Prophecy (735-710 B.C.)
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come . . . one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. Micah 5:2 (NIV)
Fulfillment
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod . . . Matthew 2:1 (NIV)
Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was? John 7:42
Comment
Micah 5:2 (735 – 710 B.C.) prophecies that the Christ or the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. That is the city of Jesus’ birth is Bethlehem. In ancient times two different cities existed by the name of Bethlehem. One city was located in Galilee and the other was located five miles southeast of Jerusalem. It was called Bethlehem Ephrathah. The prophecy is so exact that it includes the additional description of “Ephrathah” to reveal that the southern city of Bethlehem was where He would be born.