Why Did Joseph and Mary Flee to Egypt With Baby Jesus?

When reading the nativity story in the Gospels, we find that Joseph took Mary and Jesus and fled to Egypt. We read that King Herod in the Bible was afraid to be dethroned by Jesus because the Magi called Jesus the King of the Jews.

The Massacre of the Innocents

In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2, we read about the Magi arriving in Bethlehem. Seeing that they were not staying in Bethlehem, they asked around to find out where they could find baby Jesus, the King of the Jews. When King Herod heard about this, he got disturbed. He then asked the Magi to find Jesus.

Later, King Herod found out that the Magi outwitted him, which angered him greatly. In response, he ordered that all boys under the age of 2 be executed. This was the event known as the Massacre of the Innocents.

Who Told Joseph and Mary to Flee to Egypt?

When the Magi left the manger in Bethlehem, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to take Mary and Jesus and flee to Egypt. Joseph then got up, took Mary and Jesus during the night, and fled to Egypt.

With this flight into Egypt, Jesus was spared the massacre of innocent boys. After the death of King Herod, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream again and told him that they could return to Nazareth, one of the countries that Jesus visited. With this, Jesus was able to fulfill his calling as the savior of mankind.