Jesus was born in Bethlehem because it fulfilled God's prophetic plan and identified Him as the promised Messiah from the lineage of King David. More than 700 years before Jesus' birth, the prophet Micah foretold, "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah... out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel" (Micah 5:2, KJV). Although Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth, a decree from Caesar Augustus required them to travel to Bethlehem for a census, where Jesus was born exactly as the prophecy had foretold (Luke 2:1–7). Bethlehem, whose name means "House of Bread," was also the hometown of King David, making it a fitting birthplace for Jesus, the Son of David and the Bread of Life (John 6:35). By being born in Bethlehem, Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy and demonstrated that God's promises are fulfilled with perfect accuracy according to His timing.