Mary and Joseph's Residence Before Bethlehem
Mary and Joseph resided in Nazareth of Galilee before Jesus' birth in Bethlehem [4, 8]. This is explicitly stated in Luke's Gospel, which records Joseph going "up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth... into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem" for the census [8]. Nazareth was a city in Galilee, where Joseph worked as a carpenter and where Mary conceived Jesus by the Holy Spirit [8].
Bethlehem, also known as Bethlehem-Judah or Ephrath, was located in the "hill country" of Judah, about six miles southwest of Jerusalem [1, 3, 5]. It held historical significance as the place where Rachel died and was buried, and it was the home of Ruth and King David [1, 3]. The prophet Micah foretold that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem Ephrathah [5].
The move from Nazareth to Bethlehem was not by Mary and Joseph's own accord but was necessitated by a decree from Caesar Augustus for a census, requiring everyone to return to their ancestral towns [7]. As both Joseph and Mary were of the family of David, their ancestral home was Bethlehem [4, 8]. This journey ensured that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, fulfilling prophetic expectations [5, 6].
Some interpretations suggest that the holy family might have moved to Galilee earlier to avoid the jealousy of Herod, who had usurped the throne to which they had a rightful claim [4]. However, the primary biblical account attributes their presence in Bethlehem at the time of Jesus' birth to the census [7, 8].
After Jesus' birth, the family did not immediately return to Nazareth. The Gospel of Matthew describes the visit of the Magi to Bethlehem and Herod's subsequent attempt to kill the child, leading Joseph to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt [5, 6]. They remained in Egypt until Herod's death, after which they returned to the land of Israel. However, fearing Herod's son Archelaus, they withdrew to the region of Galilee and settled in their former city of Nazareth [4].
The distinction between Bethlehem and Nazareth is important for understanding the fulfillment of prophecy. Bethlehem, meaning "house of bread," was a significant location in Judah's history [1, 2, 3]. In contrast, Nazareth was a city in Galilee, a region often viewed with less prestige [4]. The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census ensured that Jesus, though raised in Nazareth, was born in the prophesied city of David [5, 8].
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Bethlehem — (house of bread). + One of the oldest towns in Palestine, already in existence at the time of Jacob's return to the country. Its earliest name was [295]Ephratah, Or Ephrath or EPHRATAH. See (Genesis 35:16,19; 48:7) After the conquest Bethlehem appears under its own name, BETHLEHEM-JUDAH. (Judges 17:7; 1 Samuel 17:12; Ruth 1:1,2) The book of Ruth is a page from the domestic history of Bethlehem. It was the home of Ruth, (Ruth 1:19) and of David. (1 Samuel 17:12) It was fortified by Rehoboam. (2 Chronicles 11:6) It was here that our Lord was born, (Matthew 2”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Beth-lehem — house of bread”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Bethlehem — House of bread. (1.) A city in the "hill country" of Judah. It was originally called Ephrath (Gen. 35:16, 19; 48:7; Ruth 4:11). It was also called Beth-lehem Ephratah (Micah 5:2), Beth-lehem-judah (1 Sam. 17:12), and "the city of David" (Luke 2:4). It is first noticed in Scripture as the place where Rachel died and was buried "by the wayside," directly to the north of the city (Gen. 48:7). The valley to the east was the scene of the story of Ruth the Moabitess. There are the fields in which she gleaned, and the path by which she and Naomi returned to the ”
- Luke (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Luke 1:26: A city of Galilee - As Joseph and Mary were both of the family of David, the patrimonial estate of which lay in Bethlehem, it seems as if the family residence should have been in that city, and not in Nazareth; for we find that, even after the return from the captivity, the several families went to reside in those cities to which they originally belonged. See Neh 11:3. But it is probable that the holy family removed to Galilee for fear of exciting the jealousy of Herod, who had usurped that throne to which they had an indisputable right. See on Luk 2:39 (note). Thus, ”
- Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 2 (introduction): VISIT OF THE MAGI TO JERUSALEM AND BETHLEHEM. (Mat 2:1-12) Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea--so called to distinguish it from another Bethlehem in the tribe of Zebulun, near the Sea of Galilee (Jos 19:15); called also Beth-lehem-judah, as being in that tribe (Jdg 17:7); and Ephrath (Gen 35:16); and combining both, Beth-lehem Ephratah (Mic 5:2). It lay about six miles southwest of Jerusalem. But how came Joseph and Mary to remove thither from Nazareth, the place of their residence? Not of their own accord, and certainly not wi”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 1: Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius, Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus — CHAP. LXXVIII.--HE PROVES THAT THIS PROPHECY HARMONIZES WITH CHRIST ALONE, FROM WHAT IS AFTERWARDS WRITTEN. (part 1): "Now this king Herod, at the time when the Magi came to him from Arabia, and said they knew from a star which appeared in the heavens that a King had been born in your country, and that they had come to worship Him, learned from the elders of your people that it was thus written regarding Bethlehem in the prophet: 'And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art by no means least among the prince”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — CHAP. V.--A STATEMENT OF THE MANNER IN WHICH LUKE'S PROCEDURE IS PROVED TO BE IN HARMONY WITH MATTHEW'S IN THOSE MATTERS CONCERNING THE CONCEPTION AND THE INFANCY OR BOYHOOD OF CHRIST, WHICH ARE OMITT (part 9): us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed 111 strong in spirit, and was in the deserts until the day of his showing unto Israel. And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world ”
- Luke (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Luke 2:4: And Joseph also went up from Galilee,.... Where he now lived, and worked at the trade of a carpenter; having for some reasons, and by one providence or another, removed hither from his native place: out of the city of Nazareth; which was in Galilee, where he and Mary lived; and where he had espoused her, and she had conceived of the Holy Ghost: into Judea; which lay higher than Galilee, and therefore he is said to go up to it: unto the city of David; not what was built by him, but where he was born and lived; see Sa1 17:12. which is called Bethlehem: the place wh”