Bethlehem

Bethlehem is a city in the West Bank, Palestine, located about ten kilometres south of Jerusalem. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate and had a population of 28,591 people in 2017. The city is very important to many people because of its strong connection to tourism, especially during the Christmas season.

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 around the world.

Bethlehem has a long and rich history. It may have been mentioned in ancient letters from ancient Egypt around 1350–1330 BCE. In the stories of the Israelites, Bethlehem is known as the birthplace of David. Later, it became an important city under many different rulers, including the Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Crusaders, Mamluk Sultanate, and the Ottoman Empire.

Today, Bethlehem has a mix of different communities. While it was once mostly home to Arab Christians, the number of Christians has decreased, and now most people are Arab Muslims. Despite challenges, 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. Scholars have found evidence suggesting this spelling from old biblical texts.

"House of the god Lahmu"

Some believe the name Bethlehem comes from an old fertility god named Laḫmu and his sister Lahamu. This idea suggests the city’s name once meant "temple of the god Lakhmu". A famous scholar, William F. Albright, supported this view, noting that the name’s pronunciation stayed mostly the same for thousands of years, even if its meaning changed from "Temple of the God Lakhmu" in ancient times to "House of Bread" in Hebrew and Aramaic, and "House of Meat" in Arabic. Though not everyone agrees, this idea is still discussed in learning about the city’s history.

"House of war"

There is also a theory that the name might relate to the word for "to fight", meaning "house of war" or "house of fighting". However, this idea is considered unlikely.

History

Canaanite period

The earliest mention of Bethlehem comes from old letters called the Amarna correspondence, dating back to around 1400 BCE. In these letters, a leader named Abdi-Heba asked for help from the pharaoh to protect a town near Jerusalem called Bit-Lahmi from enemy 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 known as the Hill of the Nativity, likely honoring 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 discovered 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 tells us Bethlehem was the home of King David and the place where he was chosen to be king. It was also where the prophet Samuel visited David. The Bible also says Rachel, one of the ancient Jewish leaders, died and was buried near Bethlehem.

Classical period

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

A 1698 sketch by Cornelis de Bruijn

In the year 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 the Muslim armies took control of the area in 637, the Church of the Nativity was protected. Later, during the time of the Crusaders, the church was controlled by different Christian groups. 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 due to 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. Israeli settlements and barriers have made life difficult for the people living there, especially for Christian families who have lived in the city for generations.

Geography

Bethlehem is a city found in the Judean Mountains. It sits about 775 meters (2,543 feet) above sea level, a little higher than nearby Jerusalem. The city is close to many other 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. The coldest month is January, while August is the warmest. The city gets about 700 millimeters (28 inches) of rain each year, mostly in the winter months.

Demographics

According to old records, Christians made up most of Bethlehem's people a long time ago. Over time, the number of Christians has gone down, while the number of Muslims has gone up. By 2017, the city had 28,591 people.

Bethlehem has had many Christian families for a very long time. However, in recent years, fewer people who follow Christianity live there. By 2016, Christians made up only 16% of the people in Bethlehem. Some reasons for this change include moving away to other places and having fewer babies compared to Muslim families. Many Christians feel it is easier to live in other countries because of their education and background.

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. Over two million 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. Some writers from long ago talked about a special cave where Jesus might have been born.

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 to do special rituals.

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, when Italian religious travelers brought it to the town. Many visitors to Bethlehem wanted these beautiful items, and this craft gave work to many women. A traveler named Richard Pococke wrote about this industry 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 is another place that focuses on Bethlehem’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 31 models showing important moments in the life of Jesus, and its theater has a short animated show. The Badd Giacaman Museum, located in the Old City of Bethlehem, dates back to the 1700s and 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 in a special setting. 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. Back then, leaders from different parts of the city chose seven people to represent each family group. A special 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, and the voting age was raised from 21 to 25.

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 from Fatah 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, about 84% of people in Bethlehem who were older than 10 could read and write. Many children went to school: 4,015 were in primary school, 3,578 in secondary school, and 2,821 in high school. In 2006, there were 135 schools in the area, some run by the government, some by a group that helps families, and some that 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 began when a group of teachers started 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 affects how people move around. Many roads have checkpoints, and special permits are needed for some travels, especially to certain important places.