What does Bethlehem mean?

Bethlehem is a city in southern Palestine.

Bethlehem (Arabic: , meaning "meat basket"; Hebrew: ?, meaning "bakery"; Greek: Βηθλε?μ; Catholic translation Bethlehem) is a city located in Palestine The city in the West Bank is located 10 kilometers south of Jerusalem and has a population of about 30,000. The city is the capital of Bethlehem Province and the center of local culture and tourism.

For Christianity, Bethlehem is the birthplace of Jesus and one of the first places in the world where Christian groups appeared. However, due to immigration, the size of the Christian group in the city has shrunk. According to the Bible, Bethlehem is also the birthplace of David and the place where he was crowned King of Israel. Outside the city is Rachel's tomb, which is of great significance to Judaism.

Extended information

Bethlehem has been ruled by many empires in history. In modern times, Bethlehem has a Muslim majority but still has one of the largest Christian communities in Palestine.

The Bethlehem Metropolitan Area includes 2 adjacent towns: Beit Jala and Beit Sahour, as well as the Aida and Beit Jibrin refugee camps. The mainstay of Bethlehem's economy is tourism, especially during the Christmas season, when the city is home to the Church of the Nativity and becomes a pilgrimage site for Christians. Religious objects were an important industry in Bethlehem, including ornaments made from olive trees and mother-of-pearl, olive wood statues, boxes and crosses.

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