Lexical Summary thremma: Livestock, animal Original Word: θρέμμα Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cattle. From trepho; stock (as raised on a farm) -- cattle. see GREEK trepho NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom trephó Definition cattle NASB Translation cattle (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2353: θρέμμαθρέμμα, θρεμματος, τό (τρέφω), whatever is fed or nursed; hence: 1. a ward, nursling, child (Sophocles, Euripides, Plato, others). 2. a flock, cattle, especially sheep and goats: John 4:12. (Xenophon, oec. 20, 23; Plato, Diodorus, Josephus, Plutarch, Lucian, Aelian, others.) John 4:12 records the Samaritan woman’s words: “Are You greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” The plural form θρέμματα (“livestock”) stands at the close of her statement, underscoring the full scope of Jacob’s provision: water for himself, his household, and the creatures under his care. Historical and Cultural Setting Livestock formed the economic backbone of patriarchal and Second-Temple agrarian life. Flocks and herds supplied food, clothing, sacrificial animals, and a tangible index of wealth (Genesis 13:2; Job 1:3). Water-rights therefore held covenantal and social importance. By mentioning Jacob’s livestock, the woman highlights both the antiquity of the well and its ongoing capacity to sustain an entire covenant community, animals included. Theological Significance 1. Covenant Provision: Scriptural narratives frequently link God’s faithfulness to the preservation of both people and their animals (Psalm 36:6; Jonah 4:11). The verse thus frames the coming promise of “living water” (John 4:10) against a backdrop of longstanding divine care. Imagery of Provision and Stewardship Throughout the Bible, responsible care for animals functions as a barometer of righteousness: Jacob’s attentiveness prefigures the Good Shepherd motif that culminates in Jesus (John 10:11). By keeping both family and flocks in view, the narrative invites believers to holistic stewardship—extending mercy to all creation while prioritizing eternal concerns. Foreshadowing of Christ’s Shepherd-King Role The well scene quietly links Jacob, Moses (Exodus 2:17), and Jesus: each encounters need around water and responds as deliverer. Yet only Christ satisfies forever. The inclusion of livestock imagery hints at a shepherd-king whose dominion reconciles all things (Colossians 1:20). Revelation 7:17 pictures Him as “the Lamb… who will shepherd them and lead them to springs of living water,” uniting sacrificial and pastoral themes first signaled in John 4:12. Implications for Ministry Today • Preaching: John 4 encourages proclamation that moves hearers from temporal blessings to the gospel’s eternal supply. Related Passages for Further Study Genesis 30:43; Exodus 12:38; Psalm 104:27-28; Isaiah 40:11; Joel 1:18-20; Matthew 6:26; Luke 15:4-7; John 10:1-18; 1 Corinthians 9:9-10; James 3:7; Revelation 7:17 |
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