Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, pastures were essential for the sustenance of livestock, which played a crucial role in the agrarian society of ancient Israel. The term "pasture" refers to land covered with grass and other low plants suitable for grazing animals, particularly sheep and cattle. The imagery of pastures is frequently used in the Bible to convey themes of provision, peace, and divine care.
Biblical References and Symbolism1.
Provision and Abundance: Pastures are often depicted as places of abundance and divine provision. In
Psalm 23:1-2 , David famously writes, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters." Here, the green pastures symbolize God's provision and care, offering rest and sustenance to His people.
2.
Divine Care and Guidance: The imagery of pastures is also used to illustrate God's guidance and protection. In
Ezekiel 34:14-15 , God promises, "I will tend them in good pasture, and their grazing place will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down in a good grazing land; they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will tend My flock and make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD." This passage emphasizes God's role as a shepherd who leads His flock to safety and nourishment.
3.
Spiritual Nourishment: Pastures are not only physical locations but also represent spiritual nourishment and growth. In
John 10:9 , Jesus declares, "I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture." Here, pasture signifies the spiritual sustenance and freedom found in Christ.
4.
Judgment and Restoration: The condition of pastures can also symbolize the spiritual state of the people. In
Jeremiah 25:36-37 , the desolation of pastures is a metaphor for judgment: "Listen to the cry of the shepherds, the wailing of the leaders of the flock, for the LORD is destroying their pasture. The peaceful meadows will be reduced to wasteland because of the LORD’s burning anger." Conversely, the restoration of pastures signifies renewal and hope, as seen in
Isaiah 30:23 : "Then He will give rain for the seed you have sown in the ground, and the food that comes from your land will be rich and plentiful. On that day your cattle will graze in open pastures."
Cultural and Historical ContextIn the ancient Near East, pastures were vital for the survival of nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples. Shepherds, such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David, relied on pastures to feed their flocks. The availability of lush pastures often determined the movement and settlement patterns of these communities. The biblical landscape, with its varied topography and climate, required shepherds to be knowledgeable about the best grazing areas and the seasonal changes affecting pasture quality.
Theological ImplicationsThe concept of pastures in the Bible extends beyond physical sustenance to encompass spiritual truths about God's relationship with His people. As the Good Shepherd, God provides, guides, and protects, leading His flock to places of rest and nourishment. The imagery of pastures serves as a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness and the peace found in His presence.
Strong's Hebrew
4999. naah -- habitation, house, pasture, pleasant place... 4998, 4999. naah. 5000 . habitation, house, pasture, pleasant place.
Transliteration: naah Phonetic Spelling: (naw-aw') Short Definition:
pastures.
...5116c. navah -- pasture, meadow
... 5116b, 5116c. navah. 5117 . pasture, meadow. Transliteration: navah Short
Definition:pastures. Word Origin from the same as naveh...
3733b. kar -- a pasture
... Word Origin of uncertain derivation Definition a pasture NASB Word Usage meadows
(1), pasture (1),pastures (1). 3733a, 3733b. kar. 3733c . Strong's Numbers
7462a. raah -- to pasture, tend, graze
... fed (1), feed (16), feeding (4), feeds (4), graze (7), grazed (2), grazing (1),
herdsmen (6), keeper (1), pasture (12), pastured (2),pastures (2), pasturing (5...
4829. mireh -- a pasturage, pasture
... Word Origin from raah Definition a pasturage, pasture NASB Word Usage feeding
place (1), pasture (11),pastures (1). feeding place, pasture....
Library
August the Nineteenth in GreenPastures
... AUGUST The Nineteenth IN GREENPASTURES. PSALM xxiii.... "Greenpastures"; "still waters."
My Lord knows when my heart is faint, when it needs His reviving food....
Seeking thePastures of Christ the Shepherd, Cant. 1. 7.
... Hymns. Book 1. Hymn 1:67. Seeking thepastures of Christ the Shepherd,
Cant. 1.7. 1 Thou whom my soul admires above All earthly...
Seeking thePastures of Christ the Shepherd. Ss 1:07
... HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS IN THREE BOOKS. HYMN 67 Seeking thepastures of Christ
the Shepherd. SS 1:7. LM Seeking thepastures of Christ the Shepherd....
He Maketh Me to Lie Down inPastures of Tender Grass; He Leadeth...
... IV. HE MAKETH ME TO LIE DOWN INPASTURES OF TENDER GRASS; HE LEADETH ME BESIDE
THE WATERS OF QUIETNESS. Our attention is now directed...
He Maketh Me to Lie Down
... The Psalmist says of the Lord, his Shepherd, "He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures," or, as the Hebrew has it, "inpastures of tender grass." What a...
January the Twenty-Second My Own Shepherd
... There is the ministry of rest. "He maketh me to lie down in greenpastures."
The Good Shepherd knows when my spirit needs relaxation....
Book xi. Epistle i. To John, Abbot.
... by praying, by admonishing, by shewing example of good work, to feed the flock
committed to thee, that so thou mayest be able to reach thepastures of eternal...
Shepherd Life in the Orient.
... It often happens that several flocks, belonging to different shepherds, will graze
on the samepastures during the day, and will be penned in the same...
Letter ccviii. (AD 423. )
... The good are represented by the name of sheep, but the bad are called goats: they
feed, nevertheless, side by side in the samepastures, until the Chief...
Joel's Rhapsody of the Locust Plague
... O LORD, to thee do I:cry: For the fire hath devoured thepastures of the wilderness,
And the flame hath burned all the trees of the field....
Thesaurus
Pastures (25 Occurrences)... Multi-Version Concordance
Pastures (25 Occurrences).
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY
WBS). Psalms 23:2 He makes me lie down in green
pastures.
...Valleys (38 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Psalms 65:13 Thepastures are covered
with flocks. The valleys also are clothed with grain. They shout for joy!...
Desert (322 Occurrences)
... Compare Psalm 65:11, 12: "Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; And thy paths
drop fatness. They drop upon thepastures of the Wilderness....
Pasturing (7 Occurrences)
Withered (46 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 23:10 For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing
the land mourns; thepastures of the wilderness are dried up....
Pasture (120 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) To feed, esp. to feed on growing grass; to supply grass as food for; as,
the farmerpastures fifty oxen; the land will pasture forty cows....
Shepherds (55 Occurrences)
... Amos 1:2 He said: "Yahweh will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem;
and thepastures of the shepherds will mourn, and the top of Carmel will...
Pasturelands (42 Occurrences)
Dried (66 Occurrences)
... (WEB ASV DBY). Jeremiah 23:10 For the land is full of adulterers; for because of
swearing the land mourns; thepastures of the wilderness are dried up....
Carmel (33 Occurrences)
... It is ranked with Bashan on account of its richpastures (Isaiah 33:9; Jeremiah
50:19; Amos 1:2). The whole ridge is deeply furrowed with rocky ravines filled...
Resources
What was a shepherd in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean to walk through the valley of the shadow of death? | GotQuestions.orgHow can I restore my soul? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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