Bible Encyclopedias
Manger

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mān´jẽr ( φάτνη , phátnē ): Properly the place in a stall or stable where the food of cattle is placed (in the Old Testament "crib" ( Job 39:9; Proverbs 14:4; Isaiah 1:3 )); thus also, apparently, in the narrative of the nativity in Luke 2:7 , Luke 2:12 , Luke 2:16 . In Septuagint, the Greek word, representing different Hebrew words, has also the extended meaning of "stall" (2 Chronicles 32:28; Habakkuk 3:17 ); thus also in Luke 13:15 , where the Revised Version margin has "manger." Old tradition says that Jesus was born in a cave in the neighborhood of Bethlehem; even so, a place for food for cattle may have been cut in the side of the rock.