Matthew 2:6

And thou Bethlehem.

The quotation is made freely from the Septuagint version (Greek) which was in common use, and from which the Savior and his apostles constantly quoted. The Hebrew is literally, "But thou Bethlehem Ephrata, too small to be among the thousands of Judah (i. e., the towns where the heads of thousands resided, the chief towns in the distribution of the tribes); out of thee shall come forth one who is to be the ruler of Israel." It is not certain whether the quotation as given in our lesson is the explanation of Matthew, or the words of the scribes in answer to Herod.

Princes.

Put for towns, where the princes or head of thousands lived.