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NASB | Luke 2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Luke 2:7 and she gave birth to her Son, her firstborn; and she wrapped Him in [swaddling] cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no [private] room for them in the inn. |
Bible Question:
It is saying that Elisabeth lived in a city of Juda; is not this area close to Jerusalem? My question is being. When Joseph and Mary went to be taxed. why did they not return to Elisabeths home? Also being that they both had the city of Behleham as their city of Nativity. They must have had other relatives in that area. Is there scripture that says Jesus would be born in a stable? Was it a fulfilment of a Prophesy? I have just thought about this because of the question now about Elisabeth. And it is being Christmas. KcabmI4 |
Bible Answer: Why did Joseph and Mary not stay with relatives? This is a very good question, though it ultimately it is speculative. First, Elizabeth and Zachariah lived in Judea, but this was a large region and they may not have lived near Bethlehem, at least not close enough to go to when labor began. However, one would assume that Joseph and Mary had other relatives that were in Bethlehem and who after all would refuse a pregnant relative? One reason may be that her pregnancy was under suspicion. Who would buy the story that an Angel visited her and she became with child by the Holy Spirit. Any couple who lived in an observant family in this region at this time may have trouble with relatives. They may have turned them away. This issue may have been resolved after the local shepherds came to town spreading their message which corroborated the story Mary and Joseph would have told. In Matthew, they are located in a home. It is also possible that they visited Bethlehem right before a major festival when they would have been in the area anyway, therefore killing two birds with one stone (visit); going there for the census and festival. This has a lot of credence. There was a local Inn in the area of Bethlehem that would have been full in this case. Mary and Joseph may have assumed they had more time before the birth, but when the birthing came they needed something right away. They found the best place they could. Then, one more option, like the above one, they may have gone to the Inn. These Inns had the humans living above the ground with animals living below. There was not privacy where the humans lived, but if one cleared an animal area out, they could have found some room for birthing in this area. This case again assumes the onset of birth prevented them from reaching relatives that would have allowed them the needed space. That is my limited ideas. MJH |