בֵּית לֶחֶם
Beth-Lechem, a place in Palestine
Definition
Bethlehem is a significant town in the Judean hills, meaning 'house of bread' or 'house of food.' It is most famously known as the birthplace of King David (1 Samuel 16:1, 4) and, according to prophecy, the Messiah (Micah 5:2). The town appears in two primary contexts: as the setting for the Book of Ruth, where it is a place of provision and redemption (Ruth 1:1-2), and as the location for Jesus' birth in the New Testament (Matthew 2:1). A lesser-known Bethlehem in Zebulun (Joshua 19:15) is distinct from the Judahite town.
Biblical Usage
Bethlehem is used 39 times in the Old Testament, primarily in historical and prophetic books. It is central to the story of Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 1-4), the anointing of David (1 Samuel 16:1-13), and as a landmark in tribal allotments (Joshua 19:15). Prophetic usage highlights its future messianic significance (Micah 5:2). Judges 12:8-10 and 17:7-9 reference it as the hometown of minor judges and a Levite.
Etymology
Derived from the Hebrew words בַּיִת (bayit, H1004), meaning 'house,' and לֶחֶם (lechem, H3899), meaning 'bread' or 'food.' The name likely reflects the region's agricultural fertility, suitable for grain production, thus 'house of bread.'
Semantic Range
Bethlehem is profoundly theologically significant as the prophesied birthplace of the Messiah from the line of David (Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:6). Its name, 'house of bread,' foreshadows Jesus as the 'bread of life' (John 6:35). The town's humble origins, associated with David's shepherd background, highlight God's pattern of choosing the lowly for His redemptive purposes.
In ancient Israel, Bethlehem was a small agricultural town in Judah, known for its fields and grain. Its reputation as David's city gave it lasting prestige. The cultural expectation was that the Messiah would be a royal figure from this town, connecting to Davidic kingship. Its fertility lived up to its name as a place of provision.
Ephrathah (ʼEphrâth, H672) — an ancient name for the Bethlehem region, often used poetically or to specify the clan (Genesis 35:19, Micah 5:2).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →