hese wise men saw a bright star which they had never seen
before. And as they looked at it they felt sure that a great King of
the Jews had been born in Judaea. So they took camels and rich
presents of gold and sweet-smelling stuff--such as people gave to kings
in those days--and they loaded their camels, and left their homes, and
rode for many weeks till they came to Jerusalem. And when they got
there they said, 'Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we
have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him.'

[Illustration: Bethlehem.]

When Herod heard about these wise men he was troubled. He sent for the
best priests, and other clever men, and asked them where Christ would
be born. And they said to him, 'In Bethlehem of Judaea.' They had
read that in the Bible. Then Herod said to the wise men, 'Go and
search out carefully about the young Child; and when ye have found Him,
bring me word, that I also may come and worship Him.'

When the wise men had heard the king, they went away to Bethlehem, and
lo, the star went before them, till it came and stood over where the
young Child was. And they rejoiced with great joy. And when they were
come into the house (there was room in the inn now) they saw the young
Child with Mary, His mother, and they fell down and worshipped Him, and
they gave Him their presents--gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. But
the wise men did not go back to Herod. God told them in a dream not to
go. So they went home by another way instead.

After the wise men were gone, the angel of the Lord came to Joseph in
his sleep, and said to him, 'Arise, and take the young Child and His
mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word:
for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.' That meant to
kill Him. So Joseph at once got up, and took the young Child and His
mother by night, and went away to Egypt.

When Herod found that the wise men did not come back, he was very
angry, and he sent his soldiers to Bethlehem, and had all the baby boys
killed--all the children who were less than two years of age. And they
killed all the baby boys in the places near Bethlehem as well. And the
poor mothers cried, and nobody could comfort them.

Joseph and Mary stayed in Egypt, waiting for the angel to bring them
word that it was time to go back again to Palestine. And one night,
when Jesus was about three years old, the message came. The angel of
the Lord said