Sheep: Bleating of, Alluded To
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The bleating of sheep is a recurring motif in the Bible, often used to convey themes of innocence, vulnerability, and the need for guidance. The sound of sheep bleating is emblematic of their dependence on a shepherd, which serves as a powerful metaphor for the relationship between God and His people.

1. 1 Samuel 15:14 · In this passage, the prophet Samuel confronts King Saul after Saul disobeys God's command to completely destroy the Amalekites and their livestock. Samuel asks, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of cattle that I hear?" . The bleating of sheep here symbolizes Saul's disobedience and the incomplete execution of God's command. It serves as an auditory reminder of Saul's failure to fully submit to God's will.

2. Isaiah 53:7 · The prophet Isaiah uses the imagery of a sheep to describe the suffering servant, a messianic figure. "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth" . While the focus is on the silence of the sheep, the implicit contrast with the natural bleating highlights the servant's submission and willingness to endure suffering without protest.

3. John 10:3-4 · In the New Testament, Jesus uses the metaphor of sheep to describe His followers and Himself as the Good Shepherd. "The sheep hear his voice; he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice" . The bleating of sheep is not explicitly mentioned, but the passage implies the communication between the shepherd and his sheep, emphasizing the intimate relationship and trust between Christ and believers.

4. Psalm 23:1-2 · Although the bleating of sheep is not directly mentioned, the imagery of the Lord as a shepherd in this beloved psalm evokes the pastoral scene where sheep are present. "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters" . The tranquility of the scene suggests the absence of distress, which would be indicated by the bleating of sheep, thus underscoring the peace and provision found in God's care.

5. Matthew 25:32-33 · In the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus describes the final judgment where the righteous are separated from the unrighteous. "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left" . The distinction between sheep and goats, though not directly related to their bleating, highlights the characteristics of the faithful who follow the Shepherd's voice.

The bleating of sheep, while a simple and natural sound, is rich with theological significance throughout Scripture. It serves as a reminder of the human condition, the need for divine guidance, and the peace found in following the Good Shepherd.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Judges 5:16
Why stayed you among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Samuel 15:14
And Samuel said, What means then this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Resources
What is the meaning of the Parable of the Sheep and Goats? | GotQuestions.org

What is the meaning of the Parables of the Lost Sheep and Lost Coin? | GotQuestions.org

Why did Jesus tell Peter to "feed my sheep" in John 21? | GotQuestions.org

Sheep: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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Subtopics

Sheep

Sheep Gate

Sheep Gate: An Ancient Gate of Jerusalem

Sheep Market

Sheep Market of Jerusalem

Sheep of Backsliders

Sheep of Lost Sinners

Sheep of the Defenselessness of Servants of God (Greek: Diakonoi)

Sheep of the Jews

Sheep of the People of Christ

Sheep of the Righteous

Sheep of the Wicked in Their Death

Sheep of Those Under God's Judgment

Sheep Tending

Sheep were Frequently: Cut off by Disease

Sheep were Frequently: Destroyed by Wild Beasts

Sheep were Frequently: Given As Presents

Sheep were Frequently: Given As Tribute

Sheep were Frequently: Taken in Great Numbers in War

Sheep: (In Patience and Simplicity) of Patience, of Christ

Sheep: (In Proneness to Wander) of Those Who Depart from God

Sheep: (Lost) of the Unregenerate

Sheep: (Separation from the Goats) the Separation of Saints

Sheep: (When Found) Restored Sinners

Sheep: Agile

Sheep: Also: Bozrah

Sheep: Also: Jacob's Management of

Sheep: Also: Kedar

Sheep: Also: Nebaioth

Sheep: Also: Sharon

Sheep: Being Covered With a Fleece

Sheep: Bleating of, Alluded To

Sheep: Clean and Used As Food

Sheep: Constituted a Great Part of Patriarchal Wealth

Sheep: False Prophets Assume the Simple Appearance

Sheep: Feasting at the Time of Shearing

Sheep: Females of, Called Ewes

Sheep: Figurative

Sheep: First Wool of, Given to the Priests

Sheep: Firstlings of, Could not be Dedicated As a Free-Will offering

Sheep: Firstlings of, not to be Redeemed

Sheep: Firstlings of, not to be Shorn

Sheep: Flesh of, Extensively Used As Food

Sheep: Flocks of Attended by Members of the Family

Sheep: Flocks of Attended by Servants

Sheep: Flocks of Conducted to the Richest Pastures

Sheep: Flocks of Fed in the Valleys

Sheep: Flocks of Fed on the Mountains

Sheep: Flocks of Fled from Strangers

Sheep: Flocks of Followed the Shepherd

Sheep: Flocks of Frequently Covered the Pastures

Sheep: Flocks of Guarded by Dogs

Sheep: Flocks of Kept in Folds or Cotes

Sheep: Flocks of Made to Rest at Noon

Sheep: Flocks of Watered Every Day

Sheep: Innocent

Sheep: Males of Called Rams

Sheep: Milk of, Used As Food

Sheep: Milk of, Used for Food

Sheep: Offered in Sacrifice by Abel

Sheep: Offered in Sacrifice by Abraham

Sheep: Offered in Sacrifice by Noah

Sheep: Offered in Sacrifice from the Earliest Age

Sheep: Offered in Sacrifice Under the Law

Sheep: Parable of the Lost

Sheep: Places Celebrated For: Bashan

Sheep: Places Celebrated For: Bozrah

Sheep: Places Celebrated For: Kedar

Sheep: Places Celebrated For: Nebaioth

Sheep: Remarkably Prolific

Sheep: Sagacious

Sheep: Shearing of

Sheep: Skins of, Made Into a Covering for the Tabernacle

Sheep: Skins of, Worn As Clothing by the Poor

Sheep: The First Fleece of, Belonged to the Priests and the Levites

Sheep: The Land of Bashan Adapted to the Raising of

Sheep: Time of Shearing, a Time of Rejoicing

Sheep: Tithe of, Given to the Levites

Sheep: Tribute (Taxes) Paid In

Sheep: Under Man's Care from the Earliest Age

Sheep: Washed and Shorn Every Year

Sheep: Wool of, Made Into Clothing

Sheep: Young of, Called Lambs

Related Terms

Sheep-shearing (1 Occurrence)

Sheep-cote (2 Occurrences)

Sheep's (3 Occurrences)

Sheep-gate (2 Occurrences)

Sheep-shearers (3 Occurrences)

Sheep-farmer (1 Occurrence)

Sheep-master (1 Occurrence)

Sheep-folds (4 Occurrences)

Sheep-traders (1 Occurrence)

Sheep-'gate (1 Occurrence)

Sheep-keeper (1 Occurrence)

Sheep-cotes (1 Occurrence)

Sheep-keepers (1 Occurrence)

Sheep-skins (1 Occurrence)

Sheep-market (1 Occurrence)

Sheep-fold (1 Occurrence)

Mountain-sheep (1 Occurrence)

He-sheep (1 Occurrence)

Sheepfold (3 Occurrences)

Sheepcote (2 Occurrences)

Bethesda (1 Occurrence)

Kine (24 Occurrences)

Shear (5 Occurrences)

Sheepshearing

Shearing (6 Occurrences)

Pen (16 Occurrences)

Market (24 Occurrences)

Sacrificeth (22 Occurrences)

Plundered (44 Occurrences)

Shepherds (55 Occurrences)

Striking (25 Occurrences)

Calves (34 Occurrences)

Cow (32 Occurrences)

7000 (3 Occurrences)

Bondwomen (10 Occurrences)

Baal-hazor (1 Occurrence)

Sheepmaster (1 Occurrence)

Sheepfolds (9 Occurrences)

Sees (135 Occurrences)

Keeper (72 Occurrences)

Attacks (45 Occurrences)

Donkeys (71 Occurrences)

Asses (68 Occurrences)

Keepers (78 Occurrences)

Cared (25 Occurrences)

Door (249 Occurrences)

Pushed (28 Occurrences)

Camels (52 Occurrences)

Value (138 Occurrences)

Kills (38 Occurrences)

Donkey (84 Occurrences)

Dark-colored (4 Occurrences)

Doorkeeper (8 Occurrences)

Menservants (19 Occurrences)

Pens (8 Occurrences)

Bleat (1 Occurrence)

Baalhazor (1 Occurrence)

Beeves (6 Occurrences)

Bleating (1 Occurrence)

Calls (62 Occurrences)

Calleth (261 Occurrences)

Curds (9 Occurrences)

Abandons (2 Occurrences)

Accountable (10 Occurrences)

Doesn't (300 Occurrences)

Straying (5 Occurrences)

Sells (14 Occurrences)

Suckling (19 Occurrences)

Stolen (28 Occurrences)

Scatters (12 Occurrences)

Spotted (9 Occurrences)

Speckled (9 Occurrences)

Snatches (5 Occurrences)

Sheepskin

She-asses (7 Occurrences)

Steals (7 Occurrences)

Abroad (120 Occurrences)

Accounted (32 Occurrences)

Sheep: Being Covered With a Fleece
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