The Nativity Story

THE NATVTY STORY

Two millennia ago, King Herod rules Judea

for Caesar Augustus and the Roman Empire.

Herod has enforced an uneasy peace

on his subjects for thirty-five years,

but the words of the ancients trouble him.

"Behold the days are coming, declapes The Lord,

when I shall raise up for David a pighteous

branch:
And he will reign as King.

In his days Judah shall be saved,

and Israel will dwell securely."

- JEREMIAH 23:
5-6 -

- JERUSALEM -

The prophecy

will end tonight, Father.

The sons of Bethlehem

shall be no more.

A child.

For the lowest of men

to the highest of kings.

Carry out the orders of King Herod!

Not my son!

Pigeons for sacrifice!

For the temple!

For the temple!

- One half shekel for a pigeon!

- Four for sacrifice! Four.

- No blemishes!

- One shekel!

This honor is for you, Zechariah,

and your village.

Zechariah!

Zechariah.

Zechariah.

Your wife will bear you a son.

You will call him John.

M-my wife is too old to bear a child.

And he will be

the prophet of the most high...

for he will make ready

a people prepared for the Lord.

But I am an old man.

You will be struck dumb

and not be able to speak...

because you believest not my words.

God bless you.

God be with you.

Bless you.

Elizabeth.

What's wrong, Zechariah?

He has seen a vision.

A vision from God!

Wait...

Mama!

Stop looking at him.

You'll get us in trouble.

I'm not looking at him.

Yes, you are.

No, I'm not.

Mary.

Ruth is waiting for you.

But I was working.

She pays you to help her.

You can't be late.

Here, take this with you.

Hurry up.

Shalom, Mary.

Joseph. Ha ha ha!

That's all?

- It's burning.

- I know.

- Mary, you are late.

- Sorry.

You're not sorry.

Mary, the cheese.

Ask if she'll buy two today.

It will help us.

The word of the Lord

came to Elijah and God said...

"Stand on the sacred mountain."

And behold, the Lord passed by...

and a great wind rent the mountains...

and broke in pieces

the rocks before the Lord.

But the Lord was not in the wind.

And after the wind, an earthquake!

But the Lord

was not in the earthquake.

And after the earthquake, a fire!

But the Lord was not in the fire.

And after the fire?

A still, small voice.

Look!

Ruth.

We made it just this morning.

Oh, thank you. I needed more.

Herod's tax collectors

will be here tomorrow.

I know.

Does your father have enough?

I pray that he's strong.

Men have had their own children taken

to satisfy their debt.

My father would never allow that.

Of course.

God will deliver us, Mary.

Even the words I spoke to the children

tell of a new king...

for those who have nothing.

How much will you give me?

Mary, let's go.

Hey!

Prepare to pay your taxes.

Two lines. Now.

Move, now.

No talking. Move.

One half shekel for the temple,

two shekels for Caesar...

by order of King Herod.

You cannot pay your tax and

you have no more land to offer.

The harvest will be strong

a few months from now.

Yes, but we are not here

for that harvest, are we?

The agreement was for you...

to hand over one-third of your land...

to satisfy your debt.

If I could have the land

for one more year...

What do you bring, huh?

What do you bring in the hope

I will grant your request?

Is that your animal?

You must pay one

half shekel for Caesar.

That's all I have!

To be different than the others.

The girl, take her.

No, no, no, please... Ali...

I pay next time twice.

She will work to pay your debt. Next.

No! No!

Aaah! Not my daughter!

- Help!

- Please, no, no!

Ali... Aliyah!

Aliyah!

Mary!

- No, please.

- Next.

- Step in line!

- No, please, no.

- No! No! Aliyah!

- Help me!

Help!

No! Help me!

Help me!

Help!

Come here, Mary.

Aaron! Aaron!

Aaron!

Back in line, all of you!

Take this man's animal...

and one-third of his land

to be seized...

for the continued good

of Herod's kingdom.

Please, if I don't have enough land, my...

What? What,

you and your family will die?

All of us must die.

Some sooner than others. Move.

Kill it, we have enough.

You.

One half shekel for the temple.

Mary?

How did you...

The soldiers, their thirst for blood...

is matched only

by their thirst for money.

Thank you.

Tell your father

that they left her behind.

He needs his pride.

Your Excellency,

Masada will be as glorious...

as your palace in Jerusalem.

The bathing pool,

fed by the water from the aqueducts.

Have them stop.

Build another pool up there...

and have it spill into

the pool below as a waterfall...

and cover the walls with golden tiles.

To reflect the light.

To reflect the light.

Your Excellency knows,

to acquire this much gold...

Is why I have loyal subjects.

The tax collection in Galilee,

any sign of rebellion?

None that remain.

"None that remain" means there was.

And what of the prophecy?

The awaited Messiah?

Is this the cause of their dissension?

The prophecy is a myth,

Your Excellency...

embraced by those unwise enough

to worship their true king.

What is unwise, Tero, is to take

such a prophecy too lightly.

- PERSIA -

Try, Gaspar.

Any clue we find

may be the final piece.

"A star...

"shall come forth...

"from the land of...

Of Israel?

"Israel."

But, Melchior...

The words speak to the very pattern

I have been watching.

Balthasar, if what the prophet

says here is true...

a new Messiah could come

within our own lifetimes.

There is a star that has been moving...

toward what the Romans call Jupiter.

If the two of them

draw close to each other...

How many years from now?

It will not be years.

Mary.

You know Joseph.

You will be his wife.

"Blessed art thou, O Lord,

our God, king of the world...

"who sanctified Israel

by huppah and betrothal."

Take it.

The law says you will stay with us

for another year...

then you will go into his house.

You will consider him

your husband now...

in all manner except that

which leads to family.

On that, you must wait.

I'm building a house.

Enough for a family.

Mar...

I'll talk to her.

Shalom, Mary.

Mary, come.

Come with us, Mary.

Mary.

Come.

Why do they force me

to marry a man I hardly know?

A man I do not love.

Why is Father doing this?

Why now?

We have barely enough

to feed all of us.

Your grandfather, your cousins.

He did this for you.

Joseph is a good man.

Strong man.

I was married even younger than you.

So was my mother.

There is always hope, Mary.

Even in Nazareth?

Even in Nazareth.

Hail, O favored one.

The Lord is with you.

Do not be afraid, Mary...

for you have found favor with God.

Come, you will conceive in your womb

and give birth to a son.

And you will call his name Jesus.

How can this be,

since I've been with no man?

The Holy Spirit will come upon you.

And the power from the most high

will overshadow you.

And the holy offspring

shall be called the Son of God.

Son of God?

Mary.

Even your cousin Elizabeth

has conceived a son in her old age.

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