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True or false: Bethlehem is known as the city of Abraham

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Final answer:

The claim that Bethlehem is known as the city of Abraham is false. Bethlehem is famed as the birthplace of Jesus, while Hebron is more closely associated with Abraham. Confusion may arise with traditions that tie Abraham's story to other significant locations like Jerusalem in Christian and Jewish beliefs and Mecca in Islamic tradition.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that Bethlehem is known as the city of Abraham is false. Bethlehem is traditionally known as the birthplace of Jesus Christ and is significant in Christian history. Abraham, the biblical patriarch, is more closely associated with the city of Hebron, where he purchased a cave to bury his wife, Sarah. It is Hebron that is often linked to Abraham's name, not Bethlehem. Additionally, the mention of Abraham in connection to human sacrifice refers to the biblical story of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son Isaac, a story that's foundational in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions but does not have a direct association with the city of Bethlehem.

As for the LibreTexts reference to Christians believing that Bethlehem is where Abraham was instructed to sacrifice his son, this might be a confusion with the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which is traditionally considered the site of that event in Christianity and Judaism. For Muslims, the significant event connected with Abraham is the belief that he rebuilt the Kaaba in Mecca with his son Ishmael. Additionally, Muhammad's Night Journey is believed to have taken place in Jerusalem, not Bethlehem.

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