“Then Herod secretly called for the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found [Him,] report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him" (Matthew 2:7-8)
Though the words of Herod's conversation with the Magi were pleasant, the motive of the meeting was not. Herod was an Edomite, a descendant of Esau, converted to Judaism. He had no intentions of giving up his throne to another king.
Furthermore, theologically, Herod has a problem. These Nabataeans, his distant cousins planned to bypass Judaism to worship the Messiah which would go against all the Jews understood concerning following God and the Law of Moses. No one at the time fully understood God’s plan to unite His people, not through human government, but through Christ, Jew, and gentile. There is little difference between the relationship between the Israelites and Ishmaelites and brothers and that of the Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles during Jesus' day. When Christ came all who receive Him are one family. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3:28-29).
So regardless of adversity, the Magi stayed focused and continued their journey to seek the King of kings, following the star as they went.
“After hearing the king, they went on their way; and behold, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on ahead of them… “ (Matthew 2:9)