The birth of our Lord took place at the time and place predicted by the prophets ( Genesis 49:10 ; Isaiah 7:14 ; Jeremiah 31:15 ; Micah 5:2 ; Haggai 2:6-9 ; Daniel 9:24 Daniel 9:25 ). Joseph and Mary were providentially led to go up to Bethlehem at this period, and there Christ was born ( Matthew 2:1 Matthew 2:6 ; Luke 2:1 Luke 2:7 ). The exact year or month or day of his birth cannot, however, now be exactly ascertained. We know, however, that it took place in the "fulness of the time" ( Galatians 4:4 ), i.e., at the fittest time in the world's history. Chronologists are now generally agreed that the year 4 before the Christian era was the year of Christ's nativity, and consequently that he was about four years old in the year 1 A.D.

These dictionary topics are from
M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition,
published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.