II. Small Cattle I 1. Sheep.— These are designated collectively by IKS, tson (a general term, like firiXov and peau, including also goats), singly by nlU, seh; while brt'J, rachd\ means euw; b^«, a'yW, wether (Chald. •nD'l, cfejfear'); "1?, hxr, a fiit pasture lamb; b!13, ^'6e«, a lamb of one to three years (comp. Ge- sen. Tkes. p. 659); nba, takh! (or -^ia, te/i'), a suck- ling or mUk-lamb; ti'^aTOa, miehnim' (" fktlings," 1 Sam. XV, 9), is Ai obscure term, possibly signifying two^ear-old lambs (o9e« secundarias^ Columella, Res Rust, vii, 8 ; comp. Bochart, Hienm. i, 469). Next to neat herds, sheep formed the most important staple of Oriental nomadic pursuits in AramsBa (Gen. xxix,
'x) and Palestine (Gen. xii, 16; xiii, 5; xx, 14;
xxi, 27 ; xxiv, 85 ; xxxii, 5 ; xxxiv, 28), as in ^rpt (Gen. xlvii, 17; Exod. ix, 8), Arabia Petrtea and De- serta (Exod. ii, 16, 19 ; iii, 1 ; Num. xxxi, 82 ; Isa. xxxiv, 6 ; Ix, 7), and Moabitis (2 Kings, iii, 4 ; Isa. xvi, 1). In military feuds between such tribes, we always find sheep mentioned among the booty of the victcvs (Num. xxxi, 82; Jos. vi, 21 ; 1 Sam. xiv, 82; xr, 3 sq. ; xxvii, 9 ; 1 Chron. v, 21, etc.). The same is still universally true of modem Bedouin Arabs, whose traf- fic in sheep (comp. Ezek. xxvi, 21) is their leading
Syriftn Slieep {Ovis Latieaudatny.
mark of prosperity and even, opulence (comp. Arvieux, iii, 182). The patriarchs had large flocks of sheep in Palestine, as later in Egypt or Goshen (Exod. x, 9, 24 ; compare Hengstenberg, Font. p. 5 sq.) ; also upon the occupation of Canaan by the Israelites, sheep-breeding continued to be the chief employment of a laiige part of the population down to the latest period, being car- ried on amid the numerous open tracts and hills of the country (Isa. vii, 25), many of which were productive of saline plants (comp. Deut. vii, 13 ; viii, 18 ; xxviii, 4'; Judg. vi, 4 ; 1 Sam. xxii, 19 ; 2 Sam. xii, 2; Prov. xxvii, 28; Eccl. ii, 7; Jer. iii, 24; v, 17; Hoe. v, 6; Joel i, 18 ; Judith viii, 6, etc.). There were rich owners of flocks (1 Sam. xxv, 2 ; 2 Sam. xii, 2 ; comp. Job i, 8 ; xiii, 12), and even kings had their shepherds (1 Chron. xxvii, 31 ; Amos vii, 1 ; compare 2 Chron. xxxii, 28), from whom they derived a revenue of sheep and wool as presents (2 Sam. xvii, 29 ; 1 Chron. xii, 40) or trib- ute (2 Kings iii, 4 ; Isa. xvi, 1). Among the regions most favorable for sheep-rearhig are mentioned the plain of Sharon (Isa. Ixv, 10), Mt. Carrael (Mic vu, 14), Bashan (Ezek. xxxix), and Gilead (Mic 1. c). The sheep in the patriarchal age were tended often- times by the daughters of the owners (Gen. xxix, 9 ; compare Exod. ii, 16) ; later by overseen or hired men (John X, 12) ; sometimes by the sons of the family (1 Sam. xvi, 11 ; xvii, 15). See Shepherd. The keep- en gave their sheep, especially the bell-wethers^ n^ ular names (John x, 8 ; compare Theocr. v, 102 sq. ; Aristot Anim, vi, 16 ; Longin. Pastor, v, 17 and 19), and familiarized these animals with their voice so as to fol- low them (comp. 2 Sam. xii, 2). The sheep roamed all summer in the open air, being folded only at night (Num. xxxii, 16 ; 2 Chron. xxxii, 28) in a pen (S^7'^i, gederah'; Talmud, 'Tl'l), where, in exposed positions, they were guarded by sentries (Luke ii, 8). In the daytime they appear to have been sometimes shelter- ed from the heat of the sun in caverns (ni'^S, Zepb. ii, 6 ; which, however, according to othen, si^ifies ovXypUs^ i. e. cisterns for watering the sheep). Shep- herds' dogs were indispensable (Job xxx, 1). Of the young, which sheep bear twice a year, the autumn lambs were considered the more vigorous (Varro, Ret Rust, ii, 2, 18; Colum. R. R. vii, 8; Pliny, viii, 72; comp. Hamaker, MisceU. Phaeme. p. 117 sq.). The flesh of the sheep, especially that of wethen and lambs,
CATTLE
165
CAUL
was, as with modem Arabs (WeDsted, Treat, p. 121), a highly esteemed food (1 Sam. xzv, 18 ; Isa. xxii, 13 ; AjDoe vi, 4 ; Tobit vii, 9 ; viii, 21), and was essential to a weU-spread board (1 Kings iv, 23; Keh. v, 18). The milk of sheep was also an article of calinary nse (Dent, xxzii, 14 ; comp. Diod. Sic. i, 18 ; Pliny xxviii, 38; Strabo, xvii, 836; Colum. R, ft. vii, 2; Dioscor. ii, 76). Sheep, especially Umbs and rams (q. v.), were a prominent animal in sacrifices (q. v.)i And a stock of them was often sacrilegioosly offered for sale in the Jewish temple (John ii,l4). The wool CIS^, termer, or ta, gez\ which, on account of the pastoring of the flock under the open sky, attained a high degree of fineness (as in Spain), was wrought into garments (LeT. xiii, 47 ; Deut. xxii, 11; Ezek. xxxiv, 3; Job xxxi, 20; Prov. xxvii, 26; xxxi,13), and the Israel- ites were obliged to pay tithes of this product (Deut. xriii, 4). SlMep-shearing (Gen. xxxviii, 12) was a nual fiosdve occasion (1 Sam. xxv, 4 ; 2 Sam. xiii, 23). As enemies of the shepherd are named the lion (Mic. V, 7), the bear (1 Sam. xvii, 84), and the wolf (Sirach xlfi, 21 ; Matt, x, 16 ; John x, 12 ; comp. Isa. xi, 6 ; Ixv, 26), which might easily carry off a single animal in the extensive and solitary pastures, although even this was often rescued by the sheep-tender (1 Sam. xvii, 84 sq.). See Lion. The sheep were ver}* liable also to stray in the wide pasturages (Psa. cix, 176 ; Isa. liii, 6; Hos. iv, 16 ; Matt xviii, 12). On the " rot," or disease peculiar to flocks, see Bochart, i, 696 ; Aris- tot. Afltm. ix, 3. The color of sheep is in the East generally white (Psa. cxlvii, 16 ; Isa. i, 18 ; Dan. vii, 9; Cant, vi, 6; Be v. i, 14; comp. Ezek. xxvii, 18); altiiough black (D^sn, dusky, Gen. xxx, 32) ones are also found (Colum. i^. 72. vii, 2 ; Pliny, viii, 73 ; comp. , Wellsted, i, 213 ; Ruppell, Ahsstin. il, 21), as well as spotted and grizzled (Gen. xxx, 32), peculiarities which shepherds knew how to produce artificially (Gen. XXX, 87 sq. ; Strabo, x, 449; Pliny, xxxi, 9; comp. Roflselini, Monwn, Civil, i, 246). See Jacob. A peculiar species of sheep {Ovis laticaudcUOy Linn.) is found m the East, with a long fat taU (n;;bK, ali/ah\ Arab. aljfcU, A. V. " rump ;" Lev. lii, 9 ; vii'', 8 ; viii, 26; ix, 19) of 10 to 16, and sometimes 40 to 60 pounds' weight, turned up at the end, and often drawn by the animal upon a board or small two-wheeled cart (Herod, ill, 118 ; Aristot. Anim. viii,^ ; Pliny, viii, 76 ; Diod. Sic. ii, 64; ^lian, Anim. iii, 3; x, 4; Olear. Persian, V, 8; Kampfer, Amoen. p. 606 sq. ; Lucas, Reise nach d, Lnante, p. 183 ; Russel, Aleppo^ ii, 8 ; Descript. de CEgi/pU, xxiii, 197 sq. ; Oedman, Samml, iv, 76 sq. ; comp. Korte, Reise^ p. 429 ; Robinson, Res, ii, 169, 180 ; Schubert, iil, 11||). That the same contrivance was customary with the Jews may be seen flrom the Mish- na {ShaHb. v, 4). This kind of sheep is farther distin- guished from the common species of the Bedouins by its tnmed-up nose, and long, pendent ears. On the Mosaic enactments respecting the rights of property in iheep (Exod. xxii ; Deut xxii), see above. Compare generally Bochart, Hieroz, i, 461 sq. ; Michaelis, Verm, S<hift. i, 118 sq. In Dan. viii the Persian empire (king) b personifled by a ram. See Persia. On this ^gure (which represents the subjects as a flock), see Lengerke, Darnel, p. 366 sq. Compare Sheep.