The man, who was wearing a stab vest and a T-shirt with the word "press", was shot dead by troops as he attacked.
It happened just yards from where a group of Palestinians were involved in clashes with Israeli security forces.
The soldier was taken completely by surprise
An Associated Press photographer at the scene witnessed the stabbing and then heard several gunshots. Soldiers ran over and gave aid to the injured soldier, who was
eventually taken away by ambulance.
It comes amid heightened tensions between Israel and the Palestinians.
Sky's Sherine Tadros, who is in Bethlehem, said: "We’ve seen sometimes quite intense clashes between the Palestinians, who have
been throwing rocks and sometimes firebombs, but mainly just pebbles
and marbles, at Israeli security forces.
"They in turn have been firing tear gas."
Earlier, a crowd of Palestinians threw firebombs at a holy site regarded as the tomb of biblical patriarch Joseph in the West Bank city of Nablus.
The blaze was extinguished by Palestinian security forces who dispersed the crowd.
The women's section at the compound was said to be badly damaged, but there were no reports of injuries. The tomb is revered by Jews and Muslims as the burial place of
Joseph, son of Jacob. An Israeli Defence Forces spokesman said every effort would be made to catch those responsible for the "despicable act".
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also condemned the attack, describing it as "irresponsible", and ordered the damage to be repaired. In the past month, eight Israelis have been killed in attacks by
Palestinians, most of them stabbings.
In that time, 33 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces, 15 of them labelled attackers.
Israel has taken unprecedented measures in response to the stabbings including setting up checkpoints in Arab neighbourhoods of Jerusalem.
It has also imposed restrictions on worship at the al Aqsa Mosque, which has been a flashpoint of violence
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