Babe of Bethlehem, The

DESCRIPTION: A nativity hymn, generally following the Lukan story, and beginning: "Ye nations all, on you I call, Come, hear this declaration, And don't refuse the wond'rous news Of Jesus and salvation...."
AUTHOR: William Walker?
EARLIEST DATE: 1835 (Walker's "Southern Harmony")
KEYWORDS: Christmas religious Jesus Bible
FOUND IN: US(SE)
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Brown/Belden/Hudson-FrankCBrownCollectionNCFolklore3 554, "Babe of Bethlehem" (1 fragment)
Botkin-TreasuryOfSouthernFolklore, p. 757, "The Babe of Bethlehem" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT, BABEBETH*
Roud #11878
NOTES [396 words]: The sundry references:
"As was foretold by prophets old, Isaiah, Jeremiah." -- Many prophecies of the Messiah are found in Isaiah (e.g. Isa. 7:14f.; also the "servant" prophecies of Isa. 53, etc.). The only prophecy attributed to Jeremiah that the New Testament quotes about Jesus (as opposed to being quoted BY Jesus), however, is in Matt. 27:9-10 -- and although it is attributed to Jeremiah, it is actually a prophecy of Zechariah (Zechariah 11:13; a few manuscripts of Matthew, bothered by the fact that the gospel appeared to be wrong, either changed the name to Zechariah or omitted the name entirely)! Thus Jeremiah cannot be held to have foretold Jesus.
"To Abraham the promise came, and to his seed for ever" -- Gen. 15:5, 22:17; also Gen. 26:4, Isa. 51:2, etc.
"A light to shine in Isaac's line" -- cf. Gen. 21:12=Rom. 9:7=Heb. 11:18; also Gen. 26:4
"God's blessed word made flesh and blood, assumed the human nature." -- John 1:1f.
"They found no bed to lay his head, but in the ox's manger... But in the hay the stranger lay, with swaddling bands around him" -- Luke 2:7 refers to Jesus being laid in the manger. However, Luke never refers to any animals being there, let alone specifically to ox and ass. Some think the references to these animals -- common in folklore despite the complete lack of biblical warrant -- goes back to Isaiah 1:3.
"On the same night a glorious light to shepherds there appeared, Bright angels came in shining flame, they saw and greatly feared" -- Luke 2:9 describes the shepherds seeing the angel and feeling great fear. But the verse mentions only *one* angel, and what they see is the "glory of the Lord," not a shining flame.
"The angels said: Be not afraid, although we much alarm you, We do appear good news to bear, as now we will inform you." -- Lukw 2:10f. But, again, there is only one angel -- and "although we much alarm you" has no Biblical warrant.
"When this was said, straightway was made a glorious sound from heaven" -- Luke 2:13
"Each flaming tongue an anthem sung" (not associated with the birth of Jesus; see Acts 2:3)
"At Jesus' birth be peace on earth" -- loosely paraphrased from Luke 2:14
"To Bethlehem they quickly came, the glorious news to carry, And in the stall they found them all, Joseph, the Babe, and Mary." -- Luke 2:16
The shepherds then return'd again to their own habitation" -- Luke 2:20 - RBW
Last updated in version 7.2
File: BSoF757

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography