It was predicted in the Old Testament that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Micah 5:2 reads "But you Bethlehem, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel..."
Chapter 2 of the Gospel of Matthew begins with the declaration that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, also called the City of David. Verse 6 references the above Old Testament prediction.
Chapter 2 of the Gospel of Luke explains that Joseph left the city of Nazareth (in Galilee) and traveled to Bethlehem (in Judea), shown on historical maps to be to the south. Verses 6 & 7 further describe that Mary delivered her firstborn Son while there, indicating his birth in Bethlehem. Verse 7 further describes the setting as one with a feeding trough (manger), indicating a barn or area where animals are kept. Later in this gospel, it is said that shepherds traveled to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph there.
Following an order by Caesar Augustus for a census in the Roman world, most people who were not residents of their native towns chose to travel back to their hometowns to register for the forthcoming census. According to the Bible, Joseph, Mary’s husband, also traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem in Judea for this purpose. He was accompanied by Mary. While they were in Bethlehem, Mary went into labor. However, all the hotels had been taken up, and they were forced to put up in a stable for animals. It was in this stable that Jesus was born. After the birth of the baby, Mary wrapped him up in clothes and laid him in a manger.
The angel of the Lord, God, appeared later on to a group of shepherds to tell them the good news of Jesus’s birth. Upon receiving directions to the location of the place of birth, these shepherds traveled to Bethlehem to see for themselves the messiah. When they arrived at the stable and saw Mary, Joseph, and the baby boy, they glorified God.
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