In the enumeration of the towns of Judah, in Josh. xv., the name of Bethlehem does not appear. This has occasioned some surprise and controversy, especially as the Septuagint version has a clause attached to ver. 59, containing the names of twelve towns, among which we find DppaOci., Cairn Bart/W.4. Jerome affirms that these towns were purposely omitted by the Jews (Comm. Mic. v. I); and Kennicott maintains that the passage in the Septuagint is genuine. The vast weight of evi dence, however, is against it ; and we must regard the clause as an interpolation, however it may have crept in (see Reland, Palast., p. 644).
The story of Ruth forms an interesting episode in Bethlehem's history. It was in the cornfields below the village that Ruth gleaned ; and probably on one of those threshing-floors we still see beside the fields, she slept at the feet of Boaz (Ruth ii. 3, .9;7.) The traveller who may chance to visit the village in the time of barley harvest' (April), will witness (as the writer has done) on those fields many a scene calculated to recall the story of Ruth. The reapers, the gleaners, the threshing-floors, the very salutations, are just what they were 3000 years ago.
Bethlehem was a fit training ground for the future poet, warrior, and king of Israel. Amid the wildness and grandeur of those ravines which break down into the Dead Sea, and amid the un broken solitude of the wilderness, the poet would be naturally led to closer communion with God, to contemplation of his wondrous works in nature and in providence. At night, when watching his flock, all the glory of the starry heavens would be made familiar to him. It was only amid scenes like these that such psalms as the 23d, t9th, 29th, and 42d, could have been composed. Then Beth lehem is a mountain village ; and its inhabitants were thorough mountaineers, accustomed from childhood to vigorous exercise, inured to fatigue, trained to unceasing watchfulness against wild beasts and robbers, and ever prepared bravely to defend both their flocks and their lives. Under such training David learned to use his sling with such effect ; and his mighty men,' the chief of whom were Bethlehemites, learned to wield sword and spear.
About a quarter of a mile north of the gate of the modern village is a well,' which is now pointed out as that for whose waters David longed when in the hold' of Adullam. It is a cistern, as the Hebrew word would seem to indicate. It is situated at the bead of a ravine; and one can easily understand how three active and resolute men could approach stealthily, then burst suddenly through the surprised host, fill a water-skin, and escape (2 Sam. xxiii. 15; I Chron. xi. 17, IS).
Bethlehem was fortified by Rehoboam, perhaps to defend Jerusalem against attack from the'south (2 Chron. xi. 6). It would appear that the names Bethlehem and Ephrath were both applied to the same village in the time of the patriarchs; though the latter was probably more correctly given to the district [see EPHRATH]. Hence Micah calls the
village Bethlehem Ephratah, to distinguish it from Bethlehem of Zehulon. It was also called Beth lehem Judith. Both appellations continued to be used; but at length the latter became general. Hence when Matthew quotes the words of Micah, he changes the name, using Bethlehem, land of Juda,' as that which was best known to those he addressed (Matt. ii. 6; Mic. v. 2).
It was probably on the little plain to the east of the village that the shepherds were watching their flocks by night when the angels announced the birth of Christ. They climbed the hill, and ran to the stable, and there saw the babe ' lying in a manger.' Then followed the visit of the magi, the flight to Egypt, and the massacre. It is a remarkable and significant fact that the scene of the nativity was never honoured, never even incidentally alluded to afterwards by the sacred writers. It was not until sense began to usurp its degrading ascendency over spirit, that holy places' were sought out and fitted up as sanctuaries for a mistaken devotion. It is not till the time of Justin Martyr, 150 years after the nativity, that Bethlehem is again alluded to. He states that Christ was born in a grotto near the village. Over this grotto the Empress Helena erected that Basilica which still stands. Towards the close of the 4th century Jerome took up his abode in a convent adjoining the church. His cell —a grotto hewn in the rock—is still shewn. There he wrote most of his commentaries, and there he prepared one of the very best of our ancient ver sions of Scripture, the Latin VUlgate. In the be ginning of the 11th century, Bethlehem was captured by the crusaders, and Baldwin I. erected it into an episcopal see. The title remained long in the Latin church, but the actual occupancy of the bishopric was short. (Justin., Dial. e. Tryph. 7S ; Euseb., a'. vit. Const. iii. Will. Tyr., Hist. xi. 12.) The present inhabitants of Bethlehem are all Christians ; and though somewhat turbulent, they are industrious, cultivating their fields and vineyards with much care. Many of them are skilful carvers, and prepare beads, crucifixes, models of the holy sepulchre, and other ornaments, for sale to the pil grims and travellers. (Full descriptions of Bethle hem may be seen in the following works :—Robin son's Bib. Res. ; Ritter, Palastina and Syrien ; Stan ley, Syr. and Pal. ; Handbook for Syr. and Pal.) 2. A town of Zebulun (Josh. xix. 15 ; Sept. BatAudv) ; probably the birthplace of the Judge lbzan (Judg. xii. 8 ; Sept. It is simply mentioned by Jerome (Onomast. s. v.) It still exists as a small wretched village, situated about seven miles west of Nazareth, among the wooded hills of Galilee (Robinson, Bib. Res. M. 113; Hand book for S. and P. p. 385).—J. L. P.