IBhayibhile ayisixeleli. Kodwa zikhona izinto esixelela zona ezisenokuba zabenza ababuyela eNazarete.

Ingelosi yaxelela uMariya ukuba uza kukhulelwa, azale umntwana. Xa yayimxelela le nto, yena noYosefu babehlala eNazarete, idolophu yakuloYosefu eseGalili. (Luka 1:26-31; 2:4) Ekuhambeni kwexesha babuyela eNazarete, besuka eYiputa. Wakhulela apho ke uYesu, yiloo nto kwakusithiwa ngowaseNazarete. (Mat. 2:19-23) Ngoko xa sithetha ngoYesu, uYosefu noMariya sicinga ngeNazarete.

UMariya wayezalana noElizabhete owayehlala kwaYuda. UElizabhete wayengumfazi kaZekariya umbingeleli, engumama kaYohane umBhaptizi. (Luka 1:5, 9, 13, 36) UMariya waya kubona uElizabhete kwaYuda, wahlala naye iinyanga ezintathu. Emva koko wabuyela eNazarete. (Luka 1:39, 40, 56) Yiloo nto wayewazi umhlaba wakwaYuda.

Ekuhambeni kwexesha uYosefu wasuka eNazarete waya eBhetelehem kuba umthetho wamaRoma wawusithi wonke umntu ‘makabhalise’ kwisixeko sakowabo. IBhetelehem ‘yayisisixeko sikaDavide,’ ikwayindawo ekwakuprofetwe kwathiwa uza kuzalelwa kuyo uMesiya. (Luka 2:3, 4; 1 Sam. 17:15; 20:6; Mika 5:2) Emva kokuba uYesu ezelwe, uYosefu zange afune ukuba umfazi wakhe ahambe indlela ende ebuyela eNazarete nosana. Bahlala eBhetelehem eyayimalunga neekhilomitha eziyi-9 ukusuka eYerusalem. Le nto yayiza kubanceda bakwazi ukusa usana lwabo etempileni ukuze balunikele kuYehova.​—Lev. 12:2, 6-8; Luka 2:22-24.

Ingelosi yayixelele uMariya ukuba unyana wakhe wayeza kunikwa ‘itrone kaDavide’ aze abe “nguKumkani.” Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uYosefu noMariya bacinga ukuba kubalulekile ukuba uYesu azalelwe kwisixeko sikaDavide. (Luka 1:32, 33; 2:11, 17) Inoba babona kububulumko ukuba bahlale apho balinde de uThixo abaxelele into amabayenze.

Asazi ukuba babenexesha elingakanani beseBhetelehem xa kwakufika izazi ngeenkwenkwezi. Into esiyaziyo kukuba zafika behlala endlini, unyana wabo engaselosana olubomvu, ‘engumntwana.’ (Mat. 2:11) Kubonakala ngathi endaweni yokubuyela eNazarete bakhe bahlala ixesha elide eBhetelehem, de yangathi likhaya labo.

UHerode wakhupha umyalelo owawusithi ‘makubulawe onke amakhwenkwe aseBhetelehem aneminyaka emibini nangaphantsi.’ (Mat. 2:16) Ingelosi yayisele imlumkisile uYosefu ngalo myalelo, ngoko uYosefu noMariya babaleka noYesu baya kuhlala eYiputa de uHerode wasweleka. Ekuhambeni kwexesha uYosefu waya nentsapho yakhe eNazarete. Kwakutheni ukuze bangabuyeli eBhetelehem? Kaloku wayesoyika unyana kaHerode owayesisikhohlakali, uArkelawo owayekwaYuda, futhi wayesenza into awayeyixelelwe nguThixo. INazarete yayiyindawo ekhuselekileyo ababeza kukwazi ukumkhulisa kuyo uYesu engumkhonzi kaThixo.​—Mat. 2:19-22; 13:55; Luka 2:39, 52.

Kuyabonakala ukuba uYosefu wasweleka ngaphambi kokuba uYesu avule indlela yokuba abanye abantu baye kuphila ezulwini. Ngoko uza kuvuselwa apha emhlabeni. Abaninzi baza kudibana naye, atsho abaxelele nezinye izizathu zokuba yena noMariya bahlale eBhetelehem emva kokuba uYesu ezelwe.