Biblical Lexicon

βόσκω G1006

V-PNA | 9× in 2 senses

To feed or tend livestock (said of the herdsman); in middle/passive, to graze or be feeding (said of the animals).

A pastoral word rooted in the ancient world of herding and animal care. In the active voice, it describes the work of the herdsman — tending and feeding the flock or herd. The swineherds were 'feeding' pigs when the Gadarene demoniac episode unfolded (Matt 8:33; Mark 5:14; Luke 8:34), and Jesus commissions Peter to 'feed my lambs' (John 21:15), lifting the word into the realm of spiritual shepherding. Spanish apacentar and German weiden perfectly capture this pastoral care. In the middle or passive voice, the perspective shifts to the animals themselves: pigs were 'grazing' on the hillside (Matt 8:30; Mark 5:11; Luke 8:32), contentedly feeding before the dramatic encounter.

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Senses

1. feed, tend (active: of the herdsman) — To feed or tend as a herdsman — the active work of caring for animals or, metaphorically, people entrusted to one's care. Swineherds were feeding (βόσκοντες) pigs near the Sea of Galilee (Matt 8:33; Mark 5:14; Luke 8:34), and the prodigal son was sent to feed (βόσκειν) pigs in a far country (Luke 15:15). Jesus' command to Peter, 'Feed (βόσκε) my lambs' (John 21:15), elevates the term from literal animal husbandry to spiritual shepherding. Spanish apacentar, French paître, and German weiden all preserve the pastoral imagery. 6×

ANIMALS › Animal Husbandry, Fishing › Shepherding and Tending

AR["ارْعَ", "الرُّعاةُ", "الرّعاةُ", "رعاةُ", "لِيَرْعَى"]·ben["চরাইকারীরা", "চরাও", "চরাচ্ছিল", "চরাতে", "পালকেরা"]·DE["weiden", "βόσκειν", "βόσκοντες"]·EN["feed", "feeding", "ones-feeding", "to-feed"]·FR["paître"]·heb["הָרוֹעִים", "לִרְעוֹת", "רְעֵה", "רוֹעִים"]·HI["चरवाहों-ने", "चरा", "चराने", "चरानेवाले", "झुण्ड"]·ID["Gembalakanlah", "menggembalakan", "penjaga"]·IT["pascere"]·jav["Engen", "ingkang-ngengen", "juru-angon", "ngengon", "wong-ngengon"]·KO["먹여라", "먹이는-자들", "먹이는-자들이", "먹이던-자들이", "먹이려고"]·PT["Apascenta", "para-apascentar", "que-apascentavam"]·RU["Паси", "пасти", "пастухи", "пасущие"]·ES["Apacienta", "a-apacentar", "pastoreando", "que-apacentaban"]·SW["Lisha", "kulisha", "wachunga", "waliolisha", "waliowachunga"]·TR["Otlat", "güdenler", "güdenleri", "güdücler", "gütmek"]·urd["چرا", "چرانے", "چرانے-والوں", "چرانے-والے"]

Matt 8:33, Mark 5:14, Luke 8:34, Luke 15:15, John 21:15, John 21:17

2. feed, graze (middle/passive: of the animals) — To graze or be feeding — said of the animals themselves in the middle or passive voice, describing livestock eating in a field or on a hillside. A large herd of pigs was feeding (βοσκομένη) on the mountain when the demons begged to enter them (Matt 8:30; Mark 5:11; Luke 8:32). The shift from active (herdsman feeds) to middle/passive (animals feed themselves) is a natural voice distinction that Spanish captures with the reflexive alimentándose ('feeding themselves') and paciendo ('grazing'). 3×

ANIMALS › Animal Husbandry, Fishing › Shepherding and Tending

AR["تَرعى", "تَرْعى"]·ben["চরছিল", "চরছে"]·DE["weiden", "βοσκομένη"]·EN["feeding"]·FR["paître"]·heb["רוֹעֶה"]·HI["चरता-हुआ", "चरती-थी"]·ID["makan", "sedang-makan", "sedang-mencari-makan"]·IT["pascere"]·jav["dipun-angon", "dipun-engen", "padha-dikemban;"]·KO["먹고-있는", "먹이를-먹고-있는", "풀-먹고-있는;"]·PT["pastando", "pastando;"]·RU["пасущееся"]·ES["alimentándose", "paciendo"]·SW["linachunga;", "wakilisha;", "waliolishwa"]·TR["otlayan", "otlayan,", "otlayan;"]·urd["چر-رہا-تھا", "چر-رہے-تھے", "چرتا-ہوا"]

Matt 8:30, Mark 5:11, Luke 8:32

BDB / Lexicon Reference

βόσκω, imperfect ἔβοσκον, Epic dialect βόσκε Refs 8th c.BC+: future -ήσωRefs 8th c.BC+: aorist ἐβόσκησα Refs: perfect βεβόσκηκα Refs 3rd c.BC+ —passive and middle Refs; Ionic dialect imperfect βοσκέσκοντο Refs 8th c.BC+future βοσκήσομαι Sarap. in Refs 1st c.AD+, Doric dialect βοσκησεῦμαι Refs 3rd c.BC+: aorist ἐβοσκήθην Refs 2nd c.BC+ __I properly of herdsmen, feed, tend, αἰπόλια Refs 8th c.BC+;…