In biblical times, grazing was a common practice for sustaining livestock, which played a crucial role in the agrarian society of ancient Israel and surrounding regions. The term "grazed" refers to the act of animals feeding on grass and other vegetation in pastures. This practice is frequently mentioned in the Bible, highlighting its importance in the daily life and economy of the people.

Biblical References:

1. Genesis 13:5-6 : "Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were unable to stay together." This passage illustrates the abundance of livestock owned by Abram and Lot, necessitating ample grazing land to sustain their animals.

2. Psalm 23:1-2 : "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 imagery of green pastures signifies God's provision and care, akin to a shepherd ensuring his flock has sufficient grazing.

3. 1 Samuel 25:2 : "Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel, and he was very wealthy, owning a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel." This verse highlights the wealth associated with large herds, which required extensive grazing lands.

4. Job 1:3 : "He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and he had a large number of servants. Job was the greatest man of all the people of the East." Job's vast herds underscore the significance of grazing in maintaining such wealth and status.

Cultural and Historical Context:

Grazing was not only essential for the sustenance of livestock but also for the livelihood of the people. Shepherds and herdsmen were responsible for leading their flocks to suitable pastures, often moving them seasonally to find fresh grazing grounds. This nomadic lifestyle is reflected in the lives of the patriarchs, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who frequently moved their tents and herds.

The availability of grazing land often determined the prosperity of a region. Fertile areas with abundant pastures were highly sought after, sometimes leading to conflicts, as seen in the disputes between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot (Genesis 13:7).

Theological Significance:

In Scripture, grazing is often used metaphorically to describe God's care and provision for His people. The imagery of God as a shepherd leading His flock to green pastures is a powerful representation of His guidance and sustenance. This metaphor is further developed in the New Testament, where Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), emphasizing His role in providing spiritual nourishment and protection.

The practice of grazing also serves as a reminder of the dependence of humanity on God's creation. The land's ability to support livestock through grazing is a testament to God's provision and the interconnectedness of His creation.(imp. & p. p.) of Graze.7462a. raah -- to pasture, tend, graze
... 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), grazing ...
/hebrew/7462a.htm - 6k

1197b. baar -- to be brutish
... Word Origin denominative verb from beir Definition to be brutish NASB Word Usage
become stupid (2), brutal (1), grazed (1), grazes (1), senseless (1), stupid (3 ...
/hebrew/1197b.htm - 5k

Chapter xli
... was dreaming, and, lo, he was standing by the side of the Nile; and, lo, from the
Nile there were coming up seven beautiful fat cows, and they grazed among the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xli.htm

On Psalm Lxxvii. Or Lxxviii.
... destroyed utterly their vines and sycamines first of all, which were entirely unable
to stand out against the first attack; then the cattle which grazed on the ...
/.../the extant works and fragments of hippolytus/on psalm lxxvii or lxxviii.htm

"What Soft Hair He Has"
... Kill him at once!". By how gentle degrees does God prepare us for His will!
Two years ago a piece of brick grazed my shoulders. It ...
/.../wesley/the journal of john wesley/what soft hair he has.htm

Gethsemane, the Oil-Press
... He knew the limits of human endurance, for 'all things were made by Him,'
and, knowing it, He saw that He had grazed the very edge. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/gethsemane the oil-press.htm

Letter ii.
... And as when one has attempted to stay a fierce lion, and has only grazed his skin,
he has done him no injury but only stirred him up the more against himself ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chrysostom/on the priesthood/letter ii.htm

Letter i. To Innocent.
... strength into his bared arm, the moment it touched her flesh the fatal blade stopped
short, and, lightly glancing over the skin, merely grazed it sufficiently ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter i to innocent.htm

Malachy's Pity for his Deceased Sister. He Restores the Monastery ...
... And indeed his tunic was rent from the top to the bottom,[304] but the man himself
was found unhurt, the skin so very slightly grazed that scarcely a trace ...
/.../chapter ii malachys pity for.htm

The Doomed Three
... Again the executioner lifted his two-handed sword; again he arrested the blow
in mid-air, and only grazed the neck of the Consular. Rise! ...
/.../chapter xxxi the doomed three.htm

The Conversion of Saul of Tarsus
... general terms, it would have glanced off from the heart of the apostle; it could
have been like an arrow which had missed the mark, and barely grazed the skin ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the conversion of saul of.htm

A Bottle in the Smoke
... sir, he struck me a most tremendous blow." "Well, but where did he strike you?"
"Well, sir, he did not hit me; it only just grazed me." Of course the judge ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/a bottle in the smoke.htm

Grazed (3 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Graze. Multi-Version Concordance
Grazed (3 Occurrences). Genesis 41:2 And, behold, there ...
/g/grazed.htm - 7k

Graze (11 Occurrences)
... 3. (vt) To tend (cattle, etc.) while grazing. 4. (vt) To rub or touch lightly the
surface of (a thing) in passing; as, the bullet grazed the wall. ...
/g/graze.htm - 10k

Grazes (2 Occurrences)

/g/grazes.htm - 7k

Broken (559 Occurrences)
... 12:6); kathath = "to bruise or violently strike," "break in pieces" (Isaiah 30:14);
Jeremiah 2:16 should evidently be rendered: "have grazed on the crown of ...
/b/broken.htm - 39k

Abigal (1 Occurrence)
... Nabal grazed his flocks in or along the Southern Wilderness, where David and his
men protected them from marauding tribes, so that not a sheep was lost. ...
/a/abigal.htm - 10k

Abigail (18 Occurrences)
... Nabal grazed his flocks in or along the Southern Wilderness, where David and his
men protected them from marauding tribes, so that not a sheep was lost. ...
/a/abigail.htm - 17k

Polygamy
... The war steed grazed in the fertile meads, Drinking the waters of indolent streams:
He rested at eve on bloom-dight beds, Toyed with by maidens in the ...
/p/polygamy.htm - 19k

Grazed: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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