Bethlehem, in the land of Judah. This quotation is from the (Greek) Septuagint translation of the Old Testament (the version in common use, and which Jesus and his disciples commonly quoted). The (Masoretic) Hebrew says literally: "And you, O Bethlehem Ephrata, who are small among the thousands (townships) of Judah, from you will come out to Me one, who must be ruler in Israel." (Zamenhof's translation) Rulers. That is, towns where the rulers of thousands lived.

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Old Testament