20. Out of the four names below, which one is associated with 'killing children'?
From Quiz Word Association -- New Testament Characters #6
Answer:
Herod
According to Scripture, Herod ordered the execution of all male children two and under in Bethlehem and district. All this in an all-out effort to kill the Baby Jesus because Herod feared the Child would grow up and replace him as king.
Matthew 2:13-18, gives this account in the NKJV: "Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, 'Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.' When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 'Out of Egypt I called My Son.' Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:
'A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more'."
There is considerable speculation about how many children were killed by Herod. According to Wikipedia, some claim as many as 14,000 boys were killed. However, a number of theologians have disputed this claim, speculating less than 20 boys were killed because Bethlehem was a "rather small town", Wikipedia reports. It's all speculation, of course. No one knows how many children were killed by heartless Herod.