Archelaus— He was the sixth son of Herod, and the most cruel of all those who survived him. He caused three thousand citizens to be murdered at one time in the temple. Herod in his will appointed him his successor, and bestowed upon him the regal authority; but Augustus gave him only the title of Ethnarch, or prince of the nation; of which, however, he deprived him afterwards, and sent him into banishment for his tyranny and cruelty. Galilee belonged to the jurisdiction of Antipas, another of the sons of Herod, and who was himself afterwards called Herod. See ch. Matthew 14:1. He was of a much milder disposition than Archelaus, and was then upon such hostile terms with him, that there was no danger of his giving up Joseph and Mary into his power. The reader, the better to understand this part of the sacred history, will do well to read Josephus, or the Universal History as above referred to.
Related Commentaries of Matthew 2:22
Matthew 2:22
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: