Van Haarlem depicts a horrific scene from the Old Testament of the Christian Bible in this 16th century oil on canvas masterpiece.

King Herod has heard that a new King of the Jews has been born in Bethlehem. Unable to identify the Messiah, he orders his soldiers to kill every boy in Bethlehem aged two or under. According to the Hebrew Bible, Mary and Joseph had already fled to Egypt with their newborn, Jesus. They stayed in Egypt until after Herod's death.

In the painting, Herod's naked soldiers kill mothers protecting their babies. Then they murder the babies too. In the left corner, a gang of mothers tackle a soldier and gouge out his eyes.