Why did Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem?

Answer 1

To pay their taxes.

Answer 2

There was a census, as ordered by caeser. All the men had to go back to their place of origin so as to help the empire count how many people were in each city. Joseph came from Bethlehem.

Answer 3

The reason Mary and Joseph had to go to the town of Bethelem was that a decree, or law, had been made by the king that all the people had to be enrolled. This meant that the king wanted a list of everyone's name. So, everyone had to go to the town of their birth or where their families came from. Both Mary and Joseph were descended from King David who was born in Bethlehem.

Answer 4

"The emperor of Rome…made a law that all the people should be counted. Everyone was told to go back to the home of this ancestors to be registered." (Luke 2:1, 3).
Mary went with Joseph because she was pregnant and wanted to go with her husband. Joseph's ancestors came from Bethlehem

Answer 5

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May I, as a woman who has actually been pregnant, introduce a female perspective? Being heavily pregnant is not like being ill. Heavily pregnant women still function - they can walk, do household chores, look after the family, etc. I confess running and skipping would be out of order, but undertaking a 70 mile journey walking, getting a ride in a cart or even sitting on a donkey for some of the way is not outside the bounds of possibility. Also, the journey probably took many days - I suspect Joseph took Mary's condition into account before he planned the journey (which he and his family were compelled to undertake).

Answer 6

The donkey was the usual mode of transport for the ordinary person back in Bible times. As Mary was heavily pregnant, it would have been impossible for her to walk the distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem, also, it would not have been kind and loving of Joseph to expect her to do so. The answer is, Yes, she would have travelled on a donkey. The reason for this journey was the decree of Caesar Augustus, compelling everyone to register in the town of his origin, this proved providential in its timing, for the prophecy concerning Jesus’ birthplace had to be fulfilled. (Mic 5:2) Accordingly, Joseph took Mary, on the strenuous journey of about 150 km (93 mi) from their home in Nazareth in the N to Bethlehem in the S. Because there was no place for them in the lodging room, the birth of the child took place under most humble conditions, with the newborn babe being laid in a manger. This occurred probably about October 1 of the year 2 B.C.E.—Lu 2:1-7;

Answer 7

They went to take part in a mandatory census ordered by the government. But the real purpose was to fulfill the prophesy that the Messiah would come out of Bethlehem.

Answer 8

Luke 2:1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

Answer 9

To visit relatives?

Biblical reason is because Mary/Joseph (I'm unsure which) had to visit their birthplace/"clan" home, as part of a census. No evidence of this from Roman records. Perhaps it could have been a local/informal one, rather than a pan-empire census. (Caeser can be translated as king. It's related to the German "Kaiser")
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King Herod (the Great) supposed to have died just before particular combination of lunar/solar(?) eclipses. in 4 or 5 BC.

If true it implies the dates are off by a few years, or that it wasn't Herod the Great who ordered the Massacre of the Innocents

He was however succeeded by his three son's all of whom have the name "Herod". Maybe implies "Herod" could have been more a title than a name.

Answer 10

Joseph Go

Answer 11

" And it came to pass in those days, that there went a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.( and this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.And Joseph also went up from Galilee,out of the city of Nazareth,into Judea,unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the house and lineage of David,) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, " Lk 2:1 to 5