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Bethlehem Rachels Tomb Their town plan grouped their choir (residential) houses together, surrounding them with kitchen gardens and orchards. While they were there (in Bethlehem) . Jere 22:13 Paul preached in such a room on account of its superior rise and retired position. Although the New Testament does not mention a cave, a second-century source states that Jesus was born in one. It was the shepherds of Bethlehem who would first come to pay homage to the new-born babe in the manger, before the The Magi from the East would do so. 22:8). Since then, it has not only greatly expanded its product range, but grown into a firm that offers consultancy on archaeological background and illustration to groups as diverse as Hollywood movie companies, National Geographic, the ESV Study Bible and the new GLO Bible study computer program. There was no effort to attract attention to this place of retirement.3 The purpose of these dwellings is borne out by the meaning of the Hebrew and Arabic words for "house." Jesus, also called Jesus Christ, Jesus of Galilee, or Jesus of Nazareth, (born c. 6-4 bce, Bethlehemdied c. 30 ce, Jerusalem), religious leader revered in Christianity, one of the world's major religions. After staying with Elisabeth for three months, Mary went home to Nazareth (1:56). Peace and prosperity Schwyz is a rural community where peace and continuity have blossomed into prosperity over many centuries. Subscribe for free and get daily or weekly updates straight to your inbox, The three things you need to know everyday, Highlights from the last week to keep you informed. The famous early Christian historian Justin Martyr wrote in the 2nd century AD that Joseph and Mary stayed in a cave near the village, and the 2nd century Protoevangelium of James says the same (Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho 78. Boaz married Ruth in Bethlehem and she became the great-grandmother of David (Ruth 4.10). 11 West Church Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018 (610) 867-3761. 30 of the world's most valuable treasures that are still missing, Painful 'cross-shaped incision' in medieval woman's skull didn't kill her, but second surgery did, Human brain looks years 'older' after just one night without sleep, small study shows. Bethlehem is located 5 miles south of Jerusalem. Today, a Moravian from the mid-1700s would recognize his or her community and feel at home walking the streets of Bethlehem. O' empty town of Bethlehem: a trickle of visits to the site of Christ's birth thanks to intifadas and ongoing tensions O' empty town of Bethlehem: a trickle of visits to the site of Christ's birth . First Century Israel Map - Bethlehem (Hebrew for house [or place] of bread) was the birthplace of King David (1 Samuel 16:1-4). The only available place for the Son of God to be born was a dirty stable, which had to be shared with animals. neither [have we] inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. Contrast the picture of Edom's desolation, "thorns in the palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses a court for owls" (Isaiah 34:13). When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. A repurposed cave located under a first-century house excavated near Bethlehem. In this way, the archaeological remains at Herodion as with the shepherds fields, household structures and stables attested around Bethlehem provide valuable context and insights that can deeply inform our modern reading of the biblical Nativity stories, profoundly enrich the way we envision the events that surrounded them, and help us to appreciate the physical realities behind the Christmas message of great joy to all people: To you is born in the [village] of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord (Luke 2:1011). Tradition only places Rachels Tomb there as early as the 4th century AD. The first Biblical reference to Bethlehem comes from Genesis 35:19, when Rachel is buried "on the way to Bethlehem." This prophecy is fulfilled at the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, and John 7:42 explains this prophecy as referring to the Christ. James David, his dad was James David and so was my dads grandfather. Stone-built and Mud/Brick-built Houses. He has also written for The Independent (UK), The Canadian Press (CP) and The Associated Press (AP), among others. Small and modest, the house consisted of two rooms and a courtyard with a cistern to collect rainwater. The house served as a place of retirement. In some parts of Israel and Arabia stone is used, and in certain districts caves in the rocks are used as dwellings. In addition to all of this, there is nothing . In no point do Oriental domestic habits differ more from European than in the use of the roof. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, nonetheless. A guest room suggested a larger house. Matthew and Luke also give an account of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, and many pilgrims and scholars have attempted to figure out just where in Bethlehem Jesus was born. All Rights Reserved. The city's economy is largely tourist-driven; international tourism peaks around . 2Ki 4:10,11 The "lattice," through which Ahasiah fell, perhaps belonged to an upper chamber of this kind, 2Ki 1:2 as also the "third loft," from which Eutychus fell. Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem3. Contact CENTURY 21 Ramos Realty to help you with your home buying or selling process. therefore it shall be, [that] what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell [it] to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.2 Chronicles 3:11 - And the wings of the cherubims [were] twenty cubits long: one wing [of the one cherub was] five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing [was likewise] five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub.Exodus 20:17 - Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that [is] thy neighbour's.2 Kings 8:5 - And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. He built on a grand scale. 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. On arriving in Bethlehem, they couldnt find a place to stay. John 6:51 51 I am the living bread which came down out of the heaven [Yeshua's words in purple] CENTURY 21 Ramos Realty is a real estate office located in Bethlehem, PA. William Sumner Appleton, Historic New England's founder, first visited Jackson House as a college freshman in 1893. In response to the urging of contemporaries to restore . The monument and tomb of Herod the Great at Herodion, an artificial mountain and fortified palace built to the southeast of Bethlehem. Historic Bethlehem Partnership, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Joseph, Mary and Jesus Flight into Egypt6. 1Sa 9:25,26; 2Sa 11:2; 16:22; Job 27:18; Pr 21:9; Da 4:29 They were also used as places for devotion and even idolatrous worship. The property is non-smoking and is located 46 km from Kestell Golf Club. Joseph, Mary and Jesus relocate to Nazareth, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. Where on the Temple Mount was Jesus during Hanukkah? Bethlehem - the Manger and the Inn People have asked me where I think Jesus was born. "Ivory houses" had the upper parts of the walls adorned with figures in stucco with gold and ivory (1 Kings 22:39; 2 Chr. First-century houses in that part of the world had two levels. Since it seems to have been an insignificant village at the time, it's doubtful that an inn even existed there then. David lived around a thousand years before Christ birth. From Marbles to Make-Believe: Lets Play. Bethlehem is about six miles south of Jerusalem in Israel. First-century houses in that part of the world had two levels. So all Israel went to their tents.Isaiah 63:7 - I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, [and] the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.Psalms 135:20 - Bless the LORD, O house of Levi: ye that fear the LORD, bless the LORD.1 Kings 12:16 - So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? Ive often wondered if Mary and Joseph returned to Zacharias house as the day for Jesus birth drew near since the last thing Joseph would want to do is put his young virgin wife on a donkey when shes nine months pregnant. It is against this backdrop that Matthew presents Jesus, rather than Herod, as Judeas legitimate king, sent by God through the lineage of David (Matthew 1:117) and born in Bethlehem the Old Testament home of David prophesied to also be the birthplace of the future Davidic messiah (see Micah 5:2; cf. Bethlehem (Hebrew for "house [or place] of bread") was the birthplace of King David ( 1 Samuel 16:1-4 ). Dr. In a letter dated April 4, 1923, he stated that "at the time I knew nothing about old houses but remember liking the place very much in a perfectly ignorant way." . by . The porch of the high priest's palace (Matthew 26:71; puloon, which is translated "gate" in Acts 10:17; Acts 12:14; Acts 14:13; Revelation 21:12) means simply "the gate." Copyright K.R.Dark Dark believes the cave-church is the one mentioned by the Christian pilgrim Egeria, who wrote a detailed account of her visit to the Holy Land in the 380s. Visitors to Bethlehem immediately feel of its profound scriptural significance as they recall the events of the Nativity while viewing the ancient landscape on which they occurred. Photos: 1st-Century House from Jesus' Hometown By Owen Jarus published March 01, 2015 A home built into a rocky hillside in Nazareth, Jesus' hometown, was regarded as the place where Jesus was. If Jesus was really born in a cave in Bethlehem, that cave may have been part of a house or a shelter for the animals. A Harmony of the Life of Jesus - Four gospel accounts in harmony. To provide him with a source of income, it appears that David may have given him part of his own inheritance in Bethlehem to build an inn (mentioned in the early Jewish source,Targum Yerushalmi, Jer. The average home of the common people was a one-room dwelling . This image shows modern-day Nazareth. or first century A.D. may have been where Jesus grew up in Nazareth, Israel, says Ken Dark, associate professor of archaeology at the U.K.'s University of Reading. A 2013 Nebraska Life story noted that this little one-room schoolhouse in the northeast corner of Nebraska, just a few miles off the Missouri River, was one of 7,000 historic schools in the state around the end of World War I. Many of these locations are included in our effort to realize World Heritage Site status. In about 326 AD, Helena, mother of Constantine, had a church erected over the cave. 3:6; Ps. Reference is made to the stone (1 Kings 7:9; Isa. Bethlehem Prophecy Fulfilled It is also possible that Herods deliberate placement of Herodion in such close proximity to Bethlehem was itself an attempt to create an impression of dynastic legitimacy; if scripture and local tradition held that the true king of Israel would one day ascend from Davids hometown, Herods personal monument would forge a strong visual association between him and the Davidic monarch expected to come from that location. Ive long been a fan of your work Mr. Ritmeyer. I Kings 17:8-19)." Because of that structure, Moravians built large choir houses, superb examples of German Colonial style architecture in America. Select Page. The prevailing plan of eastern houses of this class presents, as was the case in ancient Egypt, a front of wall, whose blank and mean appearance is usually relieved only by the door and a few latticed and projecting windows. The political dynamics of this episode can be seen in one final archaeological feature on the Bethlehem landscape the monumental fortress-palace and tomb that Herod constructed near the southeast of the village called Herodion. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this [is] the woman, and this [is] her son, whom Elisha restored to life.Numbers 18:1 - And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood.1 Kings 12:27 - If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, [even] unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.Deuteronomy 22:2 - And if thy brother [be] not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it, and thou shalt restore it to him again.2 Chronicles 3:12 - And [one] wing of the other cherub [was] five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing [was] five cubits [also], joining to the wing of the other cherub.Jeremiah 33:11 - The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD [is] good; for his mercy [endureth] for ever: [and] of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. Yours is one of the best. I came across your work while doing some personal research about the birth of Jesus. Jointly published by the Deseret News and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its content supports the doctrines, principles and practices of the Church. Pompeii. The city of Bethlehem, located about six miles southwest of Jerusalem, is the birthplace of our Savior Jesus Christ. Yet Bethlehem was a small town in the upper mountains of Judea, and no major Roman road is known to have passed through it. Matthew and Luke mention Bethlehem in the birth narratives (Matthew 2:1, 5-6;Luke 2:4, 15). The modern plaza in front of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehems Manger Square. Then, later in the first century, two tombs were built beside it. The Moravians located their crafts, trades, and industries along the waterways and their dwellings on the limestone bluff above. Most people know Herod the Great as the king who ordered the massacre of the Innocents at the time of Jesus' birth. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity. In most homes, the entire family slept in the same room and guests would've joined them if room was available. Sulpicius Severus, Sacred History 2.33. About four decades before Jesus was born, a monarch named Herod the Great was named king of the Jews by the Roman Senate to rule the region of Judea on its behalf. Here are images of the archaeological remains. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Ritmeyer Archaeological Design began in 1983, producing posters and booklets as a response to the demand for educational materials on the subject of Biblical Archaeology. Nowhere . The text never mentions a stable at all, only a manger. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Church_of_the_Nativity_(7703592746).jpg. Bethlehem was founded over 250 years ago in 1741 when a religious group, members of the Moravian Church, purchased land where the Monocacy Creek flows into the Lehigh River. The roofs of the dwelling-houses were flat, and are often alluded to in Scripture (2 Sam. Today, for example, Bethlehem is a densely populated and multicultural urban center filled with Palestinian marketplaces, shops selling local souvenirs to pilgrims, restaurants serving traditional Bedouin cuisine, minarets sounding the Muslim call to prayer, and various Christian holy places commemorating events connected with the birth of Jesus. Read a good many takes on the inn at or near Bethlehem. It appears that during the first century A.D. Nazareth, and its environs, was a conservative Jewish community that rejected Roman culture. The passage into it is so contrived that the court cannot be seen from the street outside. This image shows how it looked in 1916. In 1743, within two years of the settlement of Bethlehem, an apothecary was opened in the Gemeinhaus. The English equivalent is the word "house." Owen has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Toronto and a journalism degree from Ryerson University. From the earliest times the Assyrians and the Canaanites were builders of cities. For this reason the outside walls of the humble house were not inviting. Copyright The shepherds fields, small watchtowers, terraces and natural caves used for grazing sheep and goats along the hill slopes outside of Bethlehem. Together, these features offer a rich cultural experience and create cherished spaces for visitors to join with fellow believers from around the world to celebrate the Christmas message. Choose your favorite bethlehem paintings from 2,662 available designs. Luke writes that there was no place for them in the inn, better translated guestroom, and so the next place of shelter available would have been either another house built in a cave (some houses in this period in Roman Palestine were built in caves) or in a shelter for storage or animals. The most prodigious period in Bethlehem began with the founding in 1741 until the end of the General Economy in the 1760s. by. . Both Gospel accounts state clearly that Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea. (Image in public domain, courtesy Wikimedia Commons.). People have asked me where I think Jesus was born. The Moravians believed that all people, both men and women, should receive the same education; that all people should receive health care; that women should have equal rights with men in the community; and that all people should work together for the good of the community without prejudice regarding race, gender, or ethnicity. Archaeologists working in Nazareth Jesus' hometown in modern-day Israel have identified a house dating to the first century that was . Thank you for your work and your time. During the first 20 years of the settlement, Europeans, African-Americans, and American Indians lived, worked, worshiped, and went to school together. ft. home is a 2 bed, 3.0 bath property. score: 489 , and 5 people voted. Neil Ward, via Wikimedia Commons. If that were the case, it is possible that much of the agricultural produce from around Bethlehem, as well as many of the sheep and goats being raised there, were used to supply the various offerings and sacrifices necessary for the Jerusalem temple, as implied in later rabbinic sources (see m. Shekelim 7:4). The History Surrounding the Church of the Nativity. Bethlehem, meaning "house of bread," was also the renowned City of David. I am intrigued with the idea that God thru David and Chimham prepared a place for our Lords birth so many years before. (Photo copyright Ken Dark. In Matthew 2:1-6 when Herod calls the Jewish leaders together to find out where the messiah was to be born, the Jewish leaders responded that it was in Bethlehem of Judea as the prophecy of Micah 5:2 . for the latest research, analysis and products on Biblical Archaeology. Floor plans of Bethlehem's Single Brethren House. All the . Research reveals that people in the Middle Ages believed that Jesus grew up in this home. this is wonderful to peruse upon. OTHER MEANINGS LITERATURE I. Cave Dwellings. When there is no second floor, but more than one court, the women's apartments --hareems, harem or haram -- are usually in the second court; otherwise they form a separate building within the general enclosure, or are above on the first floor. The verse, and so it was that WHILE THEY WERE THERE (they had already arrived) THE DAYS WERE ACCOMPLISHED (past tense and plural) THAT SHE SHOULD BE DELIVERED. Sounds to me like they were already down in the neighborhood and simply needed to get to Bethlehem to fulfill the prophesies of the location of His birth. It would be another 2.5 months or so before she and Joseph went with Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem (Luke 2:4,5). They then for the first time inhabited cities (Gen. 47:3; Ex. My understanding is that there were two places bearing the name of Bethlehem, but only one in Judea, the other being 90 miles away and not in Judea. In the first century, Romans ruled the Mediterranean area known as Palestine (modern day Israel), where Jesus was born and lived his life. Lu 22:12; Ac 1:13; 9:37; 20:8 The windows of the upper rooms often project one or two feet, and form a kiosk or latticed chamber. All rights People in ancient Israel used two types of housing: tents for nomadic or semi-nomadic herders who travelled with their flocks houses, either large or small, in villages or cities. Barns play an important part in the rural landscape and Pennsylvania has many fine examples of many types. There is only one city mentioned by the description and that is Hebron, see Joshua 21:11. 11:2; 16:22; Dan. Bethlehem is first mentioned in the Bible as the town nearest to where Jacob's wife Rachel died and was buried ( Genesis 35:19; 48:7 ); at that time, it was a Canaanite settlement. Animals were placed behind this wall and fodder was put in wooden boxes or baskets and placed in the windows. In the Old Testament period, it began to develop as a modest settlement along a crescent-shaped ridge on the border of the Judean hill country to the west and the Judean desert to the east. this old house cast 2020; vintage cadillac parts catalog; el 03 cjng; cleebourg pet drinking fountain troubleshooting; dib chidiac wedding. All rights reserved. I will be referencing your article in a footnote. A family origin for him in the village of Bethlehem in the Roman province of Judaea only makes sense. There are usually no special bed-rooms in eastern houses. Adoration of the Magi in Bethlehem5. but our love and prayers are with you and your sis wife. The Israelite captains placed Jehu upon their garments on the top of the stairs, as the most public place, and from them proclaimed "Jehu is king" (2 Kings 9:13). The earliest permanent habitations of the prehistoric inhabitants of Israel were the natural caves which abound throughout the country. The Incredible Bible - First in the BKA Series. As the people increased and grouped themselves into communities, these abodes were supplemented by systems of artificial caves which, in some cases, developed into extensive burrowings of many adjoining compartments, having in each system several entrances. The Western road led northwest to Joppa and also southwest to Bethlehem and Hebron. She obviously had a place to stay as she had done for three months with Elizabeth, and the two of them are obviously interested and vested in the safe delivery of both of their children. It was probably in this part of the stable that Mary and Joseph were allowed to stay and where Jesus was born. The Moravian Museum of Bethlehem introduces guests to the earliest history of the Bethlehem community. The average home of the common people was a one-room dwelling . Four photographs of surviving buildings in Bethlehem; 5. Historical map of Ancient Jerusalem. 2.2 also prophecies that the ruler of Israel would come from Bethlehem-Ephratah which was in the Biblical tribe of Judah. Bethlehem was also for many years home to Jerome, who translated the Latin Vulgate while living there in a cave near the traditional birthplace of Jesus. The latter include Catholic and Greek Orthodox chapels recalling the shepherds field of Luke 2; the Milk Grotto marking a site where, according to local tradition, Mary nursed Jesus on the flight to Egypt; and, most prominently, Manger Square a Byzantine-era church complex built over a cave long thought to be the location where Jesus came into the world. The text never mentions a stable at all, only a manger. All bethlehem paintings ship within 48 hours and include a 30-day money-back guarantee. In addition to these historical insights, the natural topography in this region and archaeological surveys conducted near Bethlehem provide glimpses into the first-century landscape of the surrounding countryside, including natural grottos for sheltering animals; low stone fences to delineate grazing spaces; watchtowers made from stacked fieldstones to offer security; and small immersion pools (miqvaot) cut into the bedrock, which allowed agricultural workers to maintain the biblical standards of ritual purity required to handle produce or animals that would be sent to the temple. Modern Bethlehem is home to the largest Palestinian Christian community and one of the oldest Christian communities, although it has shrunk substantially in recent years because of emigration. They were used, not only as places of recreation in the evening, but also sometimes as sleeping-places at night (1 Sam. The excavation revealed a first-century "courtyard house" that was partially hewn from naturally occurring rock and partially constructed with rock-built walls. Historical records, archaeological discoveries and the natural geography of the region can greatly increase understanding of the first Christmas, Creative Commons License. NASA warns of 3 skyscraper-sized asteroids headed toward Earth this week. 1. Matthew further records that this was exactly what God had foretold. On another point, the regular populace were not as rigid as the Pharisees and were not as scrupulous about not traveling through Samaria (it wasnt an issue for Jesus and his disciples). Mud-brick buildings (Job 4:19) of similar plan occur, and to protect this friable material from the weather, the walls were sometimes covered with a casing of stone slabs, as at Lachish. Among these locations, the site most associated with the beginnings of the New Testament story is Bethlehem the setting of Jesus birth as described in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Massacre of the Innocents in Bethlehem7. New Testament Overview - General survey of the New Testament. Carved into the upper part of the wall on the left is a row of small niches for holding oil lamps, and carved into the cave wall on the right is a row of feeding or watering troughs for animals. According to the Gospels (Matthew 2; Luke 2), Bethlehem was the site of the Nativity of Jesus Christ. Thanks for your responses. Its flat surface is made useful for various household purposes, as drying corn, hanging up linen, and preparing figs and raisins. Asaf T., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. The Church News is an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Generally speaking, this rude type of building prevailed, although, in some of the larger buildings, square dressed and jointed stones were used. . Roman Empire Map - Houses in ancient Nazareth were made with a rough stone foundation and mud-bricks made on site. 117 AD), and thus, within 100 years of the birth of Jesus. The shepherds are to go to nearby Bethlehem and search the houses until they find a newborn baby laying in a . Be blessed. (4) The stairs. Together, these features would have formed the physical backdrop for Lukes description of the shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night when the angel proclaimed to them the good news of the Messiahs birth in the village (see Luke 2:811). This latter feature was almost certainly what Luke envisioned when he described the shepherds seeing the baby Jesus wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger (Luke 2:12). One was discovered by the nuns in the 1880s and people in the Middle Ages believed that it was the home where Jesus grew up. The commoners house contained only one room for the whole family. Death of Herod (4 BCE) (Matthew doesnt mention his place of death, but historically Herod died at his winter palace in Jericho)8. Though a house might have been drab on the outside, inside it was cool, comfortable and pleasant. But Combs School, many Nebraskans believe, might have been the first. King David was born in Bethlehem and anointed king there by Samuel the Prophet. A map of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and other Moravian settlements in the mid-Atlantic region; 2. The first Biblical reference to Bethlehem comes from Genesis 35:19, when Rachel is buried on the way to Bethlehem. There is some debate as to which Bethlehem is connected to the story of Rachel, since the Bible mentions a few different locations over hundreds of years. Lot dwelt with his two daughters in cave (Gen 19:30). Archaeologists found that Nazareth, and the sites near it, had more locally made pottery as well as limestone vessels allowed under Jewish purity laws. Yeshua the Living Bread was born in the House of Bread. Through the generosity of David to Barzilai and his son Chimham, a birthplace for Jesus was prepared. There is however, many records of people being forced to be counted in their parents home if they are not the head of their own house. An unwalled village about five miles south of Jerusalem with little more than a hundred persons during the Herodian period, it was, nevertheless, the prophesied place of the Messiah's birth ( Micah 5:2-4 ). A First-Century House Matthew 2 Winter in Bethlehem View of the Valley of Jezreel Matthew 3 The Wilderness of Judea, West of the Jordan River The Wilderness John the Baptizer's Clothing and Appearance Locusts Wild Honey Garments Worn by a Pharisee in Jesus' Day Horned Viper Sandals Winnowing Grain Threshing Tools The Jordan River Matthew 4 There are many references to the use of caves as dwellings in the Old Testament. It's so fertile because Bethlehem sits on an enormous aquifer, which eventually. Originally located east of the Patriarchal highway running north-south through Judah, it was a fertile area.