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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comFausset Bible Dictionary: Sheep
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. Abounded in the pastures of Palestine. Shepherds go before them and call them by name to follow (; ; ). The ordinary sheep are the broad tailed sheep, and the Ovis aries, like our own except that the tail is longer and thicker, and the ears larger; called bedoween. Centuries B.C. Aristotle mentions Syrian sheep with tails a cubit wide. The fat tail is referred to in ; . The Syrian cooks use the mass of fat instead of the rancid Arab butter.
The sheep symbolizes meekness, patience, gentleness, and submission (; ). (See LAMB.) Tsown means sheep"; ayil, the full-grown "ram," used for the male of other ruminants also; rachel, the adult "ewe"; kebes (masculine), kibsah (feminine), the half grown lamb; seh, "sheep" or paschal "lamb"; char, "young ram"; taleh, "sucking lamb"; 'atod (Genesis 31 "ram") means "he-goat"; imrin, "lambs for sacrifice."
The sheep never existed in a wild state, but was created expressly for man, and so was selected from the first for sacrifice. The image is frequent in Scripture: Jehovah the Shepherd, His people the flock (; ; -2; Ezekiel 34). Sinners are the straying sheep whom the Good Shepherd came to save (; ; ; -6; ; ). False teachers are thieves and wolves in sheep's clothing (). None can pluck His sheep from His hand and the Father's (-29).