Matthew 8 · Verse 30

Matthew 8:30

And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.
Matthew 8:30, King James Version

Matthew 8:30 in other translations

BSBIn the distance a large herd of pigs was feeding.
WEBNow there was a herd of many pigs feeding far away from them.
ASVNow there was afar off from them a herd of many swine feeding.
YLTAnd there was far off from them a herd of many swine feeding,
DARBYNow there was, a great way off from them, a herd of many swine feeding;
BBENow there was, some distance away, a great herd of pigs taking their food.
WebsterAnd there was a good way off from them a herd of many swine, feeding.

What does Matthew 8:30 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 30. An herd of many swine. The word herd, here applied to swine, is now commonly given to cattle. Formerly it signified any collection of beasts, or even of men. The number that composed this herd was two thousand, Mk 5:13.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 30 A herd of many swine - These were in all probability Jewish property, and kept and used in express violation of the law of God; and therefore their destruction, in the next verse, was no more than a proper manifestation of the justice of God.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 8:28-34

The devils have nothing to do with Christ as a Saviour; they neither have, nor hope for any benefit from him. Oh the depth of this mystery of Divine love; that fallen man has so much to do with Christ, when fallen angels have nothing to do with him! He 2:16. Surely here was torment, to be forced to own the excellence that is in Christ, and yet they had no part in him. The devils desire not to have any thing to do…

Read the full comment on Matthew 8:28-34 →

Matthew 8:30 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἦνēnThere wasG1510
δὲdenowG1161
μακρὰνmakranfar offG3112
ἀπ᾽ap᾽fromG575
αὐτῶνautōnthemG846
ἀγέληagelēa herdG34
χοίρωνchoirōnof pigsG5519
πολλῶνpollōnmanyG4183
βοσκομένη.boskomenēfeeding.G1006

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 8:30

  • Leviticus 11:7

    And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.

  • Deuteronomy 14:8

    And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.

  • Isaiah 65:3-4

    A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;

  • Mark 5:11

    Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.

  • Isaiah 66:3

    He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.

  • Luke 8:32

    And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.

  • Luke 15:15-16

    And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
an.
Le 11:7; De 14:8; Isa 65:3,4; 66:3; Mr 5:11; Lu 8:32; 15:15,16

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 8:29

    And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

  • Matthew 8:30

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

  • Matthew 8:31

    So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

Read all of Matthew 8

Matthew 8:30 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y estaba lejos de ellos un hato de muchos puercos paciendo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il y avait, loin d’eux, un grand troupeau de pourceaux qui paissait.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Es war aber fern von ihnen eine Herde vieler Schweine, welche weidete.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Erat autem non longe ab illis grex multorum porcorum pascens.