¶ And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.

 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.

 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she ^adied) that she called his name ^bBen^•-oni: but his father called him ^cBenjamin^•.

 And ^aRachel^• died, and was buried in the way to ^bEphrath^•, which is Beth-lehem.

 And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day.

 ¶ So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?

 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 ^aJesse the ^bBeth-lehemite^•: for I have provided me a ^cking^• among his sons.

 And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.

 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt ^aanoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.

 And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?

 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: ^asanctify^• yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

 ¶ And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on ^aEliab^•, and said, Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.

 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD ^aseeth^• not as ^bman^• seeth; for man looketh on the outward ^cappearance^•, but the ^dLORD looketh on the ^eheart.

 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.

 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a ^abeautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and ^aanointed^• him in the midst of his brethren: and the ^bSpirit of the LORD came upon ^cDavid^• from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

 NOW when Jesus was ^aborn in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

 Saying, ^aWhere^• is he that is born ^bKing^• of the Jews? for we have seen his ^cstar^• in the east, and are come to ^dworship him.

 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he ^ademanded^• of them ^bwhere^• Christ should be born.

 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

 And thou ^aBethlehem, in the land of ^bJuda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a ^cGovernor^•, that shall ^drule^• my people Israel.

 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

 ¶ And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and ^afrankincense^•, and myrrh.

 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called ^aBethlehem^•; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

 To be taxed with Mary his ^aespoused^• wife, being great with child.

 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

 And she brought forth her ^afirstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the ^binn^•.

 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the ^aglory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you ^agood tidings of great ^bjoy, which shall be to all people.

 For unto you is ^aborn this day in the city of David a ^bSaviour, which is Christ the ^cLord.

 And this shall be a ^asign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

 ^aGlory^• to God in the highest, and on earth ^bpeace, good will toward men.

 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

 And they came with ^ahaste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.