Difference between revisions of "Cattle"

<li> Small cattle. Next to herds of neat cattle, sheep formed the most important of the possessions of the inhabitants of [[Palestine]] (&nbsp;Genesis 12:16; &nbsp;13:5; &nbsp;26:14; &nbsp;21:27; &nbsp;29:2,3 ). They are frequently mentioned among the booty taken in war (&nbsp;Numbers 31:32; &nbsp;Joshua 6:21; &nbsp;1 Samuel 14:32; &nbsp;15:3 ). There were many who were owners of large flocks (&nbsp;1 Samuel 25:2; &nbsp;2 Samuel 12:2 , Compare &nbsp;Job 1:3 ). Kings also had shepherds "over their flocks" (&nbsp;1 Chronicles 27:31 ), from which they derived a large portion of their revenue (&nbsp;2 Samuel 17:29; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 12:40 ). The districts most famous for their flocks of sheep were the plain of [[Sharon]] (&nbsp;Isaiah 65 :: &nbsp;10 ), Mount [[Carmel]] (&nbsp;Micah 7:14 ), [[Bashan]] and [[Gilead]] (&nbsp;Micah 7:14 ). In patriarchal times the flocks of sheep were sometimes tended by the daughters of the owners. Thus Rachel, the daughter of Laban, kept her father's sheep (&nbsp;Genesis 29:9 ); as also [[Zipporah]] and her six sisters had charge of their father Jethro's flocks (&nbsp;Exodus 2:16 ). Sometimes they were kept by hired shepherds (&nbsp;John 10:12 ), and sometimes by the sons of the family (&nbsp;1 Samuel 16:11; &nbsp;17:15 ). The keepers so familiarized their sheep with their voices that they knew them, and followed them at their call. Sheep, but more especially rams and lambs, were frequently offered in sacrifice. The shearing of sheep was a great festive occasion (&nbsp;1 Samuel 25:4; &nbsp;2 Samuel 13:23 ). They were folded at night, and guarded by their keepers against the attacks of the lion (&nbsp;Micah 5:8 ), the bear (&nbsp;1 Samuel 17:34 ), and the wolf (&nbsp;Matthew 10:16; &nbsp;John 10:12 ). They were liable to wander over the wide pastures and go astray (&nbsp;Psalm 119:176; &nbsp;Isaiah 53:6; &nbsp;Hosea 4:16; &nbsp;Matthew 18:12 ). <p> Goats also formed a part of the pastoral wealth of Palestine (&nbsp;Genesis 15:9; &nbsp;32:14; &nbsp;37:31 ). They were used both for sacrifice and for food (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 14:4 ), especially the young males (&nbsp;Genesis 27:9,14,17; &nbsp;Judges 6:19; &nbsp;13:15; &nbsp;1 Samuel 16:20 ). Goat's hair was used for making tent cloth (&nbsp;Exodus 26:7; &nbsp;36:14 ), and for mattresses and bedding (&nbsp;1 Samuel 19:13,16 ). (See [[Goat]] .) </p> <div> <p> '''Copyright Statement''' These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton [[M.A., DD]]  Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by [[Thomas]] Nelson, 1897. Public Domain. </p> <p> '''Bibliography Information''' Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Cattle'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/c/cattle.html. 1897. </p> </div> </li>

<p> <em> 'Eleph </em> ( '''''אֶלֶף''''' , Strong'S #504), “cattle; thousand; group.” The first word, “cattle,” signifies the domesticated animal or the herd animal. It has cognates in Aramaic, Akkadian, Ugaritic, and Phoenician. It appears only 8 times in the Bible, first in Deut. 7:13: “He will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine [NASB, “herd”], and the flocks of thy sheep.…”This noun is probably related to the verb <em> 'alaph </em> , “to get familiar with, teach, instruct.” This verb occurs 4 times, only in Job and Proverbs. </p> <p> The related noun <em> 'eleph </em> usually means “familiar; confident.” It, too, occurs only in biblical poetry. In Ps. 144:14, <em> 'alluph </em> signifies a tame domesticated animal: “That our oxen may be strong to labor; that there be no breaking in, nor going out.…” </p> <p> The second word, “thousand,” occurs about 490 times and in all periods of biblical Hebrew. It first appears in Gen. 20:16: “Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver …” </p> <p> The third word, “group,” first occurs in Num. 1:16: “These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands [divisions] in Israel.” It appears to be related to the word <em> 'elluph </em> , “leader of a large group,” which is applied almost exclusively to non-lsraelite tribal leaders (exceptions: Zech. 9:7; 12:5-6). <em> 'Alluph </em> first occurs in Gen. 36:15: “These were [ <em> chiefs </em> ] of the sons of Esau.…” </p>

<div> '''1: '''''Θρέμμα''''' ''' (Strong'S #2353 — Noun Neuter — thremma — threm'-mah ) </div> <p> "whatever is fed or nourished" (from trepho, "to nourish, nurture, feed"), is found in &nbsp;John 4:12 . </p> <div> '''2: '''''Βασίλειος''''' ''' (Strong'S #934 — Adjective — ktenos — bas-il'-i-os ) </div> <p> "cattle as property:" see [[Beast]] , No. 3. </p> &nbsp;Luke 17:7

<p> ''''' kat ''''' ´' ''''' l ''''' ( בּהמה , <i> ''''' behēmāh ''''' </i> , "a dumb beast"; מקנה , <i> ''''' miḳneh ''''' </i> , "a possession" from קנה , <i> ''''' ḳānāh ''''' </i> , "to acquire" (compare Arabic <i> ''''' ḳana ''''' </i> ), "to acquire," and Greek κτῆνος , <i> ''''' ktḗnos ''''' </i> , "beast," and plural κτήνεα , <i> ''''' ktḗnea ''''' </i> , "flocks," from κτάομαι , <i> ''''' ktáomai ''''' </i> , "to acquire," flocks being both with the Homeric peoples and with the patriarchs an important form of property; compare English "fee"); צאן , <i> ''''' cō'n ''''' </i> "small cattle," "sheep" or goats (compare Arabic <i> ''''' ḍa'n ''''' </i> , "sheep"); שׂה , <i> ''''' seh ''''' </i> , a single sheep or goat (compare Arabic <i> ''''' shāh ''''' </i> ); מלאכה , <i> ''''' melā'khāh ''''' </i> , "property," from לאך , <i> ''''' lā'akh ''''' </i> , "to minister" (compare Arabic <i> ''''' malākah ''''' </i> and <i> ''''' mulk ''''' </i> , "property," from <i> ''''' malak ''''' </i> , "to possess"); מריא , <i> ''''' merı̄' ''''' </i> "fatling" (1 Ki 19); θρέμμα , <i> ''''' thrémma ''''' </i> (&nbsp;John 4:12 ), "cattle," i.e. "that which is nourished," from τρέφω , <i> ''''' tréphō ''''' </i> , "to nourish"; בּקר , <i> ''''' bāḳār ''''' </i> , "kine," "oxen" (compare Arabic <i> ''''' baḳar ''''' </i> , "cattle"); שׁור , <i> ''''' shōr ''''' </i> , תּור , <i> ''''' tōr ''''' </i> (&nbsp;Daniel 4:25 ), ταῦρος , <i> ''''' taúros ''''' </i> (&nbsp;Matthew 22:4 ), "ox" or "bull"; βοῦς , <i> ''''' boús ''''' </i> , "ox" (&nbsp;Luke 13:15 ); אלף , <i> ''''' 'eleph ''''' </i> , only in the plural, אלפים , <i> ''''' 'ălāphı̄m ''''' </i> , "oxen" (&nbsp;Psalm 8:7 )): From the foregoing and by examination of the many references to "cattle," "kine" or "oxen" it is apparent that there are important points of contact in derivation and usage in the Hebrew, Greek and English terms. It is evident that neat cattle were possessed in abundance by the patriarchs and later Israelites, which is fax from being the case in Palestine at the present day. The Bedouin usually have no cattle. The <i> ''''' fellāḥı̄n ''''' </i> in most parts of the country keep them in small numbers, mostly for plowing, and but little for milk or for slaughtering. Travelers in the [[Holy]] Land realize that goat's milk is in most places easier to obtain than cow's milk. The commonest cattle of the fellachin are a small black breed. In the vicinity of [[Damascus]] are many large, fine milch cattle which furnish the delicious milk and cream of the Damascus bazaars. For some reason, probably because they are not confined and highly fed, the bulls of Palestine are meek creatures as compared with their European or American fellows. </p> <p> In English [[Versions]] of the Bible the word "cattle" is more often used in a wide sense to include sheep and goats than to denote merely neat cattle. In fact, <i> ''''' bāḳār ''''' </i> , which distinctively denotes neat cattle, is often rendered "herds," as <i> ''''' cō'n ''''' </i> , literally "sheep," is in a large number of instances translated "flocks." A good illustration is found in &nbsp;Genesis 32:7 : "Then Jacob ... divided the, people ( <i> ''''' ‛ām ''''' </i> ) that were with him, and the flocks ( <i> ''''' cō'n ''''' </i> ), and the herds ( <i> ''''' bāḳār ''''' </i> ), and the camels ( <i> ''''' gemallı̄m ''''' </i> ), into two companies ( <i> ''''' maḥănōth ''''' </i> )." For the last word the King James Version has "drove" in &nbsp;Genesis 33:8 , the Revised Version (British and American) "company." Next to <i> ''''' cō'n ''''' </i> , the word most commonly rendered "flock" in English Versions of the Bible is <i> ''''' ‛ēdher ''''' </i> , from root "to arrange," "to set in order." <i> ''''' ‛Ēdher ''''' </i> is rendered "herd" in &nbsp;Proverbs 27:23 , and in &nbsp;Joel 1:18 it occurs twice, being rendered "herds of cattle," <i> ''''' ‛edhrē bāḳār ''''' </i> , and "flocks of sheep," <i> ''''' ‛edhrē ha ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' cō'n ''''' </i> ̌ . <i> ''''' Miḳneh ''''' </i> is rendered "flock" in &nbsp;Numbers 32:26 , "herd" in &nbsp;Genesis 47:18 , and "cattle" in a large number of passages. Other words rendered "flock" are: <i> ''''' mar‛ı̄th ''''' </i> (r, <i> ''''' rā‛āh ''''' </i> (Arabic <i> ''''' ra‛a ''''' </i> ), "to pasture"), once in &nbsp;Jeremiah 10:21; <i> ''''' 'ashterōth cō'n ''''' </i> , "flocks of thy sheep," the Revised Version (British and American) "young of thy flock," in &nbsp;Deuteronomy 7:13 , etc., <i> ''''' ‛ashtārōth ''''' </i> being plural of <i> ''''' ‛ashtōreth ''''' </i> , or Ashtoreth; <i> ''''' ḥāsı̄ph ''''' </i> , once in &nbsp;1 Kings 20:27 : "The [[Children]] of Israel encamped before them (the Syrians) like two little flocks of kids," <i> ''''' ḥāsı̄ph ''''' </i> signifying "something stripped off or separated," from root <i> ''''' ḥāsaph ''''' </i> , "to strip" or "to peel," like the Arabic <i> ''''' ḳaṭı̄‛ ''''' </i> , "flock," from root <i> ''''' ḳaṭa‛ ''''' </i> , "to cut off"; ποίμνη , <i> ''''' poı́mnē ''''' </i> (&nbsp;Matthew 26:31 ): "The sheep of the flock shall be scattered," and (&nbsp;Luke 2:8 ): "keeping watch by night over their flock"; ποίμνιον , <i> ''''' poı́mnion ''''' </i> (&nbsp;Luke 12:32 ): "Fear not, little flock," and (&nbsp;1 Peter 5:2 ): "Tend the flock of God which is among you." </p> <p> Figurative: Not only <i> ''''' poimnē ''''' </i> and <i> ''''' poimnion ''''' </i> but also ר , <i> ''''' 'edher ''''' </i> and נ , <i> ''''' co'n ''''' </i> are used figuratively of God's people; e.g. &nbsp;Isaiah 40:11 : "He will feed his flock ( <i> ''''' ‛ēdher ''''' </i> ) like a shepherd"; &nbsp;Zechariah 10:3 : "Yahweh of hosts hath visited his flock (['edher), the house of Judah"; &nbsp; Isaiah 65:10 : "And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks" ( <i> ''''' cō'n ''''' </i> ); &nbsp;Jeremiah 23:2 : "Ye have scattered my flock" ( <i> ''''' cō'n ''''' </i> ); &nbsp;Ezekiel 34:22 : "Therefore will I save my flock" ( <i> ''''' cō'n ''''' </i> ); &nbsp;Micah 7:14 : "Feed ... the flock ( <i> ''''' cō'n ''''' </i> ) of thy heritage." </p> <p> The wild ox or wild bull, the Revised Version (British and American) "antelope" ( <i> ''''' te ō ''''' </i> or <i> ''''' tō ''''' </i> of &nbsp;Deuteronomy 14:5 and &nbsp; Isaiah 51:20 ), is considered by the writer to be probably the [[Arabian]] oryx, and in this he is in agreement with Tristram ( <i> NHB </i> ). Tristram however thinks that the unicorn ( <i> ''''' rēm ''''' </i> or <i> ''''' re'ēm ''''' </i> ), the Revised Version (British and American) "wild ox," was the aurochs, while the present writer believes that this also may well have been the oryx, which at the present day has at least three names in Arabic, one of which, <i> ''''' baḳar ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' ul ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' waḥsh ''''' </i> , means "wild ox." See [[Antelope]] . </p> <p> Our domestic cattle are believed by some of the best authorities to be of the same species as the ancient European wild ox or aurochs, <i> ''''' Bos taurus ''''' </i> , which is by others counted as a distinct species under the title of <i> ''''' Bos primigenius ''''' </i> . The aurochs was widely spread over Europe in Roman times, but is now extinct. Some degenerate wild cattle are preserved in some British parks, but these according to Lydekker in the <i> [[Royal]] Natural History </i> are probably feral descendants of early domestic breeds. Tristram cites the occurrence in the [[Dog]] River bone breccia of teeth which may be those of the aurochs, but this is a deposit accumulated by prehistoric man of an unknown antiquity to be variously estimated according to the predilections of the geologist at a few thousands or a few score of thousands of years, and is far from proving that this animal existed in Palestine in Bible times or at any time. </p> <p> The European bison ( <i> Bos </i> or <i> [[Bison]] bonassus </i> ) is thought by some to be the wild ox of the Bible. This is a forest-dwelling species and is now confined to the forests of [[Lithuania]] and the Caucasus. It was formerly more widely distributed, but there is no certain evidence that it ever lived as far South as Palestine, and there have probably never existed in Palestine forests suitable to be the haunts of this animal. </p> <p> About the Sea of [[Tiberias]] and the [[Jordan]] valley and in the plain of [[Coele-Syria]] there exist today Indian buffaloes ( <i> Bos bubalus </i> ) some feral and some in a state of domestication, which are believed to have been introduced in comparatively recent times. See Beast; [[Calf]] . </p>

<p> (the representative in various passages in the A.V. of the Hebrews words . '''''בְּהֵמָה''''' , ''Behemah '''''´''''' ,'' a large ''Quadruped'' in general, usually "beast", (See [[Behemoth]]); in &nbsp;Numbers 20:4, and &nbsp;Psalms 78:48, '''''בְּעַיר''''' , ''Be [['''''Ï''''' R]]  '''''´''''' ,'' grazing ''Animals,'' elsewhere "beast;" so the Gr. '''''Βοσκήματα''''' , as beingfd, &nbsp;2 [[Maccabees]] 12:11, or '''''Θρέμματα''''' '','' from being ''Reared,'' &nbsp;John 4:12; most frequently and characteristically '''''מַקְנֶה''''' , ''Mikneh '''''´''''' , Apossession,'' as sometimes rendered-from the fact that Oriental wealth ["substance," &nbsp;Job 1:3; &nbsp;Job 1:10] largely consisted in this kind of property; like the Gr. '''''Κτήνη''''' , as being ''Possessed,'' &nbsp;1 Maccabees 12:23; also idiomatically, '''''שֶׂה''''' , ''Seh,'' &nbsp;Genesis 30:32; &nbsp;Isaiah 7:25; &nbsp;Isaiah 43:23; &nbsp; Copyright StatementThese files are public domain. Bibliography InformationMcClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Cattle'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and [[Ecclesiastical]] Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/c/cattle.html. [[Harper]] & Brothers. New York. 1870. </p>