Hello Vern,

>TA>Does anyone know when Jesus and his family went to Egypt?

>TA>How long did they stay there?

>TA>How old was He when they returned home?

VH>He would have been an infant -- or at best a toddler.

VH>        Matthew, 2,16 "When Herod realized he had been deceived by the
VH>        Magi, he became furious.  He ordered the massacre of all the
VH>        boys in Bethelem and its vicinity two years and under . . ."

VH>Clearly, Jesus would have been "two years and under" or not have been
VH>endangered by Herod's slaughter.

VH>He was probably about two when they returned from Egypt.

VH>        Matthew, 2,19-20 "When Herod had died, behold, an angel of the
VH>        Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph and said, 'Rise, take the
VH>        child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who
VH>        sought the child's life are dead.'"

VH>Herod died in 4 BCE, which would have been a couple of years at most
VH>from Christ's birth.

Jesus was born on December 25, 5 B.C.  He was named Jesus eight
days later, on January 1, 4 B.C., in accordance with Jewish custom.
Therefore, if Herod died in 4 B.C., Jesus' stay in Egypt was quite
short.

VH>There was a large Jewish colony in Egypt, and it was among these people
VH>that Mary and Joseph probably found sanctuary.

There was a Jewish community in Alexandria, Egypt.  But it is not
known how large a community.  Certainly it was a small community given
the total number of residents in the city.

--Lee


 * SLMR 2.1a * "My name is Lee! I know Kung Fu!" - Master Lee
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