independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
The Magi arrive — Herod, the priests, and the Micah oracle 2:1–6
vv. 1–2 — the genitive-absolute opening and the Magi's question
1
Τοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦ γεννηθέντος ἐν Βηθλέεμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἐν ἡμέραις Ἡρῴδου τοῦ βασιλέως,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; the scene set: David's town, the tyrant's days
ἰδοὺ μάγοι ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν παρεγένοντο εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμαindependent — ἰδού springs the action — Gentile sages, the first seekers of the King
2
λέγοντες·participial — the speech-participle framing the question
Ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ τεχθεὶς βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων;content — the chapter's theme in a question — born king against the appointed one; the title returns at 27:37
εἴδομεν γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇcause — the empirical ground of the search — ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ 'at its rising,' not 'in the east'; cf. Num 24:17
καὶ ἤλθομεν προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ.cause — coordinate with εἴδομεν — προσκυνέω threads the chapter (vv. 2, 8, 11)
vv. 3–6 — Herod troubled; the priests answer from Micah
3
ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἡρῴδηςparticipial — preposed participle with its subject — leans on ἐταράχθη
ἐταράχθη καὶ πᾶσα Ἱεροσόλυμα μετ’ αὐτοῦ,independent — ἐταράχθη — the throne shaken; the capital's alarm foreshadows 21:10
4
καὶ συναγαγὼν πάντας τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ γραμματεῖς τοῦ λαοῦparticipial — preposed — the ad hoc council convened
ἐπυνθάνετο παρ’ αὐτῶνindependent — iterative imperfect — the sustained interrogation
ποῦ ὁ Χριστὸς γεννᾶται.content — indirect question — the Magi's 'king' become Herod's 'the Christ'; gnomic present of scriptural certainty
5
οἱ δὲ εἶπαν αὐτῷ·independent — the scholars answer at once
Ἐν Βηθλέεμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας·content — the verbless answer — the place named without hesitation
οὕτως γὰρ γέγραπται διὰ τοῦ προφήτου·cause — γέγραπται — the standing written warrant; διά of intermediate agency, Matthew's formula idiom
6
Καὶ σύ, Βηθλέεμ γῆ Ἰούδα, οὐδαμῶς ἐλαχίστη εἶ ἐν τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν Ἰούδα·content — Mic 5:1[2] adapted — οὐδαμῶς reverses Micah's 'small'; ἡγεμόσιν 'rulers' for the Hebrew 'clans'
ἐκ σοῦ γὰρ ἐξελεύσεται ἡγούμενος,cause — the ground of the honor — the ruler's origin from the little town
ὅστις ποιμανεῖ τὸν λαόν μου τὸν Ἰσραήλ.relative — 2 Sam 5:2 grafted on — the Davidic shepherd-king
Herod's secret charge — the star, the worship, the dream 2:7–12
vv. 7–8 — the secret summons and the feigned commission
7
Τότε Ἡρῴδης λάθρᾳ καλέσας τοὺς μάγουςparticipial — preposed — λάθρᾳ, the stealth that betrays the intent
ἠκρίβωσεν παρ’ αὐτῶν τὸν χρόνον τοῦ φαινομένου ἀστέρος,independent — ἠκρίβωσεν — precision with murderous purpose; the basis of v. 16's age-limit
8
καὶ πέμψας αὐτοὺς εἰς Βηθλέεμparticipial — preposed — the Magi made his unwitting scouts
εἶπεν·independent — the speech-frame for the commission
Πορευθέντες ἐξετάσατε ἀκριβῶς περὶ τοῦ παιδίου·content — ἐξετάσατε ἀκριβῶς — echoing ἠκρίβωσεν; the commission of careful search
ἐπὰν δὲ εὕρητε,conditional — temporal ἐπάν + subjunctive (typed cnd) — leaning forward on ἀπαγγείλατε
ἀπαγγείλατέ μοι,content — the report Herod actually wants
ὅπως κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν προσκυνήσω αὐτῷ.purpose — the feigned purpose — κἀγώ 'I too,' dramatic irony: his 'worship' would be murder
vv. 9–12 — the star halts; the treasures opened; the dream
9
οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες τοῦ βασιλέωςparticipial — preposed — leans on ἐπορεύθησαν
ἐπορεύθησαν,independent — the journey resumes
καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀστὴρ ὃν εἶδον ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ προῆγεν αὐτοὺςindependent — ἰδού again — the star now actively leading; imperfect προῆγεν, it kept going before
ἕως ἐλθὼν ἐστάθη ἐπάνωconditional — temporal ἕως (typed cnd) — the guidance reaches its terminus; ἐστάθη, the purposeful halt
οὗ ἦν τὸ παιδίον.relative — the goal named — παιδίον, the chapter's refrain-word
10
ἰδόντες δὲ τὸν ἀστέραparticipial — preposed — leans on ἐχάρησαν
ἐχάρησαν χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα.independent — cognate accusative piled with μεγάλην and σφόδρα — triple intensification
11
καὶ ἐλθόντες εἰς τὴν οἰκίανparticipial — preposed — a house, not Luke's manger
εἶδον τὸ παιδίον μετὰ Μαρίας τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ,independent — 'the child with his mother' — the refrain (vv. 11, 13, 14, 20, 21); Joseph absent from the scene
καὶ πεσόντεςparticipial — preposed — prostration, the posture of homage
προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ,independent — the purpose of v. 2 fulfilled — the true worship Herod only feigned
καὶ ἀνοίξαντες τοὺς θησαυροὺς αὐτῶνparticipial — preposed — the chests opened
προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ δῶρα,independent — προσφέρω, the verb of cultic offering — the nations' tribute (Isa 60:6; Ps 72:10–11)
χρυσὸν καὶ λίβανον καὶ σμύρναν.phrase modifier — apposition — the king's gold, God's incense, and myrrh the embalming spice (cf. 27:59)
12
καὶ χρηματισθέντες κατ’ ὄναρ μὴ ἀνακάμψαι πρὸς Ἡρῴδην,participial — preposed — the first dream-oracle; χρηματίζω, the verb of divine instruction
δι’ ἄλλης ὁδοῦ ἀνεχώρησαν εἰς τὴν χώραν αὐτῶν.independent — ἀνεχώρησαν — the chapter's keyword of evasive retreat begins (vv. 12, 13, 14, 22)
The flight to Egypt — Hosea fulfilled 2:13–15
vv. 13–14 — the angel's commission and the night departure
13
Ἀναχωρησάντων δὲ αὐτῶνparticipial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; the Magi exit, Joseph's story resumes
ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος κυρίου φαίνεται κατ’ ὄναρ τῷ Ἰωσὴφindependent — historic present φαίνεται — the dream-pattern of 1:20 recurs
λέγων·participial — the speech-frame for the commission
Ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦcontent — imperatival Ἐγερθείς + παράλαβε — child before mother; the command Joseph will echo verbatim (v. 14)
καὶ φεῦγε εἰς Αἴγυπτον,content — present imperative — urgent, sustained flight; Egypt the classic refuge (Gen 46; 1 Kgs 11:40)
καὶ ἴσθι ἐκεῖcontent — the third command — stay put
ἕως ἂν εἴπω σοι·conditional — temporal ἕως ἄν (typed cnd) — fulfilled at v. 19
μέλλει γὰρ Ἡρῴδης ζητεῖν τὸ παιδίονcause — the γάρ grounding the whole commission — μέλλει, the imminent threat
τοῦ ἀπολέσαι αὐτό.purpose — τοῦ + infinitive of purpose — ἀπολέσαι, the verb the leaders will take up (27:20)
14
ὁ δὲ ἐγερθεὶςparticipial — preposed — obedience begins in the angel's own verb
παρέλαβεν τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ νυκτὸςindependent — the command repeated as deed — νυκτός, the urgency of darkness
καὶ ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον,independent — ἀνεχώρησεν again — the family in flight
v. 15 — the sojourn and the Hosea formula
15
καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἕως τῆς τελευτῆς Ἡρῴδου·independent — durative imperfect — the stay outlasts the tyrant
ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος·purpose — the fulfillment frame — ὑπὸ κυρίου: God the speaker, the prophet only the channel
Ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου.content — Hos 11:1 from the Hebrew ('my son,' against LXX 'his children') — Israel's exodus recapitulated in the true Son
The slaughter of the innocents — Jeremiah fulfilled 2:16–18
v. 16 — Herod's fury and the massacre
16
Τότε Ἡρῴδης ἰδὼνparticipial — preposed — leans on ἐθυμώθη
ὅτι ἐνεπαίχθη ὑπὸ τῶν μάγωνcontent — ἐμπαίζω, 'mocked' — the verb of Jesus' own mocking (27:29, 31)
ἐθυμώθη λίαν,independent — ingressive aorist — the thwarted tyrant's rage
καὶ ἀποστείλαςparticipial — preposed — the order dispatched; leans on ἀνεῖλεν
ἀνεῖλεν πάντας τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐν Βηθλέεμ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆςindependent — ἀνεῖλεν — the massacre; πάντας, the total sweep of town and territory
ἀπὸ διετοῦς καὶ κατωτέρω,phrase modifier — the grim age-specification — a margin of safety over the star's timing
κατὰ τὸν χρόνονphrase modifier — the standard of the slaughter — his own reckoning
ὃν ἠκρίβωσεν παρὰ τῶν μάγων.relative — ἠκρίβωσεν (v. 7) — precision turned to atrocity
vv. 17–18 — the Jeremiah formula: Rachel weeping
17
τότε ἐπληρώθη τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ἰερεμίου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος·independent — τότε ἐπληρώθη, indicative — not ἵνα: Matthew declines to make the atrocity a divine purpose
18
Φωνὴ ἐν Ῥαμὰ ἠκούσθη,content — Jer 31[38]:15 — Ramah, the exiles' staging-post (Jer 40:1), near Rachel's tomb tradition
κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὀδυρμὸς πολύς·phrase modifier — apposition — the cry specified; the shorter text, without the Byzantine 'lamentation and'
Ῥαχὴλ κλαίουσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς,content — verbless — the matriarch (Gen 35:19) personifies the bereaved mothers
καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν παρακληθῆναι,content — imperfect of obstinate grief — yet in Jeremiah consolation follows (31:16–17)
ὅτι οὐκ εἰσίν.cause — the stark ground — οὐκ εἰσίν, they are not
The return — Nazareth and the Nazarene 2:19–23
vv. 19–21 — Herod dead; the return commission
19
Τελευτήσαντος δὲ τοῦ Ἡρῴδουparticipial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; the threat lifted
ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος κυρίου φαίνεται κατ’ ὄναρ τῷ Ἰωσὴφ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳindependent — historic present — the dream-pattern of v. 13 returns to bring the family home
20
λέγων·participial — the speech-frame
Ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦcontent — the flight-command of v. 13 in reverse — word for word
καὶ πορεύου εἰς γῆν Ἰσραήλ·content — γῆ Ἰσραήλ — the promised land re-entered
τεθνήκασιν γὰρ οἱ ζητοῦντες τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ παιδίου.cause — Exod 4:19 echoed ('all who sought your life are dead') — the Moses typology; perfect τεθνήκασιν, the threat gone for good
21
ὁ δὲ ἐγερθεὶςparticipial — preposed — obedience again in the command's own verbs
παρέλαβεν τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦindependent — the refrain a final time — child and mother in Joseph's charge
καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς γῆν Ἰσραήλ.independent — the return accomplished
vv. 22–23 — Archelaus feared; Nazareth and the final formula
22
ἀκούσας δὲparticipial — preposed — leans on ἐφοβήθη
ὅτι Ἀρχέλαος βασιλεύει τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἀντὶ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ Ἡρῴδουcontent — Archelaus (4 BC–AD 6), notorious for brutality — βασιλεύει loosely: he ruled as ethnarch
ἐφοβήθη ἐκεῖ ἀπελθεῖν·independent — the complication — Judea still unsafe
χρηματισθεὶς δὲ κατ’ ὄναρparticipial — preposed — the chapter's last dream redirects the route
ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὰ μέρη τῆς Γαλιλαίας,independent — ἀνεχώρησεν a last time — providence steers toward Galilee (cf. 4:12–16)
23
καὶ ἐλθὼνparticipial — preposed — leans on κατῴκησεν
κατῴκησεν εἰς πόλιν λεγομένην Ναζαρέτ,independent — κατῴκησεν — the settling that makes the Messiah 'of Nazareth' (cf. John 1:46)
ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τῶν προφητῶνpurpose — ὅπως for the usual ἵνα — and 'the prophets' plural, no book named
ὅτι Ναζωραῖος κληθήσεται.content — the source-less citation — recitative ὅτι; a prophetic theme (נֵצֶר 'branch' Isa 11:1? Nazirite? despised origin?) rather than a verse — left open
Analysis. Matthew 2 alternates two shapes. The narrative spine is Matthew's, not Mark's: instead of flat καί-parataxis, nearly every main verb is approached through a preposed aorist participle or genitive absolute leaning forward, anchor-less, on the event below it — the chapter opens on one (Τοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦ γεννηθέντος) and closes on one (καὶ ἐλθών), with the pattern repeated a dozen times between (ἀκούσας, συναγαγών, καλέσας, πέμψας, ἰδόντες, πεσόντες, ἀνοίξαντες, χρηματισθέντες, Τελευτήσαντος δὲ τοῦ Ἡρῴδου). Speech hangs blue beneath its verb of saying: the Magi's ποῦ ἐστιν question with its γάρ-ground under λέγοντες, Herod's feigned commission under εἶπεν (with the chapter's one forward-leaning protasis, temporal ἐπάν, above ἀπαγγείλατε, and the ὅπως of pretended worship beneath it), and the two angelic commissions under λέγων — each with its γάρ-ground (μέλλει γὰρ Ἡρῴδης…, τεθνήκασιν γάρ…, the latter echoing Exod 4:19 and its Moses typology), and each answered by narrative that repeats the command's verbs word for word (Ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε → ἐγερθεὶς παρέλαβεν), the shape of Joseph's exact obedience. Against this spine the four formula-quotations indent each by its own syntax: the Micah oracle sits deepest because it stands inside the priests' spoken answer (verbless Ἐν Βηθλέεμ under εἶπαν, the γάρ-grounded γέγραπται beneath it, the citation under that — Matthew's οὐδαμῶς reversing Micah's 'small,' ἡγεμόσιν for the Hebrew 'clans,' and 2 Sam 5:2's shepherd grafted on); Hos 11:1 hangs under an ἵνα πληρωθῇ purpose-line; Jer 31:15 under the indicative τότε ἐπληρώθη — the tag notes that Matthew alone here avoids the telic conjunction, declining to make the massacre a divine purpose; and the Nazarene word under ὅπως πληρωθῇ. Cruxes are named, not resolved: the v. 23 citation 'he shall be called a Nazarene' matches no extant text — the plural 'the prophets' and the recitative ὅτι suggest a prophetic theme rather than a verse (the נֵצֶר 'branch' of Isa 11:1, the Nazirite, or simply despised provenance), and the layout can only report the options; Hos 11:1 is in Hosea a statement about Israel's exodus, quoted from the Hebrew ('my son,' against LXX 'his children'), so the fulfillment is typological — Jesus recapitulating Israel — not predictive; ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ is glossed 'at its rising' (the astronomical sense) rather than 'in the east'; and the Magi themselves — their land, number, and rank — are left exactly as open as Matthew leaves them.