<P> Matthew's account suggests that the Magi knew from the star that the "king of the Jews" had been born even before they arrived in Jerusalem . They present Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and as verse 11 describes: "they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him". In a dream, they are warned not to return to Jerusalem, so they leave for their own country by another route . When Herod realizes he has been tricked, he orders the execution of all male children in Bethlehem "two years old and younger," based on the age the child could be in regard to the information the magi had given him concerning the time the star first appeared . Joseph, warned in a dream, takes his family to Egypt for their safety . The Gospel links the escape to a verse from scripture, which it interprets as a prophecy: "Out of Egypt I called my son ." This was a reference to the departure of the Hebrews from Egypt under Moses, so the quote suggests that Matthew saw the life of Jesus as recapitulating the story of the Jewish people, with Judea representing Egypt and Herod standing in for pharaoh . After Herod dies, Joseph and his family return from Egypt, and settle in Nazareth in Galilee . This is also said to be a fulfillment of a prophecy ("He will be called a Nazorean," (NRSV) which could be attributed to Judges 13: 5 regarding the birth of Samson and the Narazite vow . The word "Nazareth" is related to the word "netzer" which means "sprout", and which some Bible commentators think refers to Isaiah 11: 1, "And there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots shall bear fruit ." (ESV). </P> <P> Many scholars who see the gospel nativity stories as later apologetic accounts created to establish the Messianic status of Jesus regard the Star of Bethlehem as a pious fiction . Aspects of Matthew's account which have raised questions of the historical event include: Matthew is the only one of the four gospels which mentions either the Star of Bethlehem or the Magi . In Mark 6: 1 - 4, the author of the Gospel of Mark, considered by modern text scholars to be the oldest of the Gospels, does not appear to be aware of the Bethlehem nativity story . Scholars suggest that Jesus was born in Nazareth and that the Bethlehem nativity narratives reflect a desire by the Gospel writers to present his birth as the fulfillment of prophecy . The Matthew account conflicts with that given in the Gospel of Luke, in which the family of Jesus already live in Nazareth, travel to Bethlehem for the census, and return home almost immediately . </P> <P> Matthew's description of the miracles and portents attending the birth of Jesus can be compared to stories concerning the birth of Augustus (63 BC). Linking a birth to the first appearance of a star was consistent with a popular belief that each person's life was linked to a particular star . Magi and astronomical events were linked in the public mind by the visit to Rome of a delegation of magi at the time of a spectacular appearance of Halley's Comet in AD 66, about the time the Gospel of Matthew was being composed . This delegation was led by King Tiridates of Armenia, who came seeking confirmation of his title from Emperor Nero . Ancient historian Dio Cassius wrote that, "The King did not return by the route he had followed in coming," a line similar to the text of Matthew's account, but written some time after the completion of Matthew's gospel . </P> <P> The ancients believed that astronomical phenomena were connected to terrestrial events . Miracles were routinely associated with the birth of important people, including the Hebrew patriarchs, as well as Greek and Roman heroes . </P>

Who told the magi to follow the star