Paragraph 2:9–11

2:9a

After they had heard the king: This clause indicates that the king had finished giving instructions to the wise men.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

After they heard the king’s words
-or-
When the king finished speaking

they went on their way: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as they went on their way simply indicates that the wise men left Herod. It is implied from 2:9b–c that they continued their journey.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

they left ⌊Herod⌋ ⌊and began traveling again⌋
-or-
then they left ⌊Jerusalem⌋ and started going ⌊to Bethlehem⌋

2:9b

The Greek of 2:9b begins with a word that is often translated as “behold.” It literally means “look” or “see.” This word focuses attention on what follows and indicates that it is important, unexpected, or amazing. In this passage, the star that the wise men had seen earlier unexpectedly appeared again. See the note at 2:1c and consider how you translated the term there.

the star they had seen in the east: The phrase in the east is the same phrase as in 2:2. You should translate it here as you did there.

There are two ways to interpret this phrase:

(1) It refers to the star rising in the sky. For example:

the star they had seen rising (Revised English Bible)

(New Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, God’s Word, NET Bible, Revised English Bible, English Standard Version)

(2) It refers to the location of the star or the location of the wise men being in the east. For example:

the star which they had seen in the East (Revised Standard Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Good News Translation, New American Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, King James Version, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004))

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

the star they saw when it rose (NET Bible)
-or-
the star they had seen rising (New Jerusalem Bible)

went ahead of them: The Greek form of the verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as went ahead indicates that the star continued to move before them as they traveled.

Here are some other ways to translate this verb:

kept going ahead of them ⌊as they traveled⌋
-or-
guided them (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
led them (NET Bible)

2:9c

until it stood over the place where the Child was: The phrase place where the Child was refers to the location of the Child. It may indicate the house (2:11a) or the village. Use a general expression in your language for this phrase.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

until it stopped above the place where the child was

-or-

to the place where the child was. Then it stopped above that place.

the Child: The phrase the Child refers to Jesus.

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