Provender refers to food, particularly dry food such as hay or grain, used for feeding livestock. In biblical times, the provision of provender was an essential aspect of agricultural life, reflecting the agrarian society in which the Israelites lived. The term is often used in the context of caring for animals, which were vital for transportation, agriculture, and trade.

Biblical References:

1. Genesis 24:25 · In the account of Abraham's servant seeking a wife for Isaac, Rebekah offers hospitality, saying, "We have plenty of straw and feed, as well as room for you to spend the night." Here, "feed" refers to provender, indicating the readiness to care for the servant's camels, which were crucial for his journey.

2. Judges 19:19 · The Levite traveling with his concubine and servant mentions, "We have both straw and feed for our donkeys, and bread and wine for me, your maidservant, and the young man with your servants. There is no lack of anything." This passage highlights the importance of carrying sufficient provender for animals during travel, ensuring their well-being and the success of the journey.

3. Isaiah 30:24 · The prophet Isaiah speaks of a time of abundance, saying, "The oxen and donkeys that work the ground will eat salted fodder, winnowed with shovel and pitchfork." This imagery of well-prepared provender signifies prosperity and God's blessing upon the land, where even the animals partake in the abundance.

Cultural and Theological Significance:

In the biblical context, the provision of provender is not merely a practical concern but also a reflection of stewardship and care for God's creation. The responsible management of resources, including the feeding of animals, is seen as part of the divine mandate given to humanity. Proverbs 12:10 states, "A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are only cruelty." This verse underscores the moral obligation to provide for the needs of animals, aligning with the broader biblical theme of compassion and righteousness.

The use of provender in Scripture often symbolizes God's provision and care. Just as humans are called to care for their animals, God is depicted as the ultimate provider, ensuring that all creation is sustained. This theme is woven throughout the biblical narrative, reminding believers of their dependence on God's provision and their duty to reflect His care in their own lives.

Practical Implications:

For the ancient Israelites, ensuring a steady supply of provender was crucial for maintaining their livestock, which in turn supported their agricultural economy and daily life. The preparation and storage of provender required foresight and diligence, qualities that are commended throughout Scripture. In a spiritual sense, believers are encouraged to exhibit similar diligence in their walk with God, preparing their hearts and lives to receive His blessings and to serve others faithfully.1. (n.) Dry food for domestic animals, as hay, straw, corn, oats, or a mixture of ground grain; feed.

2. (n.) Food or provisions.

PROVENDER

prov'-en-der

(1) micpo', from obsolete capha', "to feed," fodder for cattle in general (Genesis 24:25, 32; Genesis 42:27 Judges 19:19, 21);

(2) belil, from balal, "to mix": "Loweth the ox over his fodder?" (Job 6:5); belil chamits: "The young asses that till the ground shall eat savory (Hebrew "salted") provender" (Isaiah 30:24); this is fodder mixed with salt or aromatic herbs): The ordinary provender in Palestine, besides fresh pasturage, is tibn, i.e. straw broken on the threshing floor, kursenneh (Vetch, Vicia errilia), given especially to camels and milch cows; bran, for fattening and especially in cold weather; and, occasionally, hay made from the dried mixed grass and herbs which spring up luxuriously after the rains. The Circassian colonists East of the Jordan are teaching their neighbors the value of this food, so long neglected.

E. W. G. Masterman

1101b. balal -- to give provender
... 1101a, 1101b. balal. 1102 . to give provender. Transliteration: balal
Short Definition: fodder. Word Origin denominative verb from ...
/hebrew/1101b.htm - 5k

1101. balal -- to mingle, mix, confuse, confound
... baw-lal') Short Definition: anoint. anoint, confound, fade, mingle, mix
self, give provender, temper A primitive root; to overflow ...
/hebrew/1101.htm - 5k

1098. belil -- fodder
... corn, fodder, provender. From balal; mixed, ie (specifically) feed (for cattle) --
corn, fodder, provender. see HEBREW balal. 1097, 1098. belil. 1099 . ...
/hebrew/1098.htm - 6k

4554. mispo -- fodder
... fodder (3). provender. From an unused root meaning to collect; fodder --
provender. 4553, 4554. mispo. 4555 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/4554.htm - 5k

2548. chamits -- seasoned (with salt)
... 1). clean. From chamets; seasoned, ie Salt provender -- clean. see HEBREW
chamets. 2547, 2548. chamits. 2549 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/2548.htm - 6k

3978. maakal -- food
... food, fruit, victual. From 'akal; an eatable (includ. Provender, flesh and fruit) --
food, fruit, ((bake-)) meat(-s), victual. see HEBREW 'akal. 3977, 3978. ...
/hebrew/3978.htm - 6k

Exhortations to Christians as they are Children of God
... no longer. So the squint-eyed hypocrite loves God only for the provender.
When this fails, his affection fails too. But leaving ...
/.../20 exhortations to christians as.htm

Under the Three Pastors, --There were Manifold Shepherds
... forth;"Death feeds upon all bodies:"the son of Death who surpassed Death,"upon the
souls of men he fed."The calf forsook his provender,"for men's ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn xiv under the three.htm

To the Rev. A. Brandram
... them"the printing of advertisements"and particularly farriers' bills, as the poor
horses were continually ailing from over-work, bad provender and falls ...
/.../borrow/letters of george borrow/to the rev a brandram 32.htm

Footnotes:
... notwithstanding that he had suffered much from the hard labour which he had been
subjected to in our wanderings in Galicia, and likewise from bad provender. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/borrow/letters of george borrow/footnotes .htm

Family Prayer.
... It is the best husbandry of time. Says Philip Henry to his children, "Prayer and
provender hinder no man's journey." But another pleads incapacity. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/philips/the christian home/chapter xv family prayer.htm

Joseph and his Brethren
... And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the lodging place,
he espied his money; and, behold, it was in the mouth of his sack. ...
/.../select masterpieces of biblical literature/i joseph and his brethren.htm

The Climax of Ecclesiastes' Exercises Seems to have Been Reached ...
... That gracious waiting Lord then may enter, and sweet communion follow as He sups
with poor "Need and Faith""Himself providing all the provender for that ...
/.../jennings/old groans and new songs/chapter x the climax of.htm

The Tests of Love to God
... affable and bountiful. A beast loves a man, but not as he is a man, but
because he feeds him, and gives him provender. But to love ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a divine cordial/the tests of love to.htm

Satan's Banquet
... even many of God's own children, who say, "Oh that I were half as good as he." While
the very humility of the righteous provides you with provender for your ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/satans banquet.htm

Acts xv. 35
... with them, that they may not drive them at random or carelessly, nor take them out
by night at unseasonable hours nor sell away their provender; and there are ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxxiv acts xv 35.htm

Provender (10 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Food or provisions. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. PROVENDER. ... EWG
Masterman. Multi-Version Concordance Provender (10 Occurrences). ...
/p/provender.htm - 10k

Fodder (9 Occurrences)
... kinds of grain, as wheat, barley, vetches, and the like, all mixed together, and
then sown or given to cattle" (Job 24:6, AV "corn, " RV "provender;Isaiah 30:24 ...
/f/fodder.htm - 9k

Straw (21 Occurrences)
... Genesis 24:25 She said moreover to him, "We have both straw and provender enough,
and room to lodge in." (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/s/straw.htm - 15k

Feed (117 Occurrences)
... 15. (n.) A grazing or pasture ground. 16. (n.) An allowance of provender given
to a horse, cow, etc.; a meal; as, a feed of corn or oats. 17. ...
/f/feed.htm - 39k

Asses (68 Occurrences)
... Genesis 43:24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water,
and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender. ...
/a/asses.htm - 29k

Bringeth (313 Occurrences)
... Genesis 24:32 And he bringeth in the man into the house, and looseth the camels,
and giveth straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and ...
/b/bringeth.htm - 37k

Giveth (378 Occurrences)
... Genesis 24:32 And he bringeth in the man into the house, and looseth the camels,
and giveth straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and ...
/g/giveth.htm - 35k

Donkeys (71 Occurrences)
... Judges 19:19 Yet there is both straw and provender for our donkeys; and there is
bread and wine also for me, and for your handmaid, and for the young man who ...
/d/donkeys.htm - 28k

Ungirded (1 Occurrence)
... Genesis 24:32 And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave
straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the ...
/u/ungirded.htm - 6k

Unloaded (1 Occurrence)
... He gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet
and the feet of the men who were with him. (WEB NAS NIV). ...
/u/unloaded.htm - 6k

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