4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David;
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
The city of David - Bethlehem, called the city of David because it was the place of his birth. See the notes at Matthew 2:1.
Because he was of the house - Of the family.
And lineage - The "lineage" denotes that he was descended from David as his father or ancestor. In taking a Jewish census, families were kept distinct; hence, all went to the "place" where their family had resided. Joseph was of the "family" of David, and hence he went up to the city of David. It is not improbable that he might also have had a small paternal estate in Bethlehem that rendered his presence there more desirable.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the (c) city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
(c) Which David was born and brought up in.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee,.... Where he now lived, and worked at the trade of a carpenter; having for some reasons, and by one providence or another, removed hither from his native place:
out of the city of Nazareth; which was in Galilee, where he and Mary lived; and where he had espoused her, and she had conceived of the Holy Ghost:
into Judea; which lay higher than Galilee, and therefore he is said to go up to it:
unto the city of David; not what was built by him, but where he was born and lived; see 1-Samuel 17:12.
which is called Bethlehem: the place where, according to Micah 5:2 the Messiah was to be born, and was born; and which signifies "the house of bread": a very fit place for Christ, the bread which came down from heaven, and gives life to the world, to appear first in. This place was, as a Jewish chronologer says (g), a "parsa" and half, or six miles from Jerusalem; though another of their writers, an historian and traveller (h), says, it was two "parsas", or eight miles; but Justin Martyr (i) says, it was but thirty five furlongs distant from it, which is not five miles; hither Joseph came from Galilee,
because he was of the house and lineage of David; he was of his family, and lineally descended from him, though he was so poor and mean; and this is the reason of his coming to Bethlehem, David's city,
(g) Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 2. fol. 14. 2. (h) R. Benjamin Itin. p. 47. (i) Apolog. 2. p. 75.
Not only does Joseph, who was of the royal line, go to Bethlehem (1-Samuel 16:1), but Mary too--not from choice surely in her condition, but, probably, for personal enrollment, as herself an heiress.
Joseph also went from Galilee. How long he had been living in Galilee is unknown.
To the city called Bethlehem. The city of David, and of David's family.
*More commentary available at chapter level.