# What Child Is This?: lyrics with the Bible verses behind them

What Child Is This? asks who the baby in Luke 2 is, and answers from the whole New Testament: the King, the Word made flesh (John 1:14), the one who would be pierced with nails and a spear (John 19:34), the King of kings (Revelation 19:16). Its ox and donkey come from Isaiah 1:3, not from Luke.

Words: William Chatterton Dix, 1865. Music: “Greensleeves,” English folk tune, late 1500s. The words are in the public domain.

Source: https://www.lumin.faith/christmas/carols/what-child-is-this. Scripture quotations are from the Lumin Translation.

## The words, line by line

### Verse 1

- What child is this, who, laid to rest ([Luke 2:7](https://www.lumin.faith/read/luke/2#7): “and she bore a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him down in a manger, since the guest room had no space for them.”)
- On Mary’s lap is sleeping? Beyond the Bible: Luke says Mary laid him in a manger. He does not say he slept.
- Whom angels greet with anthems sweet ([Luke 2:13](https://www.lumin.faith/read/luke/2#13): “All at once there was with the angel a vast crowd of heaven’s army, praising God and saying,”)
- While shepherds watch are keeping? ([Luke 2:8](https://www.lumin.faith/read/luke/2#8): “There were shepherds in that same area who were staying out in the open country, standing guard over their flock through the night.”)
- This, this is Christ the King ([Luke 2:11](https://www.lumin.faith/read/luke/2#11): “this very day in David’s city a Savior has been born for you. He is the Messiah, the Lord.”)
- Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
- Haste, haste to bring him laud ([Luke 2:16](https://www.lumin.faith/read/luke/2#16): “They went quickly and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and to the baby lying in the manger.”)
- The babe, the son of Mary ([Mark 6:3](https://www.lumin.faith/read/mark/6#3): “Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? And they took offense at him.”)

### Verse 2

- Why lies he in such mean estate ([2 Corinthians 8:9](https://www.lumin.faith/read/2-corinthians/8#9): “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”)
- Where ox and ass are feeding? ([Isaiah 1:3](https://www.lumin.faith/read/isaiah/1#3): “The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s manger; but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.”) Beyond the Bible: Luke names no animals. The ox and donkey come from Isaiah 1:3.
- Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
- The silent Word is pleading ([Hebrews 7:25](https://www.lumin.faith/read/hebrews/7#25): “So he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.”)
- Nails, spear shall pierce him through ([John 19:34](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/19#34): “Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out.”)
- The cross be borne for me, for you ([John 19:17](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/19#17): “and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.”)
- Hail, hail the Word made flesh ([John 1:14](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/1#14): “The Word became flesh and pitched his tent among us. We looked on his glory, glory like that of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth.”)
- The babe, the son of Mary

### Verse 3

- So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh ([Matthew 2:11](https://www.lumin.faith/read/matthew/2#11): “They went into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling down, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and brought him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”)
- Come, peasant, king, to own him ([Luke 2:15](https://www.lumin.faith/read/luke/2#15): “After the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, Come, let us make our way to Bethlehem and see this event that has taken place, which the Lord has revealed to us.”)
- The King of kings salvation brings ([Revelation 19:16](https://www.lumin.faith/read/revelation/19#16): “On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.”)
- Let loving hearts enthrone him
- Raise, raise the song on high ([Psalm 96:1](https://www.lumin.faith/read/psalm/96#1): “Sing to Yahweh a new song; sing to Yahweh, all the earth.”)
- The virgin sings her lullaby ([Luke 1:46](https://www.lumin.faith/read/luke/1#46): “Then Mary said, My soul declares the greatness of the Lord,”) Beyond the Bible: Mary’s song in Luke comes before the birth. A lullaby is the carol’s picture.
- Joy, joy, for Christ is born ([Luke 2:10](https://www.lumin.faith/read/luke/2#10): “The angel told them, Do not be afraid, for look, I am proclaiming to you good news of great joy that will belong to all the people:”)
- The babe, the son of Mary

## Where it goes beyond the Bible

- Luke names no ox or donkey. They come from Isaiah 1:3, “The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s manger,” which early Christians linked to the manger.
- Mary’s song in Luke is sung before the birth (Luke 1:46-55). A lullaby is the carol’s picture.
- The magi’s gifts and the shepherds’ visit are put together here. In the Bible they come at different times.

## The story of the carol

William Chatterton Dix ran an insurance office in Glasgow and wrote hymns. In 1865 he was very ill and bedridden for months, and in that time he wrote a poem called “The Manger Throne.” Three of its verses became this carol.

In 1871 the words were set to Greensleeves, an English folk tune from the late 1500s, in “Christmas Carols New and Old.” That pairing has stayed.