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 Symbolism

1. 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 Context

In 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 Implications

The 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.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. ...
/hebrew/4999.htm - 6k

5116c. navah -- pasture, meadow
... 5116b, 5116c. navah. 5117 . pasture, meadow. Transliteration: navah Short
Definition: pastures. Word Origin from the same as naveh ...
/hebrew/5116c.htm - 5k

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
/hebrew/3733b.htm - 5k

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 ...
/hebrew/7462a.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

August the Nineteenth in Green Pastures
... AUGUST The Nineteenth IN GREEN PASTURES. PSALM xxiii. ... "Green pastures"; "still waters."
My Lord knows when my heart is faint, when it needs His reviving food. ...
/.../my daily meditation for the circling year/august the nineteenth in green.htm

Seeking the Pastures of Christ the Shepherd, Cant. 1. 7.
... Hymns. Book 1. Hymn 1:67. Seeking the pastures of Christ the Shepherd,
Cant. 1.7. 1 Thou whom my soul admires above All earthly ...
/.../watts/hymns and spiritual songs/hymn 0 088194444 seeking the pastures.htm

Seeking the Pastures of Christ the Shepherd. Ss 1:07
... HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS IN THREE BOOKS. HYMN 67 Seeking the pastures of Christ
the Shepherd. SS 1:7. LM Seeking the pastures of Christ the Shepherd. ...
/.../watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/hymn 67 seeking the pastures.htm

He Maketh Me to Lie Down in Pastures of Tender Grass; He Leadeth ...
... IV. HE MAKETH ME TO LIE DOWN IN PASTURES OF TENDER GRASS; HE LEADETH ME BESIDE
THE WATERS OF QUIETNESS. Our attention is now directed ...
//christianbookshelf.org/callan/the shepherd of my soul/iv he maketh me to.htm

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, "in pastures of tender grass." What a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/naylor/heart talks/talk four he maketh me.htm

January the Twenty-Second My Own Shepherd
... There is the ministry of rest. "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures."
The Good Shepherd knows when my spirit needs relaxation. ...
/.../my daily meditation for the circling year/january the twenty-second my own.htm

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 the pastures of eternal ...
/.../gregory/the epistles of saint gregory the great/book xi epistle i to.htm

Shepherd Life in the Orient.
... It often happens that several flocks, belonging to different shepherds, will graze
on the same pastures during the day, and will be penned in the same ...
/.../callan/the shepherd of my soul/ii shepherd life in the.htm

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 same pastures, until the Chief ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter ccviii a d 423.htm

Joel's Rhapsody of the Locust Plague
... O LORD, to thee do I:cry: For the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness,
And the flame hath burned all the trees of the field. ...
/.../select masterpieces of biblical literature/joels rhapsody of the locust.htm

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. ...
/p/pastures.htm - 14k

Valleys (38 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Psalms 65:13 The pastures are covered
with flocks. The valleys also are clothed with grain. They shout for joy! ...
/v/valleys.htm - 18k

Desert (322 Occurrences)
... Compare Psalm 65:11, 12: "Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; And thy paths
drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the Wilderness. ...
/d/desert.htm - 46k

Pasturing (7 Occurrences)

/p/pasturing.htm - 8k

Withered (46 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 23:10 For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing
the land mourns; the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. ...
/w/withered.htm - 22k

Pasture (120 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) To feed, esp. to feed on growing grass; to supply grass as food for; as,
the farmer pastures fifty oxen; the land will pasture forty cows. ...
/p/pasture.htm - 33k

Shepherds (55 Occurrences)
... Amos 1:2 He said: "Yahweh will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem;
and the pastures of the shepherds will mourn, and the top of Carmel will ...
/s/shepherds.htm - 24k

Pasturelands (42 Occurrences)

/p/pasturelands.htm - 16k

Dried (66 Occurrences)
... (WEB ASV DBY). Jeremiah 23:10 For the land is full of adulterers; for because of
swearing the land mourns; the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. ...
/d/dried.htm - 26k

Carmel (33 Occurrences)
... It is ranked with Bashan on account of its rich pastures (Isaiah 33:9; Jeremiah
50:19; Amos 1:2). The whole ridge is deeply furrowed with rocky ravines filled ...
/c/carmel.htm - 25k

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