Pictures and text illuminating the biblical site of Bethlehem
The modern city of Bethlehem is located on the West Bank, but what it looks like today might be unrecognizable from how it was described in the Bible.
In honor of the upcoming Christmas holiday, some images of Christian holy sites from yesteryear.
Photos of a replica of an ancient Israelite house from the Houses of Ancient Israel exhibit at the Semitic Museum at Harvard University. Via the Ancient
How did people live in Bible times? What were their houses or tents like? Pictures, reconstructions, links to Bible stories. Archaeology of the Bible lands.
The entry to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is a very small doorway.
Discover the divine beauty of "Bethlehem Star Art," a photorealistic depiction inspired by Micah chapter 5 verse 2 from the King James Bible. This meticulously image showcases the ancient town of Bethlehem, bathed in the ethereal light of a brilliant star, signalling the birth of a future ruler. With an impressive resolution of 3508px by 4960px, this artwork promises unparalleled clarity and detail. Upon purchase, you will bring this celestial moment into your life in numerous ways. Whether you're looking to print unlimited copies for personal use, share this inspirational piece with friends, or opt for professional printing, "Bethlehem Star Art" offers versatile usage to meet your needs. Its potential extends beyond personal adornment; it's a powerful conversation starter, inviting discussions on faith and the journey to salvation. Perfectly sized for framing, this artwork will enhance any space—be it your home, office, or any place where you wish to share your spiritual journey. Beyond personal spaces, "Bethlehem Star Art" is ideally suited for inclusion in flyers, advertisements, newsletters, and more, making it a versatile choice for anyone looking to express their faith creatively and meaningfully. Embrace this unique opportunity to showcase your journey and beliefs, wherever you choose to display it.
The birthplace of Christ in Bethlehem is commonly believed to be the Church of the Nativity. Some say it's the Milk Church across the street.
On this page you will find a list of recipes, ingredients, and other info about food in ancient Israel. COMMON MEALS Two daily meals were usually eaten. Here are an example of common meals eaten: Late Morning Meal: Could include roaster grain, olives, figs or grapes, and bread with garlic, onions, or black radishes. Water or wine were drunk. Evening Meal: A vegetable stew, served in a common pot, that family members would dip their bread into. Sometimes small bowls would be used. Occasionally fresh or dried fruit, or cheese, would be served alongside the soup. Water, wine, or milk was drunk. RECIPE IDEAS Lentil Soup and Barley Flatbread A common daily meal throughout Isreal. Ashishim This was a fried lentil cake...honey-dipped pancakes made from crushed red lentils and sesame seeds. Pressed Dried Fruit While I don't have a "recipe" for this, this seems easy to do, and pressing dried fruit into blocks or clusters might be something you could do with kids as an activity. Raisins were pressed together into clusters and dried, which kept the interior raisins softer. Dates were sun dried and pressed into blocks to dry more, then used throughout the year Meaty Stew Cuts of meat (see meat section) were boiled with garlic and leeks, and flavored with cumin and coriander (it was Babylonian dish thought to be used in Israel too). Stewed meat was considered a dish worthy of serving to honored guests (Judges 6:19-20). Here's some recipes I found that used only ingredients they had at the time. Stewed Lamb with Cumin and Coriander Babylonian Stewed Meat INGREDIENTS Here are some ingredients available in ancient Israel. There may be more ingredients they had access through trade, or which I just haven't found through my sources. I've tried to note which one I know were introduced later, or were only available through trade. Meats Storing meat was difficult, so larger animals were often saved for special occasions. Goat and mutton was often eaten during celebrations, festivals, and sacrificial feasts. Beef was regarded as a delicacy, and served at royal banquets. Dried fish was also eaten by wealthy in inland cities, and fresh and dried fish were eaten by rich and poor living near the sea. Chicken and pigeon were the principal poultry in Roman times (NT). Meat was often cooked in a stew, but also roasted over an open fire (always done for passover lamb). Meat was preserved by smoking, dryng and salting. Many meats were forbidden by the Torah, but the meats below were, to my knowledge, available and allowed. I am not including meats such as pork, that while available, were not allowed to be eaten. Goat Lamb (mutton) Fish (fresh and dried) sea bream grouper meager grey mullet Nile perch (imported dried) Beef/veal (only eaten by wealthy) Deer (red and fallow deer, wild game) Gazelle (wild game) Chicken (domesticated, became common around 2nd century BC) Pigeon (wild and domesticated, but could only be raised in small numbers) Geese (domesticated) Turtledoves (domesticated and available wild April to Oct) Partridges (wild) Quail (wild) Other wild game Some types of locusts Dairy Until the domestication of the chicken (2nd century BC), eggs were considered a delicacy. Milk (goat and sheep's milk) Butter Cheese (mostly from goat and sheep's milk) Eggs (from domesticated chicken, pigeon, turtledoves, ducks, geese, and also wild birds such as quail and partridge) Grains/Flours Bread was eaten with every meal. Porridge was made from ground grain, water, salt, and butter, to which oil and fruits was sometimes added. Click links for more about threshing grain, and bread making. The cooking methods used produced flat loaves of bread that were broken, not cut. Matza (unleavened bread) was eaten at Passover. In Roman times (New Testament era), other cooking methods were introduced that allowed for thicker loaves. The Mishna (Hallah 2:2) mentions one type of bread made with fruit juice substituted for water (which worked to leaven the bread and added sweetness). Fennel and cumin were sometimes added to bread for flavoring, and bread was sometimes dipped in oil or vinegar. Unripe grains were also eaten fresh, or roasted over a fire and eaten. Barley (two-row) Wheat (various types...see below) - Emmer - earliest native wheat domesticated in Canaan, time consuming to de-husk - Einkorn - another early cultivated wheat - Duram - a descendant of emmer that largely replaced it during the Iron age, as it was easier to remove the husks, though it was more difficult to grind (and had to be sifted to obtain fine flour). Primarily used for porridge, though also used for bread. - Common Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum), became popular for making bread after the Greek conquest (so, in New Testament era) Carob (can be ground into flour) Rice (introduced during Persian period sometime after 539 BCE, so was not used before the Isrealites were allowed to return to Jerusalem after exile in Babylon) Lentil/Bean flour - Ezekiel 4:9 mentions a bread made with barley, lentils and bean (presumably ground into flour). Fruits Grapes, dates, and figs were the most commonly used fruits. Apricots (fresh and dried) Carob Dates (from date palm,) Figs (fresh and dried) Grapes and Raisins Mulberry (black mulberry) Pomegranates Apple or Quince (possibly...there's some disagreement about this) Watermelon (sweet, but with yellow-orange flesh) Vegetables/Legumes Legumes (peas and beans) were the main source of protein in ancient isreal. Legumes and other vegetables were usually eaten in stews, which often contained garlic, onion, and leek for flavor. Legumes were also eaten roasted. Broad Beans (fava beans) Carob Capers Chickpeas Chicory (leaf, one of the bitter herbs commonly eaten at Passover) Cucumber Dandelion Greens Endive (one of the bitter herbs commonly eaten at Passover) Fennugreek Garden Rocket (leaves) Garlic Gourds (unsure of type, eaten raw or flavored with vinegar) Leeks Lentils Lettuce, wild (chazeret) Lettuce, head-lettuce (introduced by the Romans, available in NT times) Mallow (Corchorus, young leaves eaten, or made into tea) Onions Olives Peas Radishes (black radish) Saltbush/Orach (leaves) Vetch, bitter Seeds and Nuts Carob Mallow seeds (can be used as a flavoring, but not sure if it was) Sesame Seeds Almonds (eaten primarily by the wealthy) Walnut (very common) Pistacios (eaten primarily by the wealthy) Herbs and Spices Note, there were more herbs and spices used for medicinal purposes, or for perfumes or other uses, but I'm only including spices used for food here. Anise (used to season meats, breads) Bay Leaf (seasoned stews and stewed meat) Chicory (dwarf) Cinnamon (imported) Coriander Leaves (flavoring in soups, stewed meat, pudding and wine) Coriander Seeds (sprinkled on breads, rolls, and fish...possibly crushed first) Cumin (regular and black, used to season unleavened bread) Dill Fennel Fenugreek Garlic Ginger (imported) Hyssop Majoram Mallow seeds (can be used as a flavoring, but not sure if it was) Mint (grows wild in Palestine) Mustard (black) Pepper (imported) Reichardia Salt (sea salt from dead sea, and mined salt) Saffron (imported) Sesame Thyme Oils Olive Oil Sesame Oil Radish seed oil Sweeteners Date Syrup (also called date honey) Carob Grape Honey (syrup left after grape juice is boiled) Honey Other Vinegar Wine Mushrooms (including Boletus edulis ) Sources Wikipedia: Ancient Israelite Cuisine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Israelite_cuisine Cattle in the Ancient World http://womeninthebible.net/bible_daily_life/cattle_ancient_world/ Food in the Bible https://womeninthebible.net/bible-extras/food/ History of Cucumbers http://www.vegetablefacts.net/vegetable-history/history-of-cucumbers/ History of Watermelon https://ipm.missouri.edu/MEG/2020/7/watermelon-DT/ The 5,000-Year Secret History of the Watermelon https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/150821-watermelon-fruit-history-agriculture
Spanning the expanse of centuries, the Bible presents a fascinating unfolding of divine narrative—one in which the Old and New Testament intricately
Who was Mary, the peasant girl from Nazareth who gave birth to a son called Jesus? Who fathered her child? What did she think of Jesus? Did she see him die?
Churcf of the Nativity, Bethlehem, Palestine
The Bible describes Martha's family as prosperous. She hosted Jesus and and those with Him in her home, so she had interior space. People in poverty had one-floor houses or lived in tents. She fed Him the fatted lamb, inferring space for animals. Their weather was (is) seasonal, typically between...
How to visit Bethlehem independently. We take you through how to get from Jerusalem to Bethlehem on your own, what to expect, the scams you’ll face as well as the top things to do on your trip to the birthplace of Jesus.
