Bethlehem (Beth´li-hem; Heb., “house of bread”)

1 A small town five miles south of Jerusalem. Prior to the period of the Israelite monarchy, Bethlehem was the home of the Levite who went to act as priest for a man named Micah in Ephraim (Judg 17:7-13) and of the unfortunate concubine whose murder caused the tragic massacre of the people of Gibeah (Judg 19-20). Bethlehem figures prominently also in the story of Ruth, the great-grandmother of David (Ruth 1; Ruth 2:4; Ruth 4:11). Its greatest importance in the OT, however, is its relation to King David. It was his family home (1Sam 16:1; 1Sam 17:12) and the place where he was anointed as king (1Sam 16:4-13). The great importance of Bethlehem for Christians is that the Gospels record the birth of Jesus as having taken place there, in fulfillment of a prophecy of Micah (Mic 5:2; Matt 2; Luke 2; John 7:42). 2 A small town in the hill country of Zebulun (Josh 19:15), about seven miles northwest of Nazareth (Judg 12:8-10). 3 In 1 Chronicles a personal name, once of a descendant of Caleb (1Chr 2:51, 1Chr 2:54), and once of the son of Ephrathah, a descendant of Hur (1Chr 4:4).