV)
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and being warned [of God] in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee, (Matthew 2:22 ASV)
but having heard that ‘Archelaus reigns over Judaea, instead of Herod his father,’ he was afraid to go there; and having been divinely instructed in a dream, he went away into the parts of Galilee, (Matthew 2:22 DBY)
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee, (Matthew 2:22 WEB)
and having heard that Archelaus doth reign over Judea instead of Herod his father, he was afraid to go thither, and having been divinely warned in a dream, he withdrew to the parts of Galilee, (Matthew 2:22 YLT)
Interlinear
Mt 2:22 But /de/ when he heard /akouo/ that /hoti/ Archelaus /Archelaos/ did reign /basileuo/ in /epi/ Judaea /Ioudaia/ in the room /anti/ of his /autos/ father /pater/ Herod, /Herodes/ he was afraid /phobeo/ to go /aperchomai/ thither: /ekei/ notwithstanding, /de/ being warned of God /chrematizo/ in /kata/ a dream, /onar/ he turned aside /anachoreo/ into /eis/ the parts /meros/ of Galilee: /Galilaia/
Albert Barnes’ Commentary
Verse 22. He heard that Archelaus did reign. Archelaus possessed a cruel and tyrannical disposition similar to his father. At one of the passovers he caused three thousand of the people to be put to death in the temple and city. For his crimes, after he had reigned nine years, he was banished by Augustus, the Roman emperor, to Gaul, where he died. Knowing his character, and fearing that he would not be safe there, Joseph hesitated about going there, and was directed by God to go to Galilee, a place of safety.
The parts of Galilee. The country of Galilee. At this time the land of Palestine was divided into three parts: GALILEE, on the north; SAMARIA, in the middle; and Judea, on the south. Galilee was under the government of Herod Antipas, who was comparatively a mild prince; and in his dominions Joseph might find safety.
{g} “parts of Galilee” Mt 3:13; Lu 2:39
The Fourfold Gospel
But when he heard. Joseph heard this on entering Palestine. As he knew of Herod’s death by revelation, and hence before any one else in Egypt, there was no one there to tell him who succeeded Herod.
That Archelaus was reigning over Judaea. By his last will and testament Herod divided his kingdom among three of his sons, and Augustus Caesar consented to the provision of this will. Archelaus, under the title of Ethnarch, received Judaea, Idumaea, and Samaria; Antipas, under the title of Tetrarch, received Galilee and Peraea; and Philip, under the title of Tetrarch, received Trachonitis (with Ituraea), Batanaea, and Auranitis. Each of these sons bore the name of Herod, like their father. Augustus withheld from Archelaus the title of king, promising it to him “if he governed that part virtuously.” But in the very beginning of his reign he massacred three thousand Jews at once, in the temple, at the time of the Passover, because they called for justice upon the agents who performed the barbarities of his father’s reign. Not long after this a solemn embassy of the Jews went to Rome, and petitioned Augustus to remove Archelaus, and make his kingdom a Roman province. After a reign of nine years, Archelaus was banished to Vienne, in Gaul, where he died in A.D. 6. After him Judaea had no more native kings, and the scepter was clean departed from Judah. The land became a Roman province, and its governors were successively Quirinius, Coponius, Ambivius, Annius Rufus, Valerius Gratus, and Pontius Pilate.
In the room of his father Herod. These words sound like an echo of those employed by the embassy just referred to, for it said to Augustus concerning this man, “He seemed to be so afraid lest he should not be deemed Herod’s own son, that he took special care to prove it.”
He was afraid to go thither. As Matthew has spoken of Joseph residing at Bethlehem (and he did reside there for quite a while after the birth of Jesus), the use of word “thither” implies that Joseph planned to return to that town. Mary had kindred somewhere in the neighborhood (Lu 1:36,39,40), and doubtless both parents thought that David’s city was the most fitting place for the nurture of David’s heir.
And being warned of God in a dream. God permitted Joseph to follow the bent of his fear. Joseph’s obedience shows him a fit person for the momentous charge entrusted to him.
He withdrew. From the territory of Archelaus to that of Antipas, who was a man of much milder disposition. As the brothers were on no good terms, Joseph felt sure that in no case would Antipas deliver him and his to Archelaus.
Into the parts of Galilee. It means “circuit.” It is the northern of the three divisions of the Holy Land. Its population was very dense, and was a mixture of Jews and Gentiles. Hence all Galileans were despised by the purer Jews of Judaea.
(TFG 55)