Matthew 2:19 - 23

19 Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” 21 Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.

22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

Hebrews 1 tells us that God communicated with man in different ways at different times. This time the angel appeared in a dream to Joseph while he was in Egypt. It was a time to give Joseph information and instructions.

The threat to Jesus life had ended, the king Herod was no longer living. He needs to take Jesus back to Israel.

Joseph followed the instructions of the angel and took Jesus and Mary back to Israel.

God warned Joseph of the son of Herod who was now reigning in Judea so he turned into a different province of Israel, Galilee.

Joseph took his family to Nazareth which was a former home of Mary. (Luke 1:26 – 27) It shows a fulfillment of another prophecy. It may refer to the term sprout or branch, Jesus was referred to being a sprout or branch several times. (Isaiah 11:1; Isaiah 63:2; Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 33:15; Zechariah 3:8; Zechariah 6:12)