Tag Archives: ἐταράχθη

Introduction: A King Troubled, A City Disturbed

In Matthew 2:3, the reaction to the magi’s inquiry about the “king of the Jews” is immediate and intense: Herod was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. The verb ἐταράχθη {etarachthē} is central to the scene, both grammatically and dramatically. It is an aorist passive indicative form of ταράσσω {tarassō}, a verb often associated with agitation, emotional upheaval, or alarm.

In this passage, the grammatical voice and tense do more than locate the event in time—they convey depth of response, suggesting that Herod is acted upon, overwhelmed by the implications of the magi’s words.… Learn Koine Greek