September 11, the true date of Jesus Christs birth?
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Has anyone ever researched if there are records of when Herod ordered the slaughter of the boys 0-2years old in Bethlehem, in his attempt to kill Jesus? I've never heard of any research into that despite having grown up in the church. Based on when the Magi saw the star and began their journey I believe was Herods reasoning for killing those under 2 years old. I would agree too that historically, would the shepherds have been in the fields in December? I don't know, I would guess Israel is warmer than the northern hemisphere in December. I know we have general dates that place Christ's birth between 2-4 (based on when Herod ruled, and other historical data)
You might enjoy this book:
The Star of Bethlehem: The Star That Astonished the World
My opinion about the shepherds: Israel's land is different than what we usually experience. We think sheep grazing in a large open grassy field. But Israel was rocky and the vegetation was scarce. The time there was grass in the grazing rocky areas was determined by the rain season. The grass was more abundant in the Spring but by winter, the grass in the highlands would be depleted. So the shepherds would bring their herd down to the mainlands. To the fields. What fields? The crop fields. What land owner would allow a bunch of hungry sheep destroying it's crop fields? After the harvest (late Sept, early Oct) to work the land and fertilize it. (I do this every year with my chickens, after I harvest every thing, I open the fence and let the chickens have at it.) We have to be careful not to put our American or European (King James translators) experience into the Biblical Text, it was a different time frame and different culture.
Absolutely! We are rural and do the same with our critters as do all the local farmers. Cultural content is of absolute importance or one won't understand what the biblical authors intent was, and authorial intent is paramount to biblical interpretation.