Bethlehem: house of bread

ב = bet

The second letter of the Hebrew alphabet "Bet", means house.

Bethlehem is "house of bread".
Bethel is "house of God".

What does the word "Bethlehem" mean?

Ruth 1:22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth–lehem in the beginning of barley harvest. [kjv]

… ורות … ביתלחם … [he]

και επεστρεψεν νωεμιν και ρουθ η μωαβιτις η νυμφη αυτης επιστρεφουσα εξ αγρου μωαβ αυται δε παρεγενηθησαν εις βαιθλεεμ εν αρχη θερισμου κριθων [lxx]

The name "Bethlehem" means "House of Bread", was one of the near towns whose main industry was producing sacrificial lambs for the passover.

"בית" (beth) ≈ "house".
"להם" (lehem) ≈ "bread".
"ביהלהם" ≈ "Bethlehem".

The fields of "Bethlehem" are where Boaz met Ruth, grandmother of King David.

Who is the "passover lamb" born in the "House of Bread" who "broke the rules" for you and me?

Psalms 114:1 When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language; [kjv]

… בית … לעז [he]

αλληλουια εν εξοδω ισραηλ εξ αιγυπτου οικου ιακωβ εκ λαου βαρβαρου [lxx]

… domus … barbaro [v]

… Haus … fremden Volk, [lu]

The Hebrew word "בית" (beth) ≈ "house".

The Hebrew word "לעז" (lo-ez) ≈ "strange language".

Psalms 114:1

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KJV: When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;

Hebrew: בצאת ישראל ממצרים בית יעקב מעם לעז׃

Greek: αλληλουια εν εξοδω ισραηλ εξ αιγυπτου οικου ιακωβ εκ λαου βαρβαρου

Latin: cum egrederetur Israhel de Aegypto domus Iacob de populo barbaro

Luther: Da Israel aus Ägypten zog, das Haus Jakob aus dem fremden Volk,

The Hebrew word "להם" (lehem) ≈ "bread".

Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. [kjv]

… לחם … [he]

εν ιδρωτι του προσωπου σου φαγη τον αρτον σου εως του αποστρεψαι σε εις την γην εξ ης ελημφθης οτι γη ει και εις γην απελευση [lxx]

… pane … [v]

… breed… [wy]

… brede … [ty]

… Brot … [lu]

… хлеб… [rus]

Genesis 3:19

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KJV: In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Hebrew: בזעת אפיך תאכל לחם עד שובך אל האדמה כי ממנה לקחת כי עפר אתה ואל עפר תשוב׃

Greek: εν ιδρωτι του προσωπου σου φαγη τον αρτον σου εως του αποστρεψαι σε εις την γην εξ ης ελημφθης οτι γη ει και εις γην απελευση

Latin: in sudore vultus tui vesceris pane donec revertaris in terram de qua sumptus es quia pulvis es et in pulverem reverteris

Wycliffe: in swoot of thi cheer thou schalt ete thi breed, til thou turne ayen in to the erthe of which thou art takun; for thou art dust, and thou schalt turne ayen in to dust.

Tyndale: In the swete of thy face shalt thou eate brede vntill thou returne vnto the erth whece thou wast take: for erth thou art ad vnto erth shalt thou returne.

Luther: Im Schweiß deines Angesichts sollst du dein Brot essen, bis daß du wieder zu Erde werdest, davon du genommen bist. Denn du bist Erde und sollst zu Erde werden.

Russian: в поте лица твоего будешь есть хлеб, доколе не возвратишься в землю, из которой ты взят, ибо прах ты и в прах возвратишься.

Ruth 1:22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth–lehem in the beginning of barley harvest. [kjv]

… ורות … ביתלחם … [he]

και επεστρεψεν νωεμιν και ρουθ η μωαβιτις η νυμφη αυτης επιστρεφουσα εξ αγρου μωαβ αυται δε παρεγενηθησαν εις βαιθλεεμ εν αρχη θερισμου κριθων [lxx]

The Hebrew word "ביהלהם" ≈ "Bethlehem".

The literal meaning is "house of bread".

Ruth 1:22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth–lehem in the beginning of barley harvest. [kjv]

… ורות … ביתלחם … [he]

και επεστρεψεν νωεμιν και ρουθ η μωαβιτις η νυμφη αυτης επιστρεφουσα εξ αγρου μωαβ αυται δε παρεγενηθησαν εις βαιθλεεμ εν αρχη θερισμου κριθων [lxx]

The Hebrew word "ורות" (we-rut) ≈ "and Ruth".

Ruth 1:22

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KJV: So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth–lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

Hebrew: ותשב נעמי ורות המואביה כלתה עמה השבה משדי מואב והמה באו בית לחם בתחלת קציר שערים׃

Greek: και επεστρεψεν νωεμιν και ρουθ η μωαβιτις η νυμφη αυτης επιστρεφουσα εξ αγρου μωαβ αυται δε παρεγενηθησαν εις βαιθλεεμ εν αρχη θερισμου κριθων

The Russian language has no "th" sound. For borrowed words from other languages, the sounds "ф", "f" or "т" as "t" are typically used.

So the Russian word for "Bethlehem" is "Вифлеема", pronounced "Bef-le-em-a".

In Hebrew, the name "Bethlehem" means "house of bread".

Who is the "bread of life"?
What does it mean to "break bread"?
What does "bread" symbolize?
What are the rules?

Did Jesus break the rules for you and me? What is the birthplace of David?

Who was Ruth's grandmother?

Who fought the battle of Jericho?

What is the difference?

Joshua
Jesheua
Jesus

Herod had many building projects.

The temple was expanded to handle the large crowds, which, of course, brought in revenue. The moneychangers extracted more money from the people.

Where did all the lambs come from needed for the passover?

[Corbett, fishing industry]

What is the significance of Jesus being born in a town whose main industry was producing sacrificial lambs for the passover?

Some people think that the shepherds on that night were in the fields of Boaz and Ruth.