Matthew 8:30

 Matthew 8:30

And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.

a. ASV: Now there was afar off from them a herd of many swine feeding. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: And there was far off from them a herd of many swine feeding, [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: Now at some distance from there a drove of many hogs was grazing. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Peshitta Eastern Text: Now there was near by them a large herd of swine feeding. [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

e. NLT: There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding in the distance. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

1. “And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.”

a. And [Strong: 1161. de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. [there] was [Strong: 2258. en ane imperfect of 1510; I (thou, etc.) was (wast or were):--+ agree, be, X have (+ charge of), hold, use, was(-t), were.]

c. [a] good way off [Strong: 3112. makran mak-ran' feminine accusative case singular of 3117 (3598 being implied); at a distance (literally or figuratively):--(a-)far (off), good (great) way off.]

d. from [Strong: 575. apo apo' a primary particle; "off," i.e. away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative):--(X here-)after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for(-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-)on(-ce), since, with. In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.]

e. them [Strong: 846. autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

f. [an] herd [Strong: 34. agele ag-el'-ay from 71 (compare 32); a drove:--herd.]

g. [of] many [Strong: 4183. polus pol-oos' including the forms from the alternate pollos; (singular) much (in any respect) or (plural) many; neuter (singular) as adverbial, largely; neuter (plural) as adverb or noun often, mostly, largely:--abundant, + altogether, common, + far (passed, spent), (+ be of a) great (age, deal, -ly, while), long, many, much, oft(-en (-times)), plenteous, sore, straitly.]

h. swine [Strong: 5519. choiros khoy'-ros of uncertain derivation; a hog:--swine.]

i. feeding [Strong: 1006. bosko bos'-ko a prolonged form of a primary verb (compare 977, 1016); to pasture; by extension to, fodder; reflexively, to graze:--feed, keep.]

1). J. Vernon McGee: Here Jesus is in Gadara, as it is called today. The people living here were from the tribe of Gad.

2). These are the descendants of the tribe of Gad that stayed on the east side of the Jordan River (Numbers 34:1-15; Joshua 13:24-27). 

3). They became pig farmers. This was forbidden under the Mosaic Law.

a). Mark 5:11  Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.

b). Leviticus 11:7, 8 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.

11:8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.

4). When they first entered Canaan they were cattlemen.

a). Numbers 32:1-5  Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;

32:2 The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying,

32:3 Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,

32:4 Even the country which the Lord smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle:

32:5 Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan.