Bethlehem

Bethlehem is a settlement named in 52 verses of the Bible. It is most likely identified with Bethlehem (high confidence).

Location

Where scholars place it, most confident first. Confidence is OpenBible.info's score from the sources it surveys; it is not this site's judgment.

Verses

Genesis

• Genesis 35:19
  And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Beth–lehem.So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
• Genesis 48:7
  And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Beth–lehem.Now as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died along the way in the land of Canaan, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).

Judges

• Judges 17:7
  And there was a young man out of Beth–lehem–judah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah.
• Judges 17:8
  And the man departed out of the city from Beth–lehem–judah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.This man left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to settle where he could find a place. And as he traveled, he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.
• Judges 17:9
  And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Beth–lehem–judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.“Where are you from?” Micah asked him. “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” he replied, “and I am on my way to settle wherever I can find a place.”
• Judges 19:1
  And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Beth–lehem–judah.Now in those days, when there was no king in Israel, a Levite who lived in the remote hill country of Ephraim took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.
• Judges 19:2
  And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father’s house to Beth–lehem–judah, and was there four whole months.But she was unfaithful to him and left him to return to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah. After she had been there four months,
• Judges 19:3
  And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father’s house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.her husband got up and went after her to speak kindly to her and bring her back, taking his servant and a pair of donkeys. So the girl brought him into her father’s house, and when her father saw him, he gladly welcomed him.
• Judges 19:18
  And he said unto him, We are passing from Beth–lehem–judah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Beth–lehem–judah, but I am now going to the house of the Lord; and there is no man that receiveth me to house.The Levite replied, “We are traveling from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote hill country of Ephraim, where I am from. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and now I am going to the house of the LORD; but no one has taken me into his home,

Ruth

• Ruth 1:1
  Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth–lehem–judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man from Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the land of Moab.
• Ruth 1:2
  And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth–lehem–judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah, and they entered the land of Moab and settled there.
• Ruth 1:19
  So they two went until they came to Beth–lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth–lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole city was stirred because of them, and the women of the city exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”
• Ruth 1:22
  So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth–lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.So Naomi returned from the land of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. And they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
• Ruth 2:1
  And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a prominent man of noble character from the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.
• Ruth 2:4
  And, behold, Boaz came from Beth–lehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee.Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and said to the harvesters, “The LORD be with you.” “The LORD bless you,” they replied.
• Ruth 4:11
  And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Beth–lehem:“We are witnesses,” said the elders and all the people at the gate. “May the LORD make the woman entering your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you be prosperous in Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem.

1 Samuel

• 1 Samuel 16:1
  And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth–lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”
• 1 Samuel 16:4
  And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Beth–lehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?So Samuel did what the LORD had said and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?”
• 1 Samuel 16:18
  Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth–lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, eloquent and handsome, and the LORD is with him.”
• 1 Samuel 17:12
  Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth–lehem–judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul.Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah who had eight sons in the days of Saul. And Jesse was old and well along in years.
• 1 Samuel 17:15
  But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Beth–lehem.but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.
• 1 Samuel 17:58
  And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Beth–lehemite.“Whose son are you, young man?” asked Saul. “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem,” David replied.
• 1 Samuel 20:6
  If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth–lehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.If your father misses me at all, tell him, ‘David urgently requested my permission to hurry to Bethlehem, his hometown, because there is an annual sacrifice for his whole clan.’
• 1 Samuel 20:28
  And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth–lehem:Jonathan answered, “David urgently requested my permission to go to Bethlehem,

2 Samuel

• 2 Samuel 2:32
  And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth–lehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.Later, they took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.
• 2 Samuel 21:19
  And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaare–oregim, a Beth–lehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.Once again there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.
• 2 Samuel 23:14
  And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth–lehem.At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem.
• 2 Samuel 23:15
  And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth–lehem, which is by the gate!David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”
• 2 Samuel 23:16
  And the 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: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord.So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD,
• 2 Samuel 23:24
  Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth–lehem,Now these were members of the Thirty: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

1 Chronicles

• 1 Chronicles 2:51
  Salma the father of Beth–lehem, Hareph the father of Beth–gader.Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim, Salma the father of Bethlehem, and Hareph the father of Beth-gader.
• 1 Chronicles 2:54
  The sons of Salma; Beth–lehem, and the Netophathites, Ataroth, the house of Joab, and half of the Manahethites, the Zorites.The descendants of Salma:
• 1 Chronicles 4:4
  And Penuel the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These are the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah, the father of Beth–lehem.Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer was the father of Hushah. These were the descendants of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah and the father of Bethlehem.
• 1 Chronicles 11:16
  And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines’ garrison was then at Beth–lehem.At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem.
• 1 Chronicles 11:17
  And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth–lehem, that is at the gate!David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”
• 1 Chronicles 11:18
  And the three 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: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the Lord,So the Three broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD,
• 1 Chronicles 11:26
  Also the valiant men of the armies were, Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth–lehem,Now these were the mighty men: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

2 Chronicles

• 2 Chronicles 11:6
  He built even Beth–lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

Ezra

• Ezra 2:21
  The children of Beth–lehem, an hundred twenty and three.the men of Bethlehem, 123;

Nehemiah

• Nehemiah 7:26
  The men of Beth–lehem and Netophah, an hundred fourscore and eight.the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188;

Jeremiah

• Jeremiah 41:17
  And they departed, and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Beth–lehem, to go to enter into Egypt,And they went and stayed in Geruth Chimham, near Bethlehem, in order to proceed into Egypt

Micah

• Micah 5:2
  But thou, Beth–lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel— One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.

Matthew

• Matthew 2:1
  Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,
• Matthew 2:5
  And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet,“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
• Matthew 2:6
  And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.‘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 be the shepherd of My people Israel.’”
• Matthew 2:8
  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.And sending them to Bethlehem, he said: “Go and search carefully for the Child, and when you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”
• Matthew 2:9
  When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the Child was.
• Matthew 2:16
  Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi.

Luke

• Luke 2:4
  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David.
• Luke 2:11
  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!
• Luke 2:15
  And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

John

• John 7:42
  Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”

Notes

1. Locations from the OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding Data, CC BY 4.0. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
2. Verses are those where at least one of ten English translations names this place, per OpenBible.info.