The Three Kings, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

We know that it would have been at least 40 days after the birth of Jesus that the wise men arrived.  And we know that they were not kings. Rather, they were wise men. For more information, click here or read some of the articles listed below.  But before you do, read “The Three Kings,” written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, one of  America’s most famous poets.

Longfellow is well remembered for his poems “Paul Revere’s Ride,” ” The Song of Hiawatha,” “Evangeline,” and many others.  We recently reviewed his poem “Christmas Day,” the words of which are the lyrics of the popular Christmas song “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.”

Longfellow wrote “The Three Kings” in 1877 to tell the story of the wise men who traveled from the East to see and worship the one who was born the King of the Jews (Matt 2:1-2).

While Longfellow based his poem on the biblical narrative, he also took some poetic license.  He added information like descriptions of their apparel, their need to rest, and conversations and opinions from others that are not part of the biblical record.  However, it should be noted that Longfellow did not go beyond what is possible and credible, and nothing he added contradicts or detracts from the biblical narrative.

Note: Bracketed biblical references and commentary are mine. Hover over the Bible verses to read them.

The Three Kings, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1877

Three Kings came riding from far away,
Melchior and Gaspar and Baltasar; [Traditions suggests these names. The Bible does not.]
Three Wise Men out of the East were they, [Tradition suggests there were three based on three gifts.  Historical records suggest many more.]
And they traveled by night, and they slept by day,
For their guide was a beautiful, wonderful star. [Mat 2:1-2]

The star was so beautiful, large, and clear,
That all the other stars of the sky
Became a white mist in the atmosphere,
And by this, they knew that the coming was near
Of the Prince foretold in the prophecy. [Num 24:17]

Three caskets [gifts] they bore on their saddle-bows,
Three caskets of gold with golden keys; [Mat 2:11]
Their robes were of crimson silk with rows
Of bells and pomegranates and furbelows,
Their turbans like blossoming almond-trees.

And so the Three Kings rode into the West,
Through the dusk of the night, over hill and dell,
And sometimes they nodded with beard on breast,
And sometimes talked, as they paused to rest,
With the people, they met at some wayside well.

“Of the child that is born,” said Baltasar,
“Good people, I pray you tell us the news;
For we in the East have seen his star,
And have ridden fast, and have ridden far,
To find and worship the King of the Jews.” [Matt 2:1-2]

And the people answered, “You ask in vain;
We know of no King but Herod the Great!”
They thought the Wise Men were men insane,
As they spurred their horses across the plain,
Like riders in haste, who cannot wait.

And when they came to Jerusalem,
Herod the Great, who had heard this thing,
Sent for the Wise Men and questioned them;
And said, “Go down unto Bethlehem,
And bring me tidings of this new king.” [Matt 2:7-8]

So they rode away, and the star stood still,
The only one in the grey of morn;
Yes, it stopped—it stood still of its own free will,
Right over Bethlehem on the hill,
The city of David, where Christ was born.

And the Three Kings rode through the gate and the guard,
Through the silent street, till their horses turned
And neighed as they entered the great inn-yard;
But the windows were closed, and the doors were barred,
And only a light in the stable burned.

And cradled there in the scented hay,
In the air made sweet by the breath of kine,
The little child in the manger lay,
The child that would be king one day
Of a kingdom not human but divine.

His mother Mary of Nazareth
Sat watching beside his place of rest,
Watching the even flow of his breath,
For the joy of life and the terror of death
Were mingled together in her breast.

They laid their offerings at his feet:
The gold was their tribute to a King,
The frankincense, with its odor sweet,
Was for the Priest, the Paraclete,
The myrrh for the body’s burying. [Matt 2:11]

And the mother wondered and bowed her head,
And sat as still as a statue of stone,
Her heart was troubled yet comforted,
Remembering what the Angel had said
Of an endless reign and of David’s throne.

Then the Kings rode out of the city gate,
With a clatter of hoofs in proud array;
But they went not back to Herod the Great,
For they knew his malice and feared his hate,
And returned to their homes by another way. [Matt 2:12]

Read More About the Three Wise Men