Expand Favorite. 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. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. 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? They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel." In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. 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. A large proportion of the town’s population is Christian. Bethlehem was also the hometown of Ruth’s father-in-law, Elimelech, and where she met Boaz, her kinsman redeemer. Greek Orthodox priests, Palestinian Pres. According to the New Testament, Joseph and Mary were living in … 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). By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Bethlehem of Judah is on the ridge of the Judean Hills and near the desert, thus a place of emptiness, of humility. 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. 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). Bethlehem of Galilee is a moshav in northern Israel. Ancient period. Updates? But we certainly don’t miss the commercialization of the holidays. Aviram Oshri, a senior archaeologist with the Israeli Antiquities Authority, supports this claim, but other researchers at the same institution reject it. It occupies an outstanding position upon a spur running E. from the watershed with deep valleys to the N.E. It occupies an outstanding position upon a spur running E. from the watershed with deep valleys to the N.E. This Bethlehem is also known in modern times as Beit Lahm, Arabic for "house of meat" or "house of flesh". Why was the town where Jesus will be born named “Bethlehem”? The New Testament identifies Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus. Two thousand years ago, it was a small town of a few hundred to perhaps one thousand residents. Bethlehem, meaning "house of bread," was also the renowned City of David. Bethlehem, Arabic Bayt Laḥm (“House of Meat”), Hebrew Bet Leḥem (“House of Bread”), town in the West Bank, situated in the Judaean Hills 5 miles (8 km) south of Jerusalem. The modern moshav is located at the site of the ancient Israelite settlement known as Bethlehem of Zebulun or Berlehem Zoria. Bethlehem is an agricultural market and trade town that is closely linked to nearby Jerusalem. 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). Bethlehem became part of Jund Filastin following the Muslim conquest in 637. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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. Constantine (circa 330) founded a basilica over the cave-stable which tradition pointed out as the scene of the birth, and his church, unchanged in general structure though enlarged by Justinian and frequently adorned, repaired and damaged, remains today the chief attraction of the town. Bethlehem, a small village in Judea, generally experienced the same historical events as the entire Holy Land, so for a detailed acquaintance, one should turn to the history of Israel. Several initiatives were undertaken in the early 21st century to encourage local economic development through renewed tourism by Western pilgrims. Pope Tawadros II Defends Western Coptic Orthodox Church; Metropolitan Bishop Serapion 2021 Festal Letter For The Glorious Feast of Nativity; H.G. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The surrounding country is fertile, cornfields, fig and olive yards and vineyards abound. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. 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). Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. The celestial event … The poem "Bethlehem of Judea" recited by the Gingerbread Man. 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. Muslim rule continued in Bethlehem until its conquest in 1099 by a crusading army, … Palestine is in Israel, but not actually part of Israel. The town was fortified by Rehoboam, David’s grandson and the first king of Judah after the division of the state between Israel and Judah (II Chronicles 11). It was quite an experience going to Bethlehem. During the time of Jesus the village of Bethlehem was located in the hill country of Judea around 5 miles south of Jerusalem. The hill country was a rough stony land with deep ravines rising 2500 feet to the open … Bethlehem is a collection of very fertile villages that grows almonds and, more importantly, olives for oil. Bethlehem is sacred to all three religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The Bible tells us that Bethlehem Ephratah was the birthplace of King David (1 Samuel 16:1-18). St. Helena (c. 248–c. 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 this story of the destitute widow and the Bethlehem man who later married, protected, and provided for her, we see a picture of Jesus, our kinsman redeemer. This, together with the New Testament, which he had translated from the Greek before going to Palestine, constitutes the Vulgate, the standard Latin translation of the Bible used by the Roman Catholic Church. 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. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Frequent conflicts have arisen over the jurisdiction of various faiths at the sacred site, often incited by outside interests; thus, for example, the theft in 1847 of the silver star marking the exact traditional locus of the Nativity was an ostensible factor in the international crisis over the holy places that ultimately led to the Crimean War (1854–56). And a certain man of Bethlehem-judahwent to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. Download. Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance. The manufacture of religious articles, chiefly of mother-of-pearl, is a traditional industry, as is the carving of olive wood. 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