Present-Day Bethlehem . 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. The church was later divided between the Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Armenian Orthodox faiths. 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. According to the Gospels (Matthew 2; Luke 2), Bethlehem was the site of the Nativity of Jesus Christ. Omissions? This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/place/Bethlehem, Jewish Virtual Library - Bethlehem, West Bank, Bethlehem - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Bethlehem - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Bethlehem is a collection of very fertile villages that grows almonds and, more importantly, olives for oil. Today we journeyed to Bethlehem. Bethlehem and its suburbs have many churches, convents, schools, and hospitals supported by Christian denominations the world over. Muslim rule continued in Bethlehem until its conquest in 1099 by a crusading army, … and S. media ; Most Christians who have answered the call to live and serve in Israel sorely miss our families back home during the Christmas season. 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. 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). Physicist: 'Star of Bethlehem' may have been planetary alignment. 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). The winter months in Bethlehem are from November to March and although it does get cold the Bethlehem winter weather is still warm compared to European winters. This Bethlehem is also known in modern times as Beit Lahm, Arabic for "house of meat" or "house of flesh". “Bethlehem,” ISBE, n.p. 1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? But we certainly don’t miss the commercialization of the holidays. Bethlehem-judah (3 Occurrences) Ruth 1:1 And it came to pass in the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land. 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. Here is a picture of the Judean hill country. “Bethlehem” in Hebrew means the “house” ( bet) of “bread” ( lehem ). 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, meaning "house of bread," was also the renowned City of David. Achetez neuf ou d'occasion 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. In 2016 it had a population of 788. 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? 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). According to the Gospels (Matthew 2; Luke 2), Bethlehem was the site of the Nativity of Jesus Christ. Retrouvez Title: Legends of Judea and Samaria Bethlehem Hebron Jeri et des millions de livres en stock sur Amazon.fr. It occupies an outstanding position upon a spur running E. from the watershed with deep valleys to the N.E. 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. 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. Pop. The manufacture of religious articles, chiefly of mother-of-pearl, is a traditional industry, as is the carving of olive wood. and S. It is just off the main road to Hebron and the S., but upon the highroad to Tekoa and En-gedi. 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. Galilee is an open region, open to the nations, less arid, with vegetation, water…. It is first mentioned in the Armana letters fourteen centuries BCE. 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 University (1973) offers instruction in both Arabic and English. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). But we certainly don’t miss the commercialization of the holidays. Bethlehem is called the city of David in the Old Testament and the City of the Messiah in the New Covenant. “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 . ... 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). Noté /5. It was founded around the XVII-XVI centuries BC in the land of Canaan. 328), mother of the first Christian Roman emperor (Constantine I), had a church built over the cave; later destroyed, it was rebuilt in substantially its present form by Emperor Justinian (reigned 527–565). Tradition still points out the well. Bethlehem became part of Jund Filastin following the Muslim conquest in 637. Download. 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). In the Bible the city is often referred to as Bethlehem Ephrathah, or Bethlehem-Judah. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Bethlehem is not naturally well supplied with water, the nearest spring is 800 yds. 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. The celestial event … Bethlehem of Judah is on the ridge of the Judean Hills and near the desert, thus a place of emptiness, of humility. Bethlehem of Judaea, as today’s Scripture teaches, is “little among the thousands of Judah” (a little-known village). January 1, 2016 ~ aforenceeastsidecatholicorg. During the time of Jesus the village of Bethlehem was located in the hill country of Judea around 5 miles south of Jerusalem. In 1995 Israel ceded control of Bethlehem to the newly established Palestinian Authority in preparation for a two-state solution. Mahmoud Abbas, and worshippers gathered for mass at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, West Bank. Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance. 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. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. According to the New Testament, Joseph and Mary were living in … in . Due to its proximity to Nazareth, one historian believes that it is the Bethlehem where Jesus of Nazareth was born. 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). Bethlehem is sacred to all three religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. 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. Bishop Mina 2021 Canadian Pastoral Letter For The Glorious Feast of Nativity 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). Why was the town where Jesus will be born named “Bethlehem”? By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Aviram Oshri, a senior archaeologist with the Israeli Antiquities Authority, supports this claim, but other researchers at the same institution reject it. 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). Today, approximately 60,000 people live in and around the broader Bethlehem area. 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. Some modern New Testament scholars believe parts of the Gospel accounts to be later accretions and hold that Jesus was born in Nazareth, his childhood home, but normative Christian belief has sanctified Bethlehem as Jesus’ birthplace for almost two millennia. Bethlehem of Judea is a city of 25,000 today. Bethlehem or House of Bread is the born village of Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. ad Paul, lviii.3) it is clear that veneration of this spot as the site of the Nativity must go back before 132 AD. Bethlehem (House of Bread - House of Lahmu) is located about 10 Kilometers (6 miles) southwest of Jerusalem by the hill country of Judea on the way to Hebron. Bethlehem is one of the most ancient cities on Earth. Bethlehem is within the boundaries of Palestine. 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. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. Matthew 2:1 - 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. 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 Church of the Nativity is thus one of the oldest Christian churches extant. John Burger-published on 12/15/20. It occupies an outstanding position upon a spur running E. from the watershed with deep valleys to the N.E. Several initiatives were undertaken in the early 21st century to encourage local economic development through renewed tourism by Western pilgrims. St. Helena (c. 248–c. 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). Palestine is in Israel, but not actually part of Israel. In Bethlehem of Judea Deconstructing the myth of a Palestinian Jesus Most Christians who have answered the call to live and serve in Israel sorely miss our families back home during the Christmas season. (2017) town, 28,248; Bethlehem, Bayt Jālā, and Bayt Sāḥūr conurbation, 54,728. Corrections? Bethlehem of Judea. 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. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. 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. 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). Inasmuch as Hadrian devastated Bethlehem and set up there a sacred grove to Adonis (Jerome, Ep. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. vovan | Shutterstock. In Bethlehem of Judea," they told him, "because this is what was written by the prophet: American Standard Version And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written through the prophet, Contemporary English Version They told him, "He will be born in Bethlehem, just as the prophet wrote, Douay-Rheims Bible But they said to him: In Bethlehem of Juda. During the Crusades, Bethlehem became of great importance and prosperity; it remained in Christian hands after the overthrow of the Latin kingdom, and at the present day it is in material things one of the most prosperous Christian centers in the Holy Land. 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. The surrounding country is fertile, cornfields, fig and olive yards and vineyards abound. The Bible tells us that Bethlehem Ephratah was the birthplace of King David (1 Samuel 16:1-18). 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 . Bethlehem is first mentioned in the Bible in connection with Rachel, who died on the wayside near there (Genesis 35:19). 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). From this town came those famous “sons of Zeruiah,” David’s nephews, whose loyalty and whose ruthless cruelty became at once a protection and a menace to their royal relative: in 2 Sa 2:32 it is mentioned that one of them, Asahel, was buried “in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem.” “Bethlehem,” ISBE, n.p. The town of Bethlehem of Judea, about six miles south of Jerusalem, has always been considered the birthplace of Jesus. Pope Tawadros II Defends Western Coptic Orthodox Church; Metropolitan Bishop Serapion 2021 Festal Letter For The Glorious Feast of Nativity; H.G. An ancient settlement, it is possibly mentioned in the Amarna Letters (14th-century-bce diplomatic documents found at Tell el-Amarna, Egypt), but the reading there is uncertain. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. The whole area is quite hilly. Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. Ancient period. 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." The site had already been sacred to … They are under the Palestinian Authority. Bethlehem of Judea, the Birthplace of Jesus-West from Church of Nativity, Palestine Public Domain. And a certain man of Bethlehem-judahwent to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. 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