During the time of Jesus the village of Bethlehem was located in the hill country of Judea around 5 miles south of Jerusalem. For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Bethlehem Judah, or EPHRATH or EPHRATHAH (which see) is now Beit Lahm (Arabic = “house of meat”), a town of upward of 10,000 inhabitants, 5 miles S. of Jerusalem and 2,350 ft. above sea level. In modern times, Bethlehem was administered as part of the British mandate of Palestine (1920–48; see Palestine: The British mandate); after the first of the Arab-Israeli wars (1948–49), it was in the territory annexed by Jordan in 1950 and placed in al-Quds (Jerusalem) muḥāfaẓah (governorate). Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. Located in the Galilee near Kiryat Tivon, around 10 kilometers north-west of Nazareth and 30 kilometers east of Haifa, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Jezreel Valley Regional Council. The reason Bethlehem – which is really in a desert – does have cold weather is because it is on a range of hills and at an elevation of 2,400 meters above sea level it. The modern moshav is located at the site of the ancient Israelite settlement known as Bethlehem of Zebulun or Berlehem Zoria. The site had already been sacred to … January 1, 2016 ~ aforenceeastsidecatholicorg. Several initiatives were undertaken in the early 21st century to encourage local economic development through renewed tourism by Western pilgrims. The … Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The surrounding country is fertile, cornfields, fig and olive yards and vineyards abound. Bethlehem of Galilee is a moshav in northern Israel. “Bethlehem,” ISBE, n.p. In 2016 it had a population of 788. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). ... King Herod, who was the ruler in Judea, plotted to kill the baby-king by ordering the slaughter of all male children two years old and younger in Bethlehem and surrounding areas (Matthew 2:16–18). Bethlehem Judah, or EPHRATH or EPHRATHAH (which see) is now Beit Lahm (Arabic = “house of meat”), a town of upward of 10,000 inhabitants, 5 miles S. of Jerusalem and 2,350 ft. above sea level. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” Matthew 2:5,6 . The town has been a monastic centre for centuries; St. Jerome built a monastery there and, with the aid of Palestinian rabbis, translated the Old Testament into Latin from the original Hebrew (5th century ce). Bethlehem of Judah was a small Jewish village in the first century where Jesus, the Messiah born and today is one of most important city in the Palestinian Territory. The manufacture of religious articles, chiefly of mother-of-pearl, is a traditional industry, as is the carving of olive wood. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. It was quite an experience going to Bethlehem. A large proportion of the town’s population is Christian. Bethlehem in Judea, the famous one, is located 5 miles (8 km) south of Jerusalem, near the ancient main road to Hebron (and even Egypt, if one was going further). Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity during the traditional Christmas procession in Bethlehem, West Bank. Bethlehem, meaning "house of bread," was also the renowned City of David. They are under the Palestinian Authority. It is the setting for most of the Book of Ruth and was the presumed birthplace, and certainly the home, of Ruth’s descendant King David; there he was anointed king of Israel by the prophet Samuel (I Samuel 16). Bethlehem or House of Bread is the born village of Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. The church was later divided between the Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Armenian Orthodox faiths. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Updates? In the Bible the city is often referred to as Bethlehem Ephrathah, or Bethlehem-Judah. Omissions? Noté /5. “Bethlehem” in Hebrew means the “house” ( bet) of “bread” ( lehem ). David’s “three mighty men” “brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David” (2 Sa 23:14,16). Download. John Burger-published on 12/15/20. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. Mahmoud Abbas, and worshippers gathered for mass at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, West Bank. David himself “was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah, whose name was Jesse” (1 Sa 17:12). It occupies an outstanding position upon a spur running E. from the watershed with deep valleys to the N.E. (2017) town, 28,248; Bethlehem, Bayt Jālā, and Bayt Sāḥūr conurbation, 54,728. Corrections? Bethlehem is a collection of very fertile villages that grows almonds and, more importantly, olives for oil. Bethlehem is one of the most ancient cities on Earth. This Bethlehem is also known in modern times as Beit Lahm, Arabic for "house of meat" or "house of flesh". Christian theology has linked this with the belief that his birth there fulfills the Old Testament prophecy of Israel’s future ruler coming from Bethlehem Ephrathah (Micah 5:2). To Bethlehem came Samuel to anoint a successor to unworthy Saul (1 Sa 16:4): “David went to and fro from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem” (1 Sa 17:15). Present-Day Bethlehem . The New Testament identifies Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus. media ; Most Christians who have answered the call to live and serve in Israel sorely miss our families back home during the Christmas season. The Bible tells us that Bethlehem Ephratah was the birthplace of King David (1 Samuel 16:1-18). Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. It was founded around the XVII-XVI centuries BC in the land of Canaan. Bethlehem is sacred to all three religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. But we certainly don’t miss the commercialization of the holidays. According to the New Testament, Joseph and Mary were living in … Bethlehem of Judea. Bethlehem is called the city of David in the Old Testament and the City of the Messiah in the New Covenant. Today we journeyed to Bethlehem. vovan | Shutterstock. Bethlehem is not naturally well supplied with water, the nearest spring is 800 yds. also known as: Bethlehemjudah, Bethlehem of Juda, Bethlehem of Judea, Bethlehem-Ephratah, Ephratah, Ephrath, City of David Situated in the hill country, it was originally called Ephratah/Ephrath , meaning “fruitful” ( Genesis 35:16 , 19 ; 48:7 ; Ruth 4:11 ), and its citizens were called Ephrathites . In the NT Bethlehem is mentioned as the birthplace of the Messiah Jesus (Mt 2:1,5; Lk 2:4,25) in consequence of which event occurred Herod’s “massacre of the innocents” (Mt 2:8,26). For a long time the town has been important as a pilgrimage and tourist centre, although, in the decades following the Six-Day War, tourism and pilgrimage were frequently affected by the ongoing conflict. Why was the town where Jesus will be born named “Bethlehem”? Is small jewish village of ancient Judea comes to be the most important christian site in the Palestinians Territory today controlled by Arabs, Qasr el Yahud, the Baptism Site in Jordan River, Mount Moriah or the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, The Western Wall or Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. in . Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Pope Tawadros II Defends Western Coptic Orthodox Church; Metropolitan Bishop Serapion 2021 Festal Letter For The Glorious Feast of Nativity; H.G. It was referred to by the angel as the City of David where Christ (the Messiah) was born as predicted by the prophet Micah in the 8th century BC. Aviram Oshri is right that, in Luke’s Gospel, it made no sense for Joseph to take the heavily pregnant Mary all the way from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea, especially as the Romans would never have counted a woman. Bethlehem is within the boundaries of Palestine. It is first mentioned in the Armana letters fourteen centuries BCE. Bethlehem of Judaea, as today’s Scripture teaches, is “little among the thousands of Judah” (a little-known village). Bethlehem University (1973) offers instruction in both Arabic and English. Bethlehem and its suburbs have many churches, convents, schools, and hospitals supported by Christian denominations the world over. Ruth, famous chiefly as the ancestress of David, and of the Messiah, settled in Bethlehem with her second husband Boaz, and it is noticeable that from her new home she could view the mountains of Moab, her native land. According to the Gospels (Matthew 2; Luke 2), Bethlehem was the site of the Nativity of Jesus Christ. During the Jewish return to Palestine after the Babylonian Exile (516 bce and following), the town was repopulated; later a Roman garrison was there during the Second Jewish Revolt led by Bar Kokhba (135 ce). Bethlehem of Judea "Bethlehem of Judea" [so the Greek text of Matthew 2:1, erroneously corrected by St. Jerome to Bethlehem of Juda, thinking that the Evangelist had in his original text conformed to the Old Testament usage (Judges 17:7, 19:1; 1 Samuel 17:12)], is much more celebrated than its northern namesake as the birthplace of David, and above all, of Our Lord. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Muslim rule continued in Bethlehem until its conquest in 1099 by a crusading army, … The hill country was a rough stony land with deep ravines rising 2500 feet to the open … to the S.E., but for many centuries the “low level aqueduct” from “Solomon’s Pools” in the Artas valley, which has here been tunneled through the hill, has been tapped by the inhabitants; there are also many rock-cut cisterns. The position is one of natural strength; it was occupied by a garrison of the Philistines in the days of David (2 Sa 23:14; 1 Ch 11:16) and was fortified by Rehoboam (2 Ch 11:6). Palestine is in Israel, but not actually part of Israel. And a certain man of Bethlehem-judahwent to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. Bethlehem of Judea is a city of 25,000 today. Aviram Oshri, a senior archaeologist with the Israeli Antiquities Authority, supports this claim, but other researchers at the same institution reject it. The site of the Nativity of Jesus was identified by St. Justin Martyr, a 2nd-century Christian apologist, as a manger in “a cave close to the village”; the cave, now under the nave of the Church of the Nativity in the heart of the town, has been continuously venerated by Christians since then. In Bethlehem of Judea Deconstructing the myth of a Palestinian Jesus. 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