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^In Matthew 1.18 Joseph and Mary were engaged but did not yet live together. In Matthew 1.24 Joseph took Mary as his wife, ie they lived together, but had no physical relations. This continued until the child was born. We are told in Matthew 2.1 that it happened in Bethlehem. The writer's presentation doesn't allow the reader to think that there was any change of venue. When the family returned from Egypt they were going back to their home in Judea, but, because of another warning, they didn't stay there but made their "home in a town called Nazareth", Matthew 2.22–23. The view that Bethlehem was the home of Joseph can be seen in Brown, Raymond E.;Achtemeier, Paul J. (1978). Mary in the New Testament. Paulist Press. p. 24. ISBN0809121689, 9780809121687. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link); and in Marsh, Clive;Moyise, Steve (2005). Jesus and the Gospels. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 39. ISBN056704372X, 9780567043726. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Mt.2:23 states specifically that the family moved to the town of Nazareth. This is the first reference to the town. Raymond E. Brown notes that Matthew "had to explain why they [Joseph's family]moved to Nazareth, instead of returning from Egypt to Bethlehem. (Brown, Raymond E. (1988). An Adult Christ at Christmas. Liturgical Press. p. 17. ISBN081460997X, 9780814609972. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help) See also Murphy-O'Connor, Jerome (2008). The Holy Land. Oxford University Press US. p. 230. ISBN0199236666, 9780199236664. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help))
^Collins, John Joseph (1984). Daniel: with an introduction to apocalyptic literature. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. pp. 97–98.