Centuries earlier, a Bible prophecy foretold the place of Jesus’ birth: “You, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, the one too little to get to be among the thousands of Judah, from you there will come out to me the one who is to become ruler in Israel.”b (Micah 5:2) Bethlehem was apparently too small to be listed among the cities of the territory of Judah. Yet, this little village would have a unique honor. The promised Messiah, or Christ, would come from Bethlehem.​—Matthew 2:3-6; John 7:40-42.