Christmas carol · 1885
Away in a Manger
The words, with the Bible verse behind each line
Away in a Manger takes one verse of the Bible, Luke 2:7: Mary laid her baby in a manger because the guest room had no space for them. Almost everything else is added. Luke names no cattle, no hay, and no star over the manger, and nothing in the Bible says the baby did not cry.
- 8 of 12 lines draw on a verse
- 7 passages
- 4 lines go beyond the Bible
The wordsBeyond the BibleIts story
The words, line by line
Luke 2:14 the verse a line draws on. Tap it to read the verse.Beyond where the line goes past the Bible.
Verse 1
- Away in a manger, no crib for a bedLuke 2:7and she bore a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him down in a manger, since the guest room had no space for them.
- The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet headLuke 2:7
- The stars in the sky looked down where he layBeyond Luke mentions no stars that night. The star is in Matthew, for the magi.
- The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hayBeyond Luke names a manger. He does not mention hay.
Verse 2
- The cattle are lowing, the baby awakesBeyond Luke names no animals at the manger.
- But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makesHebrews 2:17This is why he had to be made like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.Beyond The Bible does not say this. Hebrews says he was made like us in every way.
- I love thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky1 John 4:19We love because he first loved us.
- And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh
Verse 3
- Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stayMatthew 28:20teaching them to keep everything I have commanded you. And look, I am with you every day, until the end of the age.”
- Close by me forever, and love me, I prayRomans 8:39not height, not depth, not any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Bless all the dear children in thy tender careMark 10:16Then he embraced them and blessed them, putting his hands on them.
- And fit us for heaven to live with thee thereJohn 14:3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming back, and I will take you to be with me, so that you too may be where I am.
Words: Unknown, United States. Verses 1 and 2 printed 1885, verse 3 by 1892. Music: “Mueller,” James R. Murray, 1887. In Britain, “Cradle Song,” William J. Kirkpatrick, 1895. In the public domain. Verses are from the Lumin Translation.
Where it goes beyond the Bible
- Luke names no animals at the manger. The cattle come from the manger itself and from old paintings.
- The star in the Bible is in Matthew, and it leads the magi to a house later on. Luke’s birth night has angels, not a star.
- “No crying he makes” is not in the Bible. Hebrews says Jesus shared our humanity in every way, so many Christians think he cried like any baby.
- It was printed for years as “Luther’s Cradle Hymn.” Martin Luther did not write it. No German original has ever been found.
The story of the carol
The first two verses were printed in Philadelphia in 1885, in a Lutheran Sunday school book, with no author. Two years later James R. Murray printed them with his tune and called it “Luther’s Cradle Hymn,” saying Luther wrote it for his children.
That story spread for 60 years. In 1945 the music librarian Richard Hill showed the carol is American, and the Luther credit is now dropped. The third verse, “Be near me, Lord Jesus,” was added by 1892. Who wrote it is not known either.
Americans usually sing Murray’s tune. In Britain it is sung to William J. Kirkpatrick’s “Cradle Song.”
- Words
- Unknown, United States. Verses 1 and 2 printed 1885, verse 3 by 1892
- Music
- “Mueller,” James R. Murray, 1887. In Britain, “Cradle Song,” William J. Kirkpatrick, 1895
Questions
Is Away in a Manger in the Bible?
Away in a Manger takes one verse of the Bible, Luke 2:7: Mary laid her baby in a manger because the guest room had no space for them. Almost everything else is added. Luke names no cattle, no hay, and no star over the manger, and nothing in the Bible says the baby did not cry.
Who wrote Away in a Manger?
Words: Unknown, United States. Verses 1 and 2 printed 1885, verse 3 by 1892. Music: “Mueller,” James R. Murray, 1887. In Britain, “Cradle Song,” William J. Kirkpatrick, 1895.
What does Away in a Manger add to the Bible?
Luke names no animals at the manger. The cattle come from the manger itself and from old paintings. The star in the Bible is in Matthew, and it leads the magi to a house later on. Luke’s birth night has angels, not a star. “No crying he makes” is not in the Bible. Hebrews says Jesus shared our humanity in every way, so many Christians think he cried like any baby. It was printed for years as “Luther’s Cradle Hymn.” Martin Luther did not write it. No German original has ever been found.