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Bethlehem—A Sacred City to Many

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Bethlehem—A Sacred City to Many Bethlehem to lead the Jewish people. Ac- economic frictions between the Christian cording to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus’ minority and the majority Muslim popula- Geography birth in Bethlehem fulfi lled this prophecy. tion have increased. This tension is further In The Joseph and Mary, Jesus’ parents, had re- complicated by the Palestinian-Israeli con- turned to Bethlehem for a tax census be- fl ict and has accelerated Christian emigra- News™ cause the city lies in Judah, Joseph’s tribal tion from the city. home. Undoubtedly, though, no matter how Bethlehem also is a historic location for many Christians leave Bethlehem, others Muslims, who believe Jesus, known as from a variety of religions will continue Neal Lineback ‘Isa in the Qur’an, was one of their many the pilgrimage to this place of enormous and Mandy Lineback Gritzner prophets. religious importance. Christian tradition, perhaps as early as And that is Geography in the News. De- the second century A.D., identifi ed a cave cember 14, 2007. #915. BETHLEHEM—A in Bethlehem as the site of Jesus’ birth. Co-authors are Neal Lineback, Appalachian Around 338 A.D., the Roman emperor Con- State University Professor Emeritus of SACRED CITY TO stantine the Great and his mother, Helena, Geography, and Geographer Mandy Lineback built a church over the grotto. The Church Gritzner. University News Director Jane MANY of the Nativity, as it is known, is a pilgrim- Nicholson serves as technical editor. Christmas is almost here, a day when age desti- Christians throughout the world celebrate nation for Bethlehem, Birth of Christianity the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The city of Christians Bethlehem has special signifi cance in the from around Christmas story, as it is considered the the world birthplace of Jesus according to the Bible, and is per- Tripoli the Christian holy book. But, the city is haps the old- also sacred in Judaism and Islam. est Christian The old Hebrew name for Bethlehem, church in LEBANON bêth lehem, meaning “house of bread,” has the world. survived till the present day. In its Arabic Close to it form, however, bêt lahm, it means “house is another Beirut of meat.” grotto where Bethlehem is a city in Judah located Jerome, a Damascus about six miles (10 km) southwest of Je- Latin Father rusalem on the way to Hebron. The city in the Catho- SYRIA is approximately 2,500 feet (750 m) above lic Church, sea level on a ridge in the central Judean spent 30 GOLAN highlands on the edge of the Judean des- years trans- Mediterranean HEIGHTS ert. Fertile farmlands exist to the west of lating the Sea Bethlehem, while to the east of the city lies Biblical Haifa Tiberias mostly desert. Bethlehem overlooks the scriptures major north-south highway that passes into Latin. through the central Hill Country, connect- Today, ing Jerusalem to Hebron, Beersheba and Bethlehem is Nablus Egypt. Bethlehem’s current population is controlled by Tel Aviv close to 30,000 people. the Palestin- WEST Bethlehem plays a signifi cant role in the ian National BANK JORDAN Old Testament of the Bible (Hebrew Bible), Authority. Jerusalem where it was called Ephrath. In Jewish It is a cen- Bethlehem tradition, Rachel, the matriarch of the Jew- tral hub for GAZA Dead ish people and the favorite wife of Jacob, Palestin- STRIP Hebron Sea Gaza moved to Bethlehem. While there, she died ian cultural during childbirth. The Tomb of Rachel, lo- and tour- cated on the outskirts of the city, is a very ism activi- Beersheba sacred site for both Jews and Muslims. ties. Though ISRAEL ©2007 Also important to Christians and Jews Bethlehem is is the story of David, great-grandson of home to one EGYPT Rachel who was born and lived in Bethle- of the old- 0 50 mi hem. He tended his father’s sheep on the est Christian 0 50 km surrounding hills. It was in Bethlehem that communities Geography in the News12/14/07 R.Huerta Samuel found David and anointed him the in the world, second king of Israel. the city now In the seventh century B.C., although has a Muslim Sources: http://www.ancientsandals.com/overviews/bethlehem.htm; the prophet Micah referred to Bethlehem majority. In http://www.holylandnetwork.com/bethlehem/bethlehem.htm; and as a small, insignifi cant city, he announced recent years, Kinkel, Michael, Bethlehem 2007 A.D., National Geographic, Dec. 2007. that a new king would one day come from political and ©2007 Maps.com.
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