en_obs-tn/content/23/05.md

766 B

but there was no place for them to stay

This is background information about why Jesus was born in a place where animals slept. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-background)

no place for them to stay

That is, “no usual place for them to stay.” Because Bethlehem was so crowded at that time, the usual rooms for guests were already full of people.

place where animals were kept

This was a place for sheltering animals, not a place where people lived. Translate this with a term that would normally be used for a place where animals were kept.

a feeding trough

That is, “an animal feed box” or, “a wooden or stone box for feeding animals.” The box could have been filled with hay to provide a padded surface for the baby to lie on.