John 7:42
New International Version
Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?”

New Living Translation
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.”

English Standard Version
Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”

Berean Standard Bible
Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”

Berean Literal Bible
Has not the Scripture said that Christ comes out of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?"

King James Bible
Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?

New King James Version
Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?”

New American Standard Bible
Has the Scripture not said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”

NASB 1995
“Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”

NASB 1977
“Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”

Legacy Standard Bible
Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”

Amplified Bible
Does the Scripture not say that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”

Christian Standard Bible
Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Messiah comes from David’s offspring and from the town of Bethlehem, where David lived? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Messiah comes from David’s offspring and from the town of Bethlehem, where David once lived?”

American Standard Version
Hath not the scripture said that the Christ cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?

Contemporary English Version
The Scriptures say that the Messiah will come from the family of King David. Doesn't this mean that he will be born in David's hometown of Bethlehem?"

English Revised Version
Hath not the scripture said that the Christ cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Doesn't Scripture say that the Messiah will come from the descendants of David and from the village of Bethlehem, where David lived?"

Good News Translation
The scripture says that the Messiah will be a descendant of King David and will be born in Bethlehem, the town where David lived."

International Standard Version
Doesn't the Scripture say that the Messiah is from David's family and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?"

Majority Standard Bible
Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”

NET Bible
Don't the scriptures say that the Christ is a descendant of David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?"

New Heart English Bible
Hasn't the Scripture said that the Christ comes of the offspring of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?"

Webster's Bible Translation
Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh from the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?

Weymouth New Testament
Has not the Scripture declared that the Christ is to come of the family of David and from Bethlehem, David's village?"

World English Bible
Hasn’t the Scripture said that the Christ comes of the offspring of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Did the Writing not say that out of the seed of David, and from Beth-Lehem—the village where David was—the Christ comes?”

Berean Literal Bible
Has not the Scripture said that Christ comes out of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?"

Young's Literal Translation
Did not the Writing say, that out of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem -- the village where David was -- the Christ doth come?'

Smith's Literal Translation
Said not the writing, That of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the town where David was, Christ comes?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Doth not the scripture say: That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem the town where David was?

Catholic Public Domain Version
Does Scripture not say that the Christ comes from the offspring of David and from Bethlehem, the town where David was?”

New American Bible
Does not scripture say that the Messiah will be of David’s family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”

New Revised Standard Version
Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Does not the scripture say that Christ will come from the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the town of David?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“Has not the scripture said that The Messiah is coming from the seed of David and from Bethlehem, the village of David?”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Has not the scripture said that the Christ comes from the posterity of David, and from Bethlehem, the town where David was?

Godbey New Testament
Did not the Scripture say, that Christ comes from the seed of David and from the village of Bethlehem, where David was?

Haweis New Testament
Doth not the scripture say, That the Messiah cometh of the seed of David, and from the town of Bethlehem, whence David originally was?

Mace New Testament
hath not the scripture said, that the Messiah is to rise out of the family of David, and out of Bethlehem, the village where David was born?

Weymouth New Testament
Has not the Scripture declared that the Christ is to come of the family of David and from Bethlehem, David's village?"

Worrell New Testament
Did not the Scriptures say, that the Christ cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?"

Worsley New Testament
Hath not the Scripture said, that Christ cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the town whence David was.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Division Regarding Jesus
41Others declared, “This is the Christ.” But still others asked, “How can the Christ come from Galilee? 42Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” 43So there was division in the crowd because of Jesus.…

Cross References
Micah 5:2
But 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.

Matthew 2:5-6
“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: / ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of My people Israel.’”

Luke 2:4
So 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.

Ruth 4:11
“We are witnesses,” said the elders and all the people at the gate. “May the LORD make the woman entering your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you be prosperous in Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem.

1 Samuel 16:1
Now 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.”

1 Samuel 17:12
Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah who had eight sons. And in the days of Saul, Jesse was old and well along in years.

Matthew 1:1
This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:

Matthew 1:5-6
Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, / and Jesse the father of David the king. Next: David was the father of Solomon by Uriah’s wife,

Luke 1:27
to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.

Luke 1:32
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,

Luke 1:69
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,

Luke 2:11
Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!

Acts 13:23
From the descendants of this man, God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised.

Romans 1:3
regarding His Son, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh,

2 Samuel 7:12-16
And when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. / He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. / I will be his Father, and he will be My son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. ...


Treasury of Scripture

Has not the scripture said, That Christ comes of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?

not.

John 7:27
Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.

Psalm 132:11
The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.

Isaiah 11:1
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

where.

1 Samuel 16:1,4,11-13,18
And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons…

1 Samuel 17:58
And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.

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John 7
1. Jesus reproves the ambition and boldness of his kinsmen;
10. goes up from Galilee to the feast of tabernacles;
14. teaches in the temple.
40. Various opinions of him among the people.
45. The Pharisees are angry that their officers took him not,
50. and chide with Nicodemus for taking his side.














Does not the Scripture say
This phrase underscores the authority and centrality of Scripture in Jewish life and thought. The Greek word for "Scripture" here is "γραφή" (graphē), which refers to the sacred writings of the Old Testament. This rhetorical question implies that the audience is expected to have a deep familiarity with the Scriptures, highlighting the importance of knowing and understanding God's Word. It serves as a reminder that the prophecies and promises contained within the Scriptures are foundational to the identity and mission of the Messiah.

that the Christ
The term "Christ" comes from the Greek "Χριστός" (Christos), meaning "Anointed One," equivalent to the Hebrew "מָשִׁיחַ" (Mashiach). This title signifies the expected deliverer and king, anointed by God to fulfill His purposes. The expectation of the Christ was deeply rooted in Jewish eschatology, and this passage points to the fulfillment of messianic prophecies, emphasizing Jesus' rightful claim to this title.

will come from the line of David
The phrase "line of David" refers to the Davidic lineage, a critical aspect of messianic prophecy. The Greek word "σπέρμα" (sperma) is often used to denote "seed" or "offspring," indicating a direct genealogical connection. This lineage is significant because God promised David that his throne would be established forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16). The expectation that the Messiah would be a descendant of David is a testament to God's faithfulness in keeping His covenant promises.

and from Bethlehem
Bethlehem, known as "Βηθλεέμ" (Bethleem) in Greek, is a small village with profound historical and theological significance. It is the birthplace of King David, and according to Micah 5:2, it is prophesied as the birthplace of the Messiah. This connection to Bethlehem underscores the fulfillment of prophecy and God's sovereign orchestration of history to bring about His redemptive plan.

the village where David lived
This phrase highlights Bethlehem's historical importance as the hometown of David, Israel's greatest king. The Greek word "κώμη" (kōmē) for "village" suggests a humble and unassuming place, yet it is chosen by God for the birth of the Messiah. This choice reflects God's pattern of using the humble and lowly to accomplish His divine purposes, reminding believers of the value of humility and God's ability to work through the ordinary to achieve the extraordinary.

(42) Hath not the scripture said . . .--Comp. the prophecies in Micah 5:1; Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5.

Where David was.--Comp. the history in 1 Samuel 16.

It has often been asked, sometimes in the spirit of objection, sometimes in the spirit of inquiry, how the Apostle, if he really knew the history of our Lord's birth at Bethlehem, could record these questions without a correction. But in these verses he is giving the feelings and opinions of the multitude, and it is a mark of the truthfulness of his narrative that he gives them just as they really occurred. He, remembering the events as they took place, can with perfect historic fitness record the passing thoughts and words, erroneous as they were. A writer of the second century could not possibly have unintentionally made so great a mistake, with the earlier Gospels before him; nor could he have intentionally so thrown himself into the spirit of a Jewish multitude as to invent the question. (Comp. John 7:52, and references in Note there.)

Verses 42, 43. - Hath not the Scripture said, That the Christ cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was? Therefore a division arose in the multitude because of him. De Wette, Baur, Weisse, Keim, and others have tried to prove from this that the evangelist was ignorant of Christ's birth at Bethlehem. "Hilgenfeld candidly owns that this passage assumes the author's knowledge of this very fact" (Godet). It was unknown to the multitude, who were not at that moment aware how this argument would ultimately be pressed by the first preachers of the gospel. John leaves the objection unanswered, because he knew that all his readers, familiar with the synoptic narrative, would answer it for themselves. As respects the well known belief current in John's later years, and confirmed by the ecclesiastical tradition of Hegesippus (Eusebius, 'Hist. Eccl.,' 3:19, 20), that the relatives of Jesus were summoned, as descendants of David, into the Emperor Domitian's presence, it is clear that Jesus was believed to be the humble heir of David's throne and family, so that his readers would see that he fulfilled not only the prophecy of Micah 5:2, but those of Isaiah 11:1 and Jeremiah 23:5, passages which anticipate the Messiah's descent from David. These were minor points in the great tableau of John's Gospel. He who believed with overwhelming conviction that Jesus was the Logos made flesh, the Son of God, and the risen and glorified Lord, bestowing the Spirit of his own wondrous Person upon his Church, would not trouble much about these mistakes of the people concerning the ancillary details of his earthly career which, when he wrote, had become universally known. It was, however, instructive, half a century later, to see how flimsy, unveracious, and worthless the objections were which passed from lip to lip at this crisis in the life of our Lord. A Greek of the time of Hadrian would be surely very unlikely to have represented this condition of the Jerusalem mind. Now, some of those who believed that he was a great Prophet, the predicted Prophet, yet refused to agree with others who hailed him as the Christ. The division or violent party split (σχίσμα) in the crowd on that "last great day of the feast" may have had persons friendly to him on both sides; but on one side at least there were those who were ready to side with Pharisees and "Jews" and lay hands upon him.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Doesn’t
οὐχ (ouch)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

the
(hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Scripture
γραφὴ (graphē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1124: (a) a writing, (b) a passage of scripture; plur: the scriptures. A document, i.e. Holy Writ.

say
εἶπεν (eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

the
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Christ
Χριστός (Christos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547: Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.

will come
ἔρχεται (erchetai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2064: To come, go.

from
ἐκ (ek)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

line
σπέρματος (spermatos)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 4690: From speiro; something sown, i.e. Seed; by implication, offspring; specially, a remnant.

of David
Δαυὶδ (Dauid)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 1138: David, King of Israel. Of Hebrew origin; Dabid, the Israelite king.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

from
ἀπὸ (apo)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

Bethlehem,
Βηθλεὲμ (Bēthleem)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 965: Bethlehem, a town of Judea. Of Hebrew origin; Bethleem, a place in Palestine.

the
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

village
κώμης (kōmēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2968: A village, country town. From keimai; a hamlet.

where
ὅπου (hopou)
Adverb
Strong's 3699: Where, whither, in what place. From hos and pou; what(-ever) where, i.e. At whichever spot.

David
Δαυὶδ (Dauid)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1138: David, King of Israel. Of Hebrew origin; Dabid, the Israelite king.

lived?”
ἦν (ēn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.


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