Herding

People in the time of Jesus had to make money to provide for their families, and one occupation that was fulfilled was Herding.

The Bible describes the many different kinds of jobs people had in the ancient world, but caring for land and animals are two of the central jobs mentioned. Genesis reports that one of Adam and Eve's sons herded sheep while the other farmed the land. The earliest ancestors of the people of Israel, including Abraham and Sarah, traveled from place to place and survived by keeping herds and flocks of animals. Another piece of evidence for the importance of herding and farming in ancient Israelite society is that the Bible gives special instructions about eating, sacrificing animals, and sacrificing grain.

Keeping herds of animals like sheep and goats was common among the many generations of the people of Israel. At first, these herders (shepherds) were wandering nomads who lived in tents and had very little personal property. They moved from place to place, always trying to find food and water for their animals. They survived by eating the meat and drinking the milk produced by their flocks. They used the animals' wool and hides to make clothes and other things, including the tents they lived in.