Lexical Summary rei: Friend, companion, fellow Original Word: רְעִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance pasture From ra'ah; pasture -- pasture. see HEBREW ra'ah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom raah Definition a pasture NASB Translation pasture-fed (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs רְעִי noun [masculine] pasture; — ׳עֶשְׂרִים בָּקָר ר 1 Kings 5:3 twenty cattle (from) pasture (see Ges§ 131c; Kit בְּקַר). Topical Lexicon Biblical Setting רְעִי appears a single time in Scripture, within the catalogue of King Solomon’s daily provisions: “ten fat oxen, twenty pasture-fed oxen, and one hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, and roebucks, and fattened fowl” (1 Kings 4:23). The term modifies the second group of oxen, distinguishing them from stall-fattened animals and underscoring the agricultural abundance of Solomon’s reign. Word Picture of Pasture The word evokes open grazing lands where livestock feed naturally. Unlike stall-fed cattle, which require constant human supply, pasture-fed animals flourish on God-given vegetation. The imagery recalls the Edenic ideal of provision without toil and anticipates the shepherding motif that threads through Scripture (Genesis 2:8-9; Psalm 23:2). Historical Context of Solomon’s Court Archaeological and textual data indicate that royal households in the Ancient Near East maintained varied sources of meat to demonstrate prosperity and hospitality. Solomon’s ability to supply both grain-finished and pasture-raised cattle each day signals an economy operating at full strength, fulfilling the promise of peace and plenty that accompanied his wisdom (1 Kings 4:20-21). The distinction between feeding practices also suggests sophisticated herd management and land stewardship. Theological Threads 1. Divine Provision: The juxtaposition of fattened and pasture-fed livestock mirrors God’s multifaceted care—both extraordinary blessings and everyday sustenance. Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Stewardship: Leaders today are called to manage resources responsibly, balancing cultivated and natural provision. Anticipation of the Messiah Solomon’s reign, marked by unparalleled prosperity, serves as a type of the Messianic Kingdom. The peaceful, well-supplied pasture hints at the era when “He will be their peace” (Micah 5:5) and when “They will neither hunger nor thirst” (Isaiah 49:10). Related Passages for Study Psalm 23:1-3; Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:11-16; John 6:35; John 10:7-15; Revelation 7:16-17 Forms and Transliterations רְעִ֖י רעי rə‘î rə·‘î reILinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 4:23 HEB: וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים בָּקָ֛ר רְעִ֖י וּמֵ֣אָה צֹ֑אן NAS: twenty pasture-fed oxen, KJV: oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred INT: twenty oxen pasture-fed A hundred sheep |
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