Where is Bethlehem in the Bible?
Bethlehem, also known as Ephrath or Ephrathah, is a city located in the hill country of Judah, approximately 5 miles south of Jerusalem. Bethlehem appears in 41 verses across 14 books of the Bible.
What happened at Bethlehem?
Bethlehem, also known as Ephrath or Ephrathah, is a city located in the hill country of Judah, approximately 5 miles south of Jerusalem. The name Bethlehem means "house of bread," while Ephrath or Ephrathah means "fruitful." Bethlehem is first mentioned in the Bible as the burial place of Rachel, Jacob's wife (Genesis 35:19; 48:7). It was also the hometown of Ibzan, one of the judges of Israel (Judges 12:8, 10). During the period of the judges, a Levite from Bethlehem became a priest for Micah's idolatrous shrine (Judges 17:7-9). Later, a Levite from Bethlehem traveled to Gibeah, where his concubine was mistreated, leading to a war between the Israelites and the Benjamites (Judges 19:1-2, 18). The book of Ruth is set primarily in Bethlehem, where Naomi and her family were from (Ruth 1:1-2, 19, 22). Boaz, who married Ruth, was also from Bethlehem (Ruth 2:4; 4:11). Bethlehem is most famously known as the hometown of King David (1Sa.16.1, 18; 17:12, 15; 20:6, 28). It was in Bethlehem that Samuel anointed David as the future king of Israel (1Sa.16.4). During David's reign, the city was referred to as the "city of David" (Luke 2:4, 11). Several of David's mighty men, including Abishai and Elhanan, were from Bethlehem (2Sa.23.24; 1Ch.11.26; 2Sa.21.19). In the New Testament, Bethlehem is celebrated as the birthplace of Jesus Christ (Matthew 2:1, 5-6, 8, 16; Luke 2:4, 15; Jhn.7.42). The Magi visited Jesus in Bethlehem, and King Herod ordered the massacre of the innocents there in an attempt to kill the newborn king (Matthew 2:16). The prophet Micah foretold that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), and this prophecy is cited in Matthew 2:5-6.
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.
Where does Bethlehem appear in the Bible?
Bethlehem is referenced in 41 verses across 14 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.
- 1 Chronicles 2:51
- 1 Chronicles 2:54
- 1 Chronicles 11:16
- 1 Chronicles 11:17
- 1 Chronicles 11:18
- 1 Samuel 16:4
- 1 Samuel 16:18
- 1 Samuel 17:12
- 1 Samuel 17:15
- 1 Samuel 17:58
- 1 Samuel 20:6
- 1 Samuel 20:28
- 2 Chronicles 11:6
- 2 Samuel 2:32
- 2 Samuel 23:14
- 2 Samuel 23:15
- 2 Samuel 23:16
- Ezra 2:21
- Genesis 35:19
- Judges 12:8
- Judges 12:10
- Judges 17:7
- Judges 17:8
- Judges 17:9
Showing the first 24 of 41.
Open all 41 references in ProtosWhat else appears in these passages?
These turn up in the same passages as Bethlehem.
Common questions
How many times does the Bible mention Bethlehem?
Bethlehem appears in 41 verses across 14 books, most often in Judges, which accounts for 8 of them.
Which books of the Bible mention Bethlehem?
Judges, 1 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, Matthew, 2 Samuel, Ruth, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, and 6 more.
Where can I read every verse about Bethlehem?
This page lists 24 of them. Protos carries all 41, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.
