Old Testament messianic prophecies quoted in the New Testament
Micah 5:2 (Micah 5:1 in Hebrew)
### Micah 5:2 (Micah 5:1 in Hebrew)

This verse near the end of [Micah](/wiki/Micah_%28prophet%29 "Micah (prophet)")'s [prophecy](/wiki/Micah_5:2 "2") on the [Babylonian captivity](/wiki/Babylonian_captivity "Babylonian captivity") has been interpreted by Christian apologists, and by [Pharisees](/wiki/Pharisees "Pharisees") mentioned in the [Gospel of John](/wiki/Gospel_of_John "Gospel of John") (), as a prophecy that the Messiah would be born in [Bethlehem](/wiki/Bethlehem "Bethlehem").W. Muss\-Arnolt [Biblical World, Vol. 9, No. 6 (Jun., 1897\) *Requires subscription for full content*](https://www.jstor.org/stable/3140020)

The verse describes the [clan](/wiki/Clan "Clan") of Bethlehem, who was the son of [Caleb](/wiki/Caleb "Caleb")'s second wife, [Ephrathah](/wiki/Ephrathah "Ephrathah"). (1 Chr. [2:18](http://www.biblestudytools.com/cjb/1-chronicles/2-18.html), [2:50–52](https://www.biblestudytools.com/cjb/1-chronicles/2-50.html), [4:4](http://www.biblestudytools.com/cjb/1-chronicles/4-4.html)) Bethlehem Ephrathah is the town and clan from which king David was born, and this passage refers to the future birth of a new Davidic heir.Joseph A. Fitzmyer, *The One who is to Come*, (Eerdmans, 2007\), page 53\.

Although the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke give different accounts of the birth of Jesus, they both place the birth in Bethlehem.Raymond E. Brown, *The Birth of the Messiah*, Anchor Bible (1999\), page 36\. The Gospel of Matthew describes [Herod the Great](/wiki/Herod_the_Great "Herod the Great") as asking the chief priests and scribes of Jerusalem where the Messiah was to be born. They respond by quoting Micah, "In Beit\-Lechem of Y'hudah," they replied, "because the prophet wrote, 'And you, Beit\-Lechem in the land of Y'hudah, are by no means the least among the rulers of Y'hudah; for from you will come a Ruler who will shepherd my people Isra'el. ()

The idea that Bethlehem was to be the birthplace of the Messiah appears in no Jewish source before the 4th century CE.Edwin D. Freed, *The Stories of Jesus' Birth*, (Continuum International, 2004\), page 79\. Jewish tradition appears to have emphasised the idea that the birthplace of the Messiah was not known.Edwin D Freed, *The Stories of Jesus' Birth*, (Continuum International, 2004\), page 79; see 

Some modern scholars consider the birth stories as inventions by the gospel writers, created to glorify Jesus and present his birth as the fulfillment of prophecy.Geza Vermes, *The Nativity: History and Legend*, London, Penguin, 2006, p22\.[E. P. Sanders](/wiki/E._P._Sanders "E. P. Sanders"), *The Historical Figure of Jesus*, Penguin, 1993, p. 85\.


What are some examples of Messianic prophecies that have been misinterpreted?