The fertile land is probably why the area was first called Bethlehem or Beit Lehem, which means, “house of bread.” In His divine sovereignty, God would later appoint this town as the birthplace of His Son who would declare, “I am the bread of life. A mild climate and plentiful rainfall, ensure that the town’s fields, orchards, and vineyards thrive into consistently bountiful harvests. Bethlehem means house of bread-Bethlehem is located in the hill country right outside of Jerusalem. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.” ( Luke 2:4-5) 7 Things to Know about Bethlehemġ. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. “So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. Since Joseph belonged to the house and line of David, Bethlehem was his designated census hub. Why would the couple have to travel more than 80 miles to be counted? In deference to Jewish customs, Roman law required people who lived in Judea and the surrounding area to return to their ancestral homeland for census registration. Joseph and Mary had to travel from the town of Nazareth to Bethlehem so that they could fulfill their duty ( Luke 2). The biblical account of nativity tells us that Jesus was born during the time the Israelites were called to participate in Caesar Augustus’ census. This census would prove successful in Augustus’s overall plan to collect taxes and transform Rome from a brick and mortar city to a marble empire. His most notable act, the one that left his mark on history, was his census plan. Historians have branded Caesar Augustus as the greatest Roman Emperor of all time. But how did Mary and Joseph find themselves so far from their hometown of Nazareth at a time so close to Mary’s delivery? The explanation begins with Caesar Augustus, the Emperor of Rome, who ruled from 27 BC-14 AD. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke tell us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem ( Matthew 2:1-12 Luke 2:4-20).

Sketchup house in bethlehem jesus