The Cities Of David

The book of Ruth provides the documentation of how David was born in Bethlehem.

"^1:1 Now it came to pass in the days when The Judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. ^1:2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.

^1:3 And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. ^1:4 And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. ^1:5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

^1:6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread. ^1:7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah." (Ruth 1:1-7 KJV)

"Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel"

Ruth was a Moabite, however Naomi arranged her marriage to a prominent man of Judah. What mattered was Ruth's righteousness; her being a "foreigner" was obviously irrelevant, just as it was with the Iraqi man named Abraham who also had become a key ancestor of the Israelites - and of Jesus Christ, the Messiah of all of humanity (see Israel's Iraqi Roots and Circumcision).

"^3:1 Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? ^3:2 And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth Barley to night in the threshingfloor. ^3:3 Wash thy self therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. ^3:4 And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.

^3:5 And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do." (Ruth 3:1-5 KJV)

The marriage of Boaz and Ruth established the Bethlehemite phase of the Messianic genealogy.

"^4:13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. ^4:14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. ^4:15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath borne him.

^4:16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. ^4:17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

^4:18 Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, ^4:19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, ^4:20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, ^4:21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, ^4:22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David." (Ruth 4:13-22 KJV)

Fact Finder: (a) Like David before Him, Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, "the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; because he was of the house and lineage of David" (Luke 2:4 KJV). What other city is also called "the city of David"? Will that "city of David" be the place from which Christ will rule, just as David once ruled from there? (b) What will King David be doing after Christ comes to rule the earth?
(a) See The City of David, Israelite Monarchy - The Messiah and Zionism
(b) See David, Future King Of Israel