ide each other, without any indication of their relation, just as in
addressing a letter, we would simply write Berlin, Prussia. But if we
compare Gen. xxxv. 19, where Ephratah is simply declared to be
identical with Bethlehem ([Hebrew: aprth hva bit lHM]);--and if we
consider that the prophet had already alluded to the contents of that
chapter (compare remarks on iv. 8), and that he regards the events
which formerly happened in the neighbourhood of Bethlehem as a type of
those which were to take place in future;--that in ver. 2 (3) he brings
the new birth which is there to happen in parallelism with one which
had formerly occurred in its nearest neighbourhood, and that it is just
in the account of the latter that the designation occurs,--we shall
have the strongest reason for understanding here also the two names as
a designation of the town, without deciding whether the above-mentioned
difference, as regards other passages, be well founded or not.
Interpreters commonly assert that the sole ground of the twofold
designation of the place is the intention of distinguishing it from
another Bethlehem in the tribe of Zebulun; compare Josh. xix. 15. But
in that case, we should rather have expected the common Bethlehem
Judah, instead of Bethlehem Ephratah. There can be no doubt, that the
prophet, in choosing this designation, was guided by a regard to that
passage in Genesis. One might also suppose that the prophet wished to
allude, at the same time, to the appellative significations of these
nouns, viz., "house of bread," and "field of fruit," and to lay stress
upon their typical import: the place, the blessing of which, as regards
temporal things, is indicated by its name, shall, at some [Pg 482]
future time, be blessed and fruitful in a higher sense. It is just in
Micah, who is fond of making significant allusions to names, that such
a supposition is very natural, as is shown, not only by chap. i., but
also by vii. 18, where he gives an interpretation of his own name. As,
however, the two names elsewhere also occur thus connected, without any
attention being given to their signification, the prophet would not
have omitted giving a hint upon this point. It is not the way of
Scripture to make any allusions which cannot be understood with
certainty. We shall, therefore, be obliged to suppose that, after the
common name, the prophet mentions, in addition, the ancient name
rendered sacred by memory from the time of the Patriarch,