Bethlehem

Bethlehem is a city in the West Bank, Palestine, about ten kilometres south of Jerusalem. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate.

Many Christians visit Bethlehem because of the Church of the Nativity, which is believed to be the place where Jesus of Nazareth was born. This makes Bethlehem a special place for Christian pilgrims.

Bethlehem has a long history. It may have been mentioned in letters from ancient Egypt. In the stories of the Israelites, Bethlehem is known as the birthplace of David. Over time, it has been important to many different groups, including the Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Crusaders, Mamluk Sultanate, and the Ottoman Empire.

Today, Bethlehem has people from different backgrounds. While it was once mostly home to Arab Christians, now most people are Arab Muslims. Bethlehem remains a place of great historical and cultural importance.

Etymology

"House of bread"

Bethlehem is known in Arabic as Bayt Laḥm^ⓘ /Bēt laḥm/, which means "house of meat". In Hebrew, it is called Bet Leḥem, meaning "house of bread" or "house of food". The city was also called Βηθλεέμ in Ancient Greek and Bethleem in Latin. In Aramaic, it was known simply as בית לחם, pronounced Beit Lekhem.

"House of the god Lahmu"

Some believe the name Bethlehem comes from an old fertility god named Lahamu. This idea suggests the city’s name once meant "temple of the god Lakhmu". A famous scholar, William F. Albright, supported this view.

"House of war"

There is also a theory that the name might relate to the word for "to fight". However, this idea is considered unlikely.

History

Canaanite period

Old letters called the Amarna correspondence, from around 1400 BCE, mention Bethlehem. In these letters, a leader named Abdi-Heba asked the pharaoh for help to protect a town near Jerusalem called Bit-Lahmi from attacks.

David, pouring out water drawn from the well of Bethlehem in this 1860 woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld, which illustrates 2 Samuel 23:15–17

People called Canaanites lived in Bethlehem long ago. They built a temple on a hill now called the Hill of the Nativity, likely for a god named Laḫmu. By 1200 BC, the area was taken over by the Philistines.

Israelite and Judean period

In 2012, archaeologists found evidence that Bethlehem was a city in the Kingdom of Judah. They found a special clay seal that mentioned Bethlehem.

Adoration of the Shepherds (1622) by the Dutch painter Gerard van Honthorst. According to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

The Bible says Bethlehem was the home of King David and where he was chosen to be king. It was also where the prophet Samuel visited David. The Bible also says Rachel, an important Jewish leader, died and was buried near Bethlehem.

Classical period

The Gospels of Matthew and Luke say that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Some scholars think Jesus may have been born in Nazareth instead.

A 1698 sketch by Cornelis de Bruijn

In 326, a woman named Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, visited Bethlehem and built the Church of the Nativity over a cave thought to be Jesus’ birthplace. The church was damaged and rebuilt several times over the years.

Middle Ages

After Muslim armies took control in 637, the Church of the Nativity was protected. Later, during the time of the Crusaders, different Christian groups controlled the church. After the Crusaders left, Muslim leaders took control again.

A painting of Bethlehem by Vasily Polenov, 1882

Ottoman era

From 1517 to World War I, Bethlehem was ruled by the Ottoman Empire. During this time, the city had both Muslim and Christian leaders. Many people left Bethlehem because of heavy taxes and other difficulties.

Modern era

Bethlehem was part of Mandatory Palestine from 1920 to 1948. After a war in 1948, Jordan took control of the city until 1967, when Israel took over during another war.

In recent years, Bethlehem has faced challenges. Life has been difficult for the people living there, especially for Christian families who have lived in the city for generations.

Geography

Bethlehem is a city in the Judean Mountains. It is about 775 meters (2,543 feet) above sea level, a little higher than nearby Jerusalem. The city is close to many places, such as Gaza City, the Mediterranean Sea, Amman in Jordan, and Tel Aviv in Israel.

Bethlehem has a nice climate with warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. January is the coldest month and August is the warmest. The city gets about 700 millimeters (28 inches) of rain each year, mostly in the winter.

Demographics

Old records show that Christians were most of Bethlehem's people a long time ago. But over time, more Muslims have moved in, and fewer Christians live there. By 2017, Bethlehem had 28,591 people.

Bethlehem has been home to many Christian families for a very long time. But in recent years, fewer Christians live there. By 2016, Christians made up only 16% of the people in Bethlehem. Some reasons for this change include people moving away and having fewer babies compared to Muslim families. Many Christians feel it is easier to live in other countries.

Year	Population
1867	3,000–4,000
1945	8,820
1961	22,453
1997	21,930
2007	25,266
2017	28,591

Economy

Shopping is very popular in Bethlehem, especially during the Christmas season. The city's streets and old markets are full of shops selling Palestinian handicrafts, Middle Eastern spices, jewelry, and sweet treats like baklawa. Olive wood carvings are a favorite souvenir for visitors.

Bethlehem also has factories that make items like paints, plastics, synthetic rubber, medicines, building materials, and food such as pasta and candy. The city is known for its tourism, especially because of the Church of the Nativity, which many Christians visit. Many people come to Bethlehem each year to see this important place and other sights.

Religious significance and commemoration

Birthplace of Jesus

Further information: Church of the Nativity and Nativity of Jesus

The New Testament tells us that Jesus’s parents traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. Early Christian stories say that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

Christmas celebrations

People celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem on different days depending on their church traditions. Many Christians gather in Manger Square outside the Basilica of the Nativity for special services.

Other religious festivals

Bethlehem has festivals that honor saints and prophets. One big celebration is the Feast of Saint George on May 5–6. During this time, people from the city walk together to a nearby town.

Culture

Embroidery

Mother-of-pearl carving

Main article: Mother-of-pearl carving in Bethlehem

The craft of carving mother-of-pearl has been a tradition in Bethlehem since the 1400s. Italian travelers brought it to the town. Many visitors wanted these beautiful items, and this craft gave work to many women. A traveler named Richard Pococke wrote about this when he visited Bethlehem in 1727.

Cultural centers and museums

Bethlehem has the Palestinian Heritage Center, started in 1991. This center works to keep and show Palestinian embroidery, art, and traditions. The International Center of Bethlehem focuses on the town’s culture. It offers classes in languages and guiding, studies about women, and shows of arts and crafts.

The Bethlehem branch of the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music has about 500 students. It teaches children music, trains teachers, supports music research, and studies traditional Palestinian music.

Bethlehem has several museums. The Crib of the Nativity Theatre and Museum has models showing important moments in the life of Jesus. The Badd Giacaman Museum, located in the Old City of Bethlehem, focuses on the history of making olive oil. The Baituna al-Talhami Museum, started in 1972, displays items about Bethlehem’s culture. The International Museum of Nativity was built by UNESCO to show beautiful art. The Palestine Museum of Natural History, located on Bethlehem University campus, is the first museum of its kind in the area.

Local government

Bethlehem is the main city of the Bethlehem Governorate.

Bethlehem had its first elections in 1876. Leaders from different parts of the city chose people to represent each family group. A rule said that if the mayor was Catholic, the deputy had to be from the Greek Orthodox community.

Later, more people were allowed to join the elections, like those from the Syriac Quarter, Bedouins, and Palestinian refugees. This increased the council members to 11. In 1976, women were allowed to vote and join the council.

Different political groups have members on the council. In 2005, Hamas won most of the open seats in the Palestinian municipal elections.

In 2012, Vera Baboun became the first woman to be mayor of Bethlehem.

Mikhail Abu Saadeh – 1876

Khalil Yaqub – 1880

Suleiman Jacir – 1884

Issa Abdullah Marcus – 1888

Yaqub Khalil Elias – 1892

Hanna Mansur – 1895–1915

Salim Issa al-Batarseh – 1916–17

Salah Giries Jaqaman – 1917–1921

Musa Qattan – 1921–1925

Hanna Ibrahim Miladah – 1926–1928

Nicoloa Attalah Shain – 1929–1933

Hanna Issa al-Qawwas – 1936–1946

Issa Basil Bandak – 1946–1951

Elias Bandak – 1951–1953

Afif Salm Batarseh – 1952–53

Elias Bandak – 1953–1957

Ayyub Musallam – 1958–1962

Elias Bandak – 1963–1972

Elias Freij – 1972–1997

Hanna Nasser – 1997–2005

Victor Batarseh 2005–2012

Vera Baboun – 2012–2017

Anton Salman – 2017–2022

Hanna Hanania – 2022–2024

Anton Salman – 2024–2025

Maher Canawati – 2025–present

Education

In 1997, most people in Bethlehem over age 10 could read and write. Many children went to school: 4,015 in primary school, 3,578 in secondary school, and 2,821 in high school. By 2006, there were 135 schools in the area. Some schools were run by the government, some by a group that helps families, and some were private.

Bethlehem has Bethlehem University, which opened in 1973. It is the first university in the West Bank and welcomes students of all backgrounds. The university started when a group of teachers began schools many years earlier.

Transportation

Bethlehem has three bus stations that help people travel to nearby places such as Jerusalem, Beit Jala, Beit Sahour, Hebron, Nahalin, Battir, al-Khader, al-Ubeidiya, and Beit Fajjar. There are also two taxi stations for trips to Beit Sahour, Beit Jala, Jerusalem, Tuqu', and Herodium, along with two car rental services called Murad and 'Orabi.

Because of the West Bank barrier, traveling in and out of Bethlehem can be difficult. The barrier is close to some homes and makes it harder for people to move around. Many roads have checkpoints, and special permits are needed for some travels.