Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”
Parallel translations
- WEB Hasn’t the Scripture said that the Christ comes of the offspring of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”
- KJV Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
- NKJV Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?”
- NASB Has the Scripture not said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”
- NLT For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
They cite Scripture that the Christ would come from David's offspring and from Bethlehem, David's village. Their objection rests on a genuine prophecy they misapply to Jesus.
Overview
The people correctly recall the biblical prophecy that the Messiah would descend from David and be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Ironically, this is exactly true of Jesus, whose birth in Bethlehem and Davidic lineage the Gospels affirm. Their failure to know the facts of His birth, not a flaw in Scripture, led them to reject Him, showing how ignorance can obscure the very truth that confirms Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Mic 5:2But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.
- Matt 2:5“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
- Jer 23:5Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
- Luke 2:4So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David.
- Luke 2:11Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!
- Matt 1:1This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:
- Isa 11:1Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.
- 1 Sam 16:1Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”
- Ps 132:11The LORD swore an oath to David, a promise He will not revoke: “One of your descendants I will place on your throne.
- Ps 89:4‘I will establish your offspring forever and build up your throne for all generations.’” Selah
- 1 Sam 16:18One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, eloquent and handsome, and the LORD is with him.”
- 1 Sam 16:11–13And Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied, “but he is tending the sheep.” “Send for him,” Samuel replied. “For we will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”
- John 7:27But we know where this man is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where He is from.”
- 1 Sam 17:58“Whose son are you, young man?” asked Saul. “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem,” David replied.
- 1 Sam 16:4So Samuel did what the LORD had said and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?”
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 7:42 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.