1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible

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Luke 2:4

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of *David, which is called **Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David,

1 Kings 20:6. --- ** Micheas 5:2.; Matthew 2:6.

The evangelist here mentions the city of David, to remind us how exactly that was fulfilled, which God promised to David, that an everlasting king should be born of him: and the reason why the inspired writer was content to mention the relationship between Joseph and David, omitting that of the Blessed Virgin and the royal prophet, was, because in the law it was commanded that persons of the same family should intermarry; hence it is added in the subsequent verse, with Mary, his espoused wife. (St. Irenaeus, haer. lib. 3:chap. 11.)