Darby Bible
Luke 2:8
8And there were shepherds in that country abiding without, and keeping watch by night over their flock.
Luke 2:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
- New International Version (NIV)And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Context of Luke 2:8
6And it came to pass, while they were there, the days of her giving birth [to her child] were fulfilled, 7and she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him up in swaddling-clothes and laid him in the manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds in that country abiding without, and keeping watch by night over their flock. 9And lo, an angel of [the] Lord was there by them, and [the] glory of [the] Lord shone around them, and they feared [with] great fear. 10And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I announce to you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people;
Read all of Luke 2Luke 2:8 word by word
Καὶ ποιμένες ἦσαν ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ τῇ αὐτῇ ἀγραυλοῦντες καὶ φυλάσσοντες φυλακὰς τῆς νυκτὸς ἐπὶ τὴν ποίμνην αὐτῶν.Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Luke 2:8
- Genesis 31:39What was torn I have not brought to thee; I had to bear the loss of it: of my hand hast thou required it, [whether] stolen by day or stolen by night.
- Exodus 3:1And Moses tended the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock behind the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God — to Horeb.
- 1 Samuel 17:34And David said to Saul, Thy servant fed his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and also a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock.
- Psalms 78:70And he chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
- Ezekiel 34:8[As] I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, verily because my sheep have been a prey, and my sheep have been meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, and my shepherds searched not for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock,
- John 10:8All whoever came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them.
Commentaries on Luke 2:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8There were - shepherds abiding in the field - There is no intimation here that these shepherds were exposed to the open air. They dwelt in the fields where they had their sheep penned up; but they undoubtedly had tents or booths under which they dwelt. Keeping watch - by night - Or, as in the margin, keeping the watches of the night, i.e. each one keeping a watch (which ordinarily consisted of three hours) in his turn. The reason why they watched them in…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8The same country - Round about Bethlehem. Shepherds - Men who tended flocks of sheep. Abiding in the field - Remaining out of doors, under the open sky, with their flocks. This was commonly done. The climate was mild, and, to keep their flocks from straying, they spent the night with them. It is also a fact that the Jews sent out their flocks into the mountainous and desert regions during the summer months, and took them up in the latter part of October…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-20Verses 8-20 Angels were heralds of the new-born Saviour, but they were only sent to some poor, humble, pious, industrious shepherds, who were in the business of their calling, keeping watch over their flock. We are not out of the way of Divine visits, when we are employed in an honest calling, and abide with God in it. Let God have the honour of this work; Glory to God in the highest. God's good-will to men, manifested in sending the Messiah, redounds to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Shepherds were sometimes described in Judaism as wandering people and even as dishonest troublemakers. However, this view was not the same everywhere. In the Old Testament, shepherds are often seen in a positive way (for example, Psalm 23:1). Jesus came to people like these, who were ordinary, poor, and humble. residing in the fields: This detail suggests a warmer time of year, perhaps from March to November, although some shepherds stayed outside all…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-208. abiding in the fields--staying there, probably in huts or tents. watch ... by night--or, night watches, taking their turn of watching. From about passover time in April until autumn, the flocks pastured constantly in the open fields, the shepherds lodging there all that time. (From this it seems plain that the period of the year usually assigned to our Lord's birth is too late). Were these shepherds chosen to have the first sight of the blessed Babe…Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 2:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Luke 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Darby Bible — 1889 — Public Domain
Commentaries