Ewes, the female sheep, hold a significant place in the agrarian society of the biblical world. They are often mentioned in the context of pastoral life, which was central to the economy and culture of ancient Israel. The care and management of sheep, including ewes, were vital for the livelihood of many biblical figures, and they are frequently used as symbols in biblical narratives and teachings.

Biblical References and Symbolism

Ewes are mentioned in various contexts throughout the Bible, often symbolizing fertility, abundance, and the nurturing aspects of God's creation. In Genesis 31:38, Jacob speaks of his diligent care for Laban's flocks, highlighting the importance of ewes in the prosperity of a household: "These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock."

The imagery of ewes is also used to convey spiritual truths. In Isaiah 53:7, the suffering servant is likened to a lamb led to the slaughter, emphasizing innocence and submission: "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth." While this passage does not specifically mention ewes, the broader context of sheep includes them as part of the flock.

Pastoral Life and Practices

In the pastoral society of ancient Israel, ewes were essential for their wool, milk, and offspring. The management of ewes required knowledge and skill, as they were integral to the sustenance and economic stability of a family. The biblical patriarchs, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were shepherds, and their wealth was often measured by the size and health of their flocks.

The role of the shepherd, who cared for the ewes and the rest of the flock, is a recurring theme in Scripture. Psalm 23, one of the most beloved psalms, portrays the Lord as a shepherd who provides and cares for His people, drawing on the familiar image of a shepherd tending to his sheep, including ewes: "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters."

Sacrificial System

Ewes, along with other sheep, were part of the sacrificial system established in the Mosaic Law. While male lambs were more commonly used for sacrifices, the presence of ewes in the flocks ensured the continuation and growth of the herd, which was necessary for maintaining the sacrificial practices. The sacrificial system pointed to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

Conclusion

Ewes, as part of the broader category of sheep, are woven into the fabric of biblical life and teaching. They serve as symbols of provision, care, and sacrifice, reflecting the pastoral reality of the ancient Near East and the spiritual truths conveyed through Scripture.7353. rachel -- ewe
... 7352, 7353. rachel. 7354 . ewe. Transliteration: rachel Phonetic Spelling:
(raw-kale') Short Definition: ewes. Word Origin from ...
/hebrew/7353.htm - 5k

5763. ul -- to nurse, give suck
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to nurse, give suck NASB Word Usage ewes with
suckling lambs (1), milch (1), nursing (2), suckling lambs (1). to suckle. ...
/hebrew/5763.htm - 6k

David's Weakness
... As he was following the ewes great with young ones, he took him; that he
might feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/david/sermon i davids weakness.htm

The Shepherd of Our Souls.
... many years, we learn from his expostulation with his hard master and relative,
Laban""This twenty years have I been with thee," he says; "thy ewes and thy she ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon xvi the shepherd of.htm

Of Sacrifices.
... people. For the elder, Cain, offered gifts to God from the fruit of the earth;
but the younger son, Abel, from the fruit of his ewes. ...
/.../tertullian/an answer to the jews/chapter v of sacrifices.htm

The People's Christ
... As for himself, his only occupation had been that of a shepherd-boy, carrying lambs
in his bosom, or gently leading the ewes great with young"a simple youth ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the peoples christ.htm

A Thanksgiving to God, for his House
... That soils my land, And giv'st me, for my bushel sown, Twice ten for one; Thou
mak'st my teeming hen to lay Her egg each day; Besides my healthful ewes to bear ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/a thanksgiving to god for.htm

The Joy of Unbroken Communion
... That lie along the side of Mount Gilead; Thy teeth are like a flock of ewes
that are newly shorn,. Which are come up from the washing. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/taylor/union and communion/section iii the joy of.htm

Of the Sacred Complacency of Love; and First of what it Consists.
... draw them into our hearts. Jacob's ewes drew into themselves the variety
of colours which they observed. So a soul, captivated by ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter i of the sacred.htm

Meeting a Brother who had Been Wronged
... Then Jacob took as a present for his brother Esau, two hundred female goats and
twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milch camels and ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/meeting a brother who had.htm

Or the Gods of Heaven Should be Said to be Ungrateful If...
... rich, the other of small fortune, but worthy of praise for his integrity and
goodness,"if the former should slay a hundred oxen, and as many ewes with their ...
/.../arnobius/the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/12 or the gods of.htm

Epistle Xlix. To Anastasius, Bishop of Antioch .
... Of a truth we remember how the blessed Jacob, who had served long for his wives,
said, This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have ...
/.../the epistles of saint gregory the great/epistle xlix to anastasius bishop.htm

Ewes (7 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Ewes (7 Occurrences). ... Your ewes and your female goats have
not cast their young, and I haven't eaten the rams of your flocks. ...
/e/ewes.htm - 8k

Suckling-ewes (1 Occurrence)
Suckling-ewes. Suckling, Suckling-ewes. Sucklings . Multi-Version
Concordance Suckling-ewes (1 Occurrence). Psalms 78 ...
/s/suckling-ewes.htm - 6k

Suckling (19 Occurrences)
... (Root in KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV). Psalms 78:71 From following the
suckling-ewes, he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. ...
/s/suckling.htm - 12k

Goats (134 Occurrences)
... Genesis 31:38 "These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female
goats have not cast their young, and I haven't eaten the rams of your flocks. ...
/g/goats.htm - 37k

Faileth (26 Occurrences)
... Song of Songs 4:2 Thy teeth are like a flock of ewes that are newly'shorn, Which
are come up from the washing, Whereof every one hath twins, And none is ...
/f/faileth.htm - 13k

Rams (81 Occurrences)
... Genesis 31:38 "These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female
goats have not cast their young, and I haven't eaten the rams of your flocks. ...
/r/rams.htm - 33k

Paired (2 Occurrences)
... Song of Songs 4:2 Thy teeth are like a flock of ewes that are newly'shorn, Which
are come up from the washing, Whereof every one hath twins, And none is ...
/p/paired.htm - 7k

She-goats (3 Occurrences)
... Genesis 31:38 These twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she-goats
have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flocks have I not eaten. ...
/s/she-goats.htm - 7k

Twenty (282 Occurrences)
... Genesis 31:38 "These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female
goats have not cast their young, and I haven't eaten the rams of your flocks. ...
/t/twenty.htm - 40k

Female (95 Occurrences)
... Genesis 31:38 "These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female
goats have not cast their young, and I haven't eaten the rams of your flocks. ...
/f/female.htm - 38k

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