RE: [asa] The Christmas Story

On Fri, 21 Dec 2007, John Walley wrote:

> <http://www.bethlehemstar.net/assets/spacer.gif>
> Not really. In the Mediterranean mid-East, flocks might be found at pasture
> almost any time of year, weather permitting. The chronology of the Star may
> imply that Jesus was born in September or June. Either is consistent with
> flocks being in the field. In September, the average daytime high in
> Bethlehem is in the mid-80's, Fahrenheit. Lows are in the mid-60's in the
> wee hours of the morning. It is normal to run flocks in these temperatures.
> Of course, June is warmer. Even in the dead of Winter and at 2,550 feet
> elevation, it never freezes in Bethlehem.

It is not true that it never freezes in Bethlehem. Record lows in
Jerusalem are somewhere in the 20s. A few decades ago Bethlehem had six
inches of snow a few days before Christmas, but it was all gone by
Christmas. Although it probably doesn't snow there in an average year,
Jerusalem has been known to have significant snowfalls. What is really
rare is for snow to fall at the lower elevations of Israel. However
several decades ago there was a snowfall at the Sea of Galilee, which was
reported as being the lowest elevation at which snow has ever been
recorded. If you look for references to snow in the Old Testament, you
will find that it was not unknown in the hill country.

Gordon Brown (ASA member)

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Received on Fri Dec 21 11:39:04 2007