Flight into Egypt

===Prophecy of Hosea===
{{see|Hermeneutics|Pardes (Jewish exegesis)}}
[[Matthew 2:15]] cites [[Hosea]] {{bibleverse-nb||Hosea|11:1|HE}} as prophetically fulfilled in the return of Joseph, Mary and Jesus from Egypt: <blockquote>"... and out of Egypt I called My son".</blockquote>

Matthew's use of Hosea 11:1 has been explained in several ways. A [[sensus plenior]] approach states that the text in [[Book of Hosea|Hosea]] contains a meaning intended by God and acknowledged by Matthew, but unknown to Hosea. A [[Typology (theology)|typological]] reading interprets the fulfillment as found in the national history of Israel and the antitypical fulfillment as found in the personal history of Jesus. Matthew's use of typological interpretation may also be seen in his use of [[Isaiah]] {{bibleverse-nb||Isaiah|7:14|HE}} and {{bibleverse-nb||Isaiah|9:1|HE}}, and [[Jeremiah]] {{bibleverse-nb||Jeremiah|31:15|HE}}. Thus according to the ''Ignatius Catholic Study Bible'', "Hosea 11.1 points back to the Exodus, where God's 'first-born son' (Ex 4:22), Israel, was delivered from slavery under the oppressive Pharaoh. Matthew sees this text also pointing forward, when Jesus, the eternal first-born Son (Rom 8:29), is delivered from the tyrant Herod and later brought out of Egypt (2:21)."<ref>''Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, New Testament'' (2010). San Francisco: Ignatius Press. p. 9. {{ISBN|978-1586174842}}</ref> Likewise, ''The Orthodox Study Bible'' states that the citation of Hosea 11.1 "refers first to Israel being brought out of captivity. In the Old Testament 'son' can refer to the whole nation of Israel. Here Jesus fulfills this calling as the true Son of God by coming out of Egypt.<ref>''The Orthodox Study Bible'' (2008). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. p. 1268. {{ISBN|978-0718003593}}</ref> The Anglican scholar [[N. T. Wright]] has pointed out that "The narrative exhibits several points of contact with exodus and exile traditions where Jesus' infancy recapitulates a ''new exodus'' and the ''end of exile'', marking him out further as the true representative of Israel."<ref>Wright, N. T. and Michael F. Bird (2019). ''The New Testament in its World''. London: SPCK; Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic. p. 590. {{ISBN|978-0310499305}}</ref>
[[File:Adorazione dei Magi by Gentile da Fabriano - Predella.jpg|thumbnail|388px|''Flight into Egypt'', by [[Gentile da Fabriano]] (1423)]]
Another reading of Hosea's prophetic declaration is that it only recounts God summoning of the nation of Israel out of Egypt during [[the Exodus]], referring to Israel as God's ''son'' in accordance with [[Moses]]' declaration to Pharaoh: <blockquote>"Israel is my first-born son; let my son go, that he may serve me" ({{bibleverse||Exodus|4:22–23|HE}}).</blockquote> The [[Masoretic Text]] reads ''my son'', whereas the [[Septuagint]] reads ''his sons'' or ''his children'';<ref>[http://biblehub.com/sepd/hosea/11.htm Brenton's Septuagint Translation of Hosea 11], accessed 4 December 2016</ref> the Masoretic Text is to be preferred, the singular being both consonant with the other words which are in the singular in Hosea 11:1 and with the reference to Exodus 4:22–23. The Septuagint reading may be explained as having been made to conform to the [[plural]]s of {{bibleverse||Hosea|11:2|HE}}, ''they'' and ''them''.