Topical Bible: Feeding

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Topical Encyclopedia

Feeding, in the biblical context, encompasses both the physical act of providing sustenance and the spiritual nourishment that God offers to His people. The concept of feeding is richly woven throughout Scripture, illustrating God's provision, care, and the importance of spiritual sustenance.

Physical Feeding

The Bible frequently highlights God's provision of physical food as a demonstration of His care and faithfulness. In the Old Testament, one of the most notable examples is the provision of manna in the wilderness. As the Israelites journeyed from Egypt to the Promised Land, God provided manna from heaven to sustain them. Exodus 16:4 states, "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day.'"

In the New Testament, Jesus' miraculous feeding of the multitudes further underscores God's provision. In the feeding of the 5,000, recorded in all four Gospels, Jesus takes five loaves and two fish and feeds a large crowd, demonstrating His divine power and compassion. Matthew 14:19-20 recounts, "And He directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He blessed them. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over."

Spiritual Feeding

Beyond physical sustenance, the Bible emphasizes the importance of spiritual feeding. God's Word is often depicted as spiritual food necessary for growth and sustenance. In Deuteronomy 8:3 , Moses reminds the Israelites, "He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD."

Jesus Himself identifies as the "bread of life," offering spiritual nourishment that leads to eternal life. In John 6:35 , Jesus declares, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst." This statement highlights the sufficiency of Christ in meeting the deepest needs of the human soul.

Feeding the Flock

The metaphor of feeding is also used to describe the responsibility of spiritual leaders to care for and nurture their congregations. In John 21:15-17 , Jesus instructs Peter to "feed My lambs" and "tend My sheep," emphasizing the pastoral duty to provide spiritual guidance and nourishment to believers.

The Apostle Paul echoes this sentiment in his letters, urging church leaders to be diligent in teaching and shepherding the flock. In Acts 20:28 , Paul exhorts the Ephesian elders, "Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood."

Conclusion

Feeding, both physical and spiritual, is a central theme in the Bible, reflecting God's provision and the responsibility of His people to seek and provide nourishment. Through His Word and the work of His servants, God continues to feed and sustain His people, drawing them closer to Himself.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Feed.

2. (n.) the act of eating, or of supplying with food; the process of fattening.

3. (n.) That which is eaten; food.

4. (n.) That which furnishes or affords food, especially for animals; pasture land.

Greek

5528. chortos -- a feeding place, food, grass
... a feeding place, food, grass. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: chortos
Phonetic Spelling: (khor'-tos) Short Definition: grass, hay Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5528.htm - 6k

5336. phatne -- a manger
... a manger. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: phatne Phonetic Spelling:
(fat'-nay) Short Definition: a manger, feeding-trough Definition: a manger ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5336.htm - 6k

1006. bosko -- to feed
... I feed, pasture. 1006 -- properly, (graze); (figuratively) nourish by feeding
people the Word of God (Jn 21:15,17). While 4166 () focuses ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1006.htm - 7k

3542. nome -- a pasture, a grazing
... Word Origin from the same as nomos Definition a pasture, a grazing NASB Word
Usage pasture (1), spread (1). feeding, pasture. Feminine ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3542.htm - 6k

4165. poimaino -- to act as a shepherd
... Cognate: 4165 -- properly, to , caring for (protecting) the flock. 4165
("shepherding, pastoring") is distinct from "feeding" (1006 ). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4165.htm - 8k

5070. tetrakischilioi -- four thousand
... 5070 ("4,000") occurs five times in the NT -- four relating to the feeding of the
(Mt 15:38, 16:10; Mk 8:9,20) which is both a (simultaneously). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5070.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew

18. ebus -- a crib, feeding trough
... 17, 18. ebus. 19 . a crib, feeding trough. Transliteration: ebus Phonetic
Spelling: (ay-booce') Short Definition: manger. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/18.htm - 6k

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. ...
/hebrew/4829.htm - 6k

4830. marith -- a pasturing, shepherding, pasturage
... flock, pasture. From ra'ah in the sense of feeding; pasturage; concretely, a flock --
flock, pasture. see HEBREW ra'ah. 4829, 4830. marith. 4831 . ...
/hebrew/4830.htm - 6k

723. urvah -- a manger, crib
... stall Or rarayah {ar-aw'-yah'}; from 'arah (in the sense of feeding); a
herding-place for an animal -- stall. see HEBREW 'arah. 722, 723. urvah. 723a . ...
/hebrew/723.htm - 5k

7462a. raah -- to pasture, tend, graze
... root Definition to pasture, tend, graze NASB Word Usage consume (1), devour (1),
eat (3), fed (1), feed (16), feeding (4), feeds (4), graze (7), grazed (2 ...
/hebrew/7462a.htm - 6k

7469. reuth -- longing, striving
... vexation. Probably from ra'ah; a feeding upon, ie Grasping after -- vexation. see
HEBREW ra'ah. 7468, 7469. reuth. 7470 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/7469.htm - 6k

Library

Feeding on Ashes
... FEEDING ON ASHES. 'He feedeth on ashes: a deceived ... for all that. He asserts
that idolatry is empty, a feeding on ashes. He declares, in ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/feeding on ashes.htm

Feeding the Lambs.
... FEEDING THE LAMBS. Some years ago when attending to the work to which the
Lord had called me in one of the sunny Southern States ...
/.../orr/food for the lambs or helps for young christians/feeding the lambs.htm

Feeding in the Ways
... FEEDING IN THE WAYS. 'They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall
be in all high places.' Isaiah 49:9. This is part of ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/feeding in the ways.htm

Feeding Five Thousand.
... FEEDING FIVE THOUSAND. One day Jesus went on board a ... out in the desert
place and hungry. [Illustration: FEEDING FIVE THOUSAND.]. ...
/.../anonymous/mother stories from the new testament/feeding five thousand.htm

From the Miracle of the Feeding of the Multitude from Five Barley ...
... Book VI. Chapter I. From the miracle of the feeding of the multitude from five barley
loaves and two fishes he shows the majesty of Divine Power. ...
/.../cassian/the seven books of john cassian /chapter i from the miracle.htm

Feeding Upon Christ.
... Chapter VI. Feeding Upon Christ. ... The spirit of man is quickened (made alive)
by feeding upon those divine words which are endued with life. ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/feeding upon christ.htm

Introduction to the Feeding of the Five Thousand.
... Book XI. 1. Introduction to the Feeding of the Five Thousand. "And when
even was come His disciples came to Him," [5337] that is ...
/.../origens commentary on the gospel of matthew/1 introduction to the feeding.htm

The Feeding of the Four Thousand - to Dalmanutha - the Sign from ...
... THE FEEDING OF THE FOUR THOUSAND - TO DALMANUTHA - THE SIGN FROM HEAVEN' - JOURNEY
TO C??SAREA PHILIPPI - WHAT IS THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES? ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xxxvi the feeding of.htm

The Miraculous Feeding of the Five Thousand
... TRANSFIGURATION. CHAPTER XXIX. THE MIRACULOUS FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND.
(Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14) ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xxix the miraculous feeding.htm

August the Twentieth Feeding the Flock
... AUGUST The Twentieth FEEDING THE FLOCK. ISAIAH xl.1-11. Here is the gracious
promise of provision. "He shall feed His flock like ...
/.../my daily meditation for the circling year/august the twentieth feeding the.htm

Thesaurus

Feeding (37 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Feeding (37 Occurrences). Matthew 8:30 Now there
was a herd of many pigs feeding far away from them. (WEB ...
/f/feeding.htm - 17k

Feeding-place (1 Occurrence)
Feeding-place. Feedingplace, Feeding-place. Feedings . Multi-Version
Concordance Feeding-place (1 Occurrence). Nahum ...
/f/feeding-place.htm - 6k

Trough (7 Occurrences)
... Luke 2:7 She brought forth her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth,
and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in ...
/t/trough.htm - 8k

Grazing (6 Occurrences)
... Genesis 37:13 Israel said to Joseph, "Aren't your brothers feeding the flock in
Shechem? ... Tell me, please, where they are feeding the flock." (See NIV). ...
/g/grazing.htm - 8k

Pigs (18 Occurrences)
... Matthew 8:30 Now there was a herd of many pigs feeding far away from them. ... (See NIV).
Mark 5:11 Now on the mountainside there was a great herd of pigs feeding. ...
/p/pigs.htm - 11k

Pasturing (7 Occurrences)
... Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. ... Tell
me, please, where they are feeding the flock." (See NAS RSV). ...
/p/pasturing.htm - 8k

Eagle (27 Occurrences)
... The eagle family could not be separated from the vultures by their habit of feeding,
for they ate the offal from slaughter as well as the vultures. ...
/e/eagle.htm - 28k

Shepherd (76 Occurrences)
... David. Noah Webster's Dictionary. 1. (n.) A man employed in tending, feeding,
and guarding sheep, esp. a flock grazing at large. ...
/s/shepherd.htm - 42k

Swine (15 Occurrences)
... (KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). Matthew 8:30 And there was a good way off from
them an herd of many swine feeding. (KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). ...
/s/swine.htm - 15k

Flock (242 Occurrences)
... And Abel is feeding a flock, and Cain hath been servant of the ground. ... Joseph, being
seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. ...
/f/flock.htm - 39k

Resources

What does the Bible say about feeding the hungry? | GotQuestions.org

What can we learn from Jesus' feeding of the 5,000? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about breastfeeding? | GotQuestions.org

Feeding: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Feeding (37 Occurrences)

Matthew 8:30
Now there was a herd of many pigs feeding far away from them.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Matthew 8:33
and those feeding did flee, and, having gone to the city, they declared all, and the matter of the demoniacs.
(YLT)

Mark 5:11
Now on the mountainside there was a great herd of pigs feeding.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Mark 5:14
And those that were feeding them fled and reported it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had taken place.
(DBY YLT)

Luke 2:7
She brought forth her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.
(WEB)

Luke 2:12
This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough."
(WEB)

Luke 2:16
They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough.
(WEB)

Luke 8:32
Now there was there a herd of many pigs feeding on the mountain, and they begged him that he would allow them to enter into those. He allowed them.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Luke 8:34
And those feeding 'them', having seen what was come to pass, fled, and having gone, told 'it' to the city, and to the fields;
(YLT)

Luke 17:7
But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
(KJV WBS YLT)

1 Timothy 4:6
If you warn the brethren of these dangers you will be a good and faithful servant of Christ Jesus, inwardly feeding on the lessons of the faith and of the sound teaching of which you have been, and are, so close a follower.
(WEY)

James 5:5
Here on earth you have lived self-indulgent and profligate lives. You have stupefied yourselves with gross feeding; but a day of slaughter has come.
(WEY)

Jude 1:12
These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
(KJV WBS)

Genesis 4:2
and she addeth to bear his brother, even Abel. And Abel is feeding a flock, and Cain hath been servant of the ground.
(YLT)

Genesis 13:7
and there is a strife between those feeding Abram's cattle and those feeding Lot's cattle; and the Canaanite and the Perizzite 'are' then dwelling in the land.
(YLT)

Genesis 30:36
and setteth a journey of three days between himself and Jacob; and Jacob is feeding the rest of the flock of Laban.
(YLT)

Genesis 36:24
And these 'are' sons of Zibeon, both Ajah and Anah: it 'is' Anah that hath found the Imim in the wilderness, in his feeding the asses of Zibeon his father.
(YLT)

Genesis 37:2
This is the history of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. Joseph brought an evil report of them to their father.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS)

Genesis 37:13
Israel said to Joseph, "Aren't your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them." He said to him, "Here I am."
(WEB ASV YLT)

Genesis 37:16
He said, "I am looking for my brothers. Tell me, please, where they are feeding the flock."
(WEB JPS ASV YLT)

Genesis 46:34
that ye have said, Thy servants have been men of cattle from our youth, even until now, both we and our fathers, -- in order that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen, for the abomination of the Egyptians is every one feeding a flock.'
(YLT)

Genesis 48:15
And he blesseth Joseph, and saith, 'God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked habitually: God who is feeding me from my being unto this day:
(YLT)

Exodus 3:1
And Moses hath been feeding the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, priest of Midian, and he leadeth the flock behind the wilderness, and cometh in unto the mount of God, to Horeb;
(YLT)

Deuteronomy 8:3
He humbled you, and allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you didn't know, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh does man live.
(See NIV)

1 Samuel 16:11
And Samuel said to Jesse, Are these all the young men? And he said, There is yet the youngest remaining, and behold, he is feeding the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit at table till he come hither.
(DBY)

1 Samuel 25:16
They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the while we were with them feeding the sheep.
(DBY YLT)

1 Kings 4:23
ten fat oxen, and twenty feeding oxen, and a hundred sheep, apart from hart, and roe, and fallow-deer, and fatted beasts of the stalls,
(YLT)

1 Chronicles 27:29
and over the herds that are feeding in Sharon 'is' Shitrai the Sharonite; and over the herds in the valleys 'is' Shaphat son of Adlai;
(YLT)

Job 1:14
that there came a messenger to Job, and said, "The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys feeding beside them,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Job 39:9
"Will the wild ox be content to serve you? Or will he stay by your feeding trough?
(WEB)

Song of Songs 4:5
Thy two breasts 'are' as two fawns, Twins of a roe, that are feeding among lilies.
(YLT)

Isaiah 18:6
They will be for the birds of the mountains, and for the beasts of the earth: the birds will come down on them in the summer, and the beasts of the earth in the winter.
(See NAS)

Isaiah 44:20
Feeding on ashes, the heart is deceived, It hath turned him aside, And he delivereth not his soul, nor saith: 'Is there not a lie in my right hand?'
(YLT)

Jeremiah 17:16
And I hastened not from feeding after Thee, And the desperate day I have not desired, Thou -- Thou hast known, The produce of my lips, before Thy face it hath been,
(YLT)

Ezekiel 34:3
The fat ye do eat, and the wool ye put on, The fed one ye slaughter, the flock ye feed not.
(See NAS)

Ezekiel 34:10
Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; and I will deliver my sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Nahum 2:11
Where is the den of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion and the lioness walked, the lion's cubs, and no one made them afraid?
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS)

Subtopics

Feeding

Feeding the Hungry

Related Terms

Feeding-place (1 Occurrence)

Trough (7 Occurrences)

Grazing (6 Occurrences)

Pigs (18 Occurrences)

Pasturing (7 Occurrences)

Eagle (27 Occurrences)

Shepherd (76 Occurrences)

Swine (15 Occurrences)