Luke 2:44
But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.
But they supposing him to have been in the company,.... That travelled together into the same parts, having been, as they, at Jerusalem to keep the feast:
went a day's journey; either before they missed him; or if they missed him sooner, yet they went on inquiring for him in the company, until they were come a day's journey before they thought, or, at least, determined on going back to Jerusalem. The bounds of a day's journey from Jerusalem are said to be w Elath on the south, and Akrabba on the north; elsewhere x it is, Elathon the north, and Akrabbaon the south, Lud, or Lydda, on the west, and Jordan on the east; wherefore, as Galilee lay north of Jerusalem, the bound of this day's journey must be, according to the Misna, Akrabba, and, according to the Talmud, Elath. Nazareth was three days journey from Jerusalem y: according to the Jewish writers z, a day's journey was ten "parsas", or large miles, Which were forty lesser miles; and which, they say, is a middling man's walk, on a middling day, as in the months of Tisri, or Nisan, when days and nights were alike: and it was in the latter of those months, on the twenty second day of it, that Joseph and Mary set out on their journey; see Exodus 12:18 but it cannot be thought that women and children should be able to travel so many miles a day, and therefore this day's journey, very likely, was shorter:
and they sought him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance; when they came to the end of their day's journey, where they took up their lodging for that night: and as the company was large, they doubtless lay at different houses; wherefore they inquired in every house, where their relations and acquaintance lay, after their child Jesus, where they might most reasonably expect he would be: and so, in a spiritual sense, when souls have lost sight of Christ, of whom should they inquire concerning him? and where should they expect to hear of him, but among their spiritual kindred and friends, and who also are related to Christ? see Song of Solomon 5:9.
w Misn. Maaser Sheni, c. 3. sect. 2. x T. Bab. Betza, fol. 5. 1. y David de Pomis Lex. Heb. p. 141. z T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 2. 3. T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 93. 2. & 94. & Tosaphta in ib. fol. 11. 2. Seder Tephillot, fol. 144. 1. Ed. Basil.