Study Desk

If your father misses me at all, then you must say, ‘David earnestly asked from me to run to Bethlehem his city, for the yearly sacrifice is there for all the clan.'

Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked permission from me to go up to Bethlehem.

Then they picked up Asahel and buried him in the grave of his father, which was at Bethlehem. Joab and his men went all that night arriving in Hebron at first light.

Now at that time, David was in the stronghold, and a garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem at that same time.

David said longingly, "Oh that someone would bring me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem that is at the gate."

So three of the mighty warriors broke into the camp of the Philistines, and they drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was at the gate, and they carried it and brought it to David. But he was not willing to drink it, but poured it out to Yahweh.

Among the thirty were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

Salma the father of Bethlehem, and Hareph the father of Beth-Gader.

The sons of Salma: Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Ataroth-Beth-Joab, and half of the Manahathites, the Zorites.

and Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer was the father of Hushah. These were the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem.

And David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

And David had a craving, and he said, "Who could give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!"

Then the three broke through into the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and brought it and came to David. But David would not drink it and poured it out before Yahweh.

Now the mighty warriors of the troops were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

He built Bethlehem, Etah, Tekoa,

the people of Bethlehem, one hundred and twenty-three;

The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred and eighty-eight.

Now when the wall had been built and I had erected the doors and appointed the gatekeepers, singers, and the Levites, I gave command over Jerusalem to my brother Hanani and Hananiah the commander of the citadel. For he was a faithful man and feared God more than many. I said to them, "Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot. While they are standing guard let them shut and fasten the doors. And appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, one at his post and another opposite his house." The city was widespread and large, but the people in it were few and no houses were rebuilt. Then my God put into my heart to assemble the nobles, the prefects, and the people to be enrolled. I found the book of the genealogy of those who first came back, and I found this written upon it: These are the people of the province who came up from captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each one to his city. These came with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: the descendants of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two. The descendants of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two. The descendants of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two. The descendants of Pahath-Moab, of the descendants of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen. The descendants of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. The descendants of Zattu, eight hundred and forty-five. The descendants of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty. The descendants of Binnui, six hundred and forty-eight. The descendants of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight. The descendants of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two. The descendants of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven. The descendants of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-seven. The descendants of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five. The descendants of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. The descendants of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight. The descendants of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-four. The descendants of Hariph, one hundred and twelve. The descendants of Gibeon, ninety-five. The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred and eighty-eight. The men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight. The men of Beth-azmaveth, forty-two. The men of Kiriath-Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three. The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one. The men of Micmash, one hundred and twenty-two. The men of Bethel and Ai, one hundred and twenty-three. The men of the other Nebo, fifty-two. The people of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. The people of Harim, three hundred and twenty. The people of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five. The people of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-one. The people of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty. The priests: The descendants of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three. The descendants of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two. The descendants of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven. The descendants of Harim, one thousand and seventeen. The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua, namely of Kadmiel of the descendants of Hodaviah, seventy-four. The singers: the descendants of Asaph, one hundred and forty-eight. The gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, the descendants of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-eight. The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon, the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagaba, the descendants of Shalmai, the descendants of Hanan, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, the descendants of Reaiah, the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Gazzam, the descendants of Uzza, the descendants of Paseah, the descendants of Besai, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephushesim, the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, the descendants of Bazlith, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha, the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah, the descendants of Neziah, the descendants of Hatipha. The descendants of Solomon's servants: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Perida, the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pochereth-Hazzebaim, the descendants of Amon. All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants were three hundred and ninety-two. These were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they were not able to prove their ancestral houses or their descent, whether they were from Israel: the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, the descendants of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two. And from the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, the descendants of Barzillai (who had taken as a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). These sought their record among those enrolled in the genealogy, but it was not found there, so they were excluded as unclean from the priesthood. So the governor said to them that they could not eat the most holy food until a priest could come with Urim and Thummim. All of the assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, besides their servants and female slaves—these were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven. And the male and female singers were two hundred and forty-five,

And they set out and stayed at the lodging place of Chimham that is near Bethlehem, intending to go to Egypt

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, too small to be among the clans of Judah, from you one will go out for me, to be ruler in Israel; and his origins are from of old, from ancient days.