# A Bible question: Why were there herds of swine in ancient Israel at the time of Jesus? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 15, 2013, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051 "2013-03-15T22:07:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/21 "2013-03-16T02:32:07Z")
For example, carrier pigs to send messages. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/22 "2013-03-16T02:56:53Z")
Isn’t it possible that enough Jews at the time ignored dietary rules to make swine herding profitable? The best pork I was ever served was in a Morrocan valley renowned for it. I shared such a meal with several Muslims who were quite open about this small vice (“Petit péché” I think is the term I heard used with one’s finger and thumb slightly apart - Morrocans use the same gesture when they confide to Westerners that they are occasional drinkers.) ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/23 "2013-03-16T04:20:47Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > The Bible shows that they weren’t feral: > > Matthew 8:32-33 (KJV) > 32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. > > 33 And they that kept them (“those tending the pigs” in the NIV) fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. Deviled Ham, yummy. 😛 I can’t be the only one to think this. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/24 "2013-03-16T04:40:48Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > So, the vast majority of the time during Jesus’ public ministry, he is traveling to mostly Jewish settlements around the Sea of Galilee (which is in the north) but also entering towns that are mixed Jewish and Samaritan and Gentile. Remember, “Caesarea Philipi” is a Greek settlement. And “the Decapolis” is Roman. I was gonna add: Don’t forget the country was kind of under [pagan management](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire) at the time. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/25 "2013-03-16T04:59:11Z")
> [@Foggy](#): > > Deviled Ham, yummy. 😛 There’s a cure for that. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/26 "2013-03-16T05:23:46Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > I was gonna add: Don’t forget the country was kind of under [pagan management](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire) at the time. > > 😃 Bacon! Another thing the Romans did for them… ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/27 "2013-03-16T08:31:03Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > There’s a cure for that. You never made a rasher statement. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/28 "2013-03-16T15:58:33Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > For example, carrier pigs to send messages. Well, Jews do control the media. ---
**Author:** ![C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C.Montgomery_Burns)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/29 "2013-03-16T18:44:04Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > I was gonna add: Don’t forget the country was kind of under [pagan management](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire) at the time. > > 😃 I was going to say, Israel was under Roman rule at Jesus’ time. There was a sufficient Roman presence to support a non kosher swine industry. See the mention of several Roman centurions. Men who were in command of 100 soldiers. They had to be fed. And there were Greeks living there- there were tensions between Greek Christians and Jewish Christians in the early Jerusalem church. The Greeks not keeping kosher was one of the causes of those tensions. The presence of these non Jews and their blatant disregard for Jewish traditions was a cause for several revolts and a general hatred for the occupiers. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@Bob\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_X)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/30 "2013-03-16T18:47:05Z")
> [@Foggy](#): > > Deviled Ham, yummy. 😛 > I can’t be the only one to think this. My buddy always used to say that story sounded like “hogwash” ---
**Author:** ![New2Dope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac8455/32.png) [@New2Dope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New2Dope)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/31 "2018-08-04T21:04:33Z")
Someone turned me on to this video. Most of it made sense to me. I really appreciate your question. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/PK9KA3oPJAg/maxresdefault.jpg "Jesus Christ voyaged to Spain") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK9KA3oPJAg) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/32 "2018-08-04T21:18:34Z")
45 minutes long. Summary? Are you sure that’s not your channel? ---
**Author:** ![New2Dope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac8455/32.png) [@New2Dope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New2Dope)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/33 "2018-08-04T21:41:48Z")
Basically, it’s biblical, geographic and historical evidence supporting the idea that Jesus traveled to Spain for this pig episode. It’s a history Channel thing but I’m not sure who’s youtube account the link is from. Also, the prodigal son goes off to a distant country (Luke 15:13). So that’s probably not Palestine. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/34 "2018-08-04T22:11:38Z")
NB: Judea. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/35 "2018-08-04T22:18:18Z")
The video is probably something like [this](http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-lost-tribe-of-gad-found/). ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/36 "2018-08-04T22:29:47Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Matthew 8:32-33 (KJV) > 32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. > > 33 And they that kept them (“those tending the pigs” in the NIV) fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. So did Jesus pay compensation to the owners of these pigs? “Thou shalt not steal”, you know. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2018, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/37 "2018-08-05T15:18:07Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > The Bible shows that they weren’t feral: > > Matthew 8:32-33 (KJV) > 32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. > > 33 And they that kept them (“those tending the pigs” in the NIV) fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. …34 And when once they had told everyone in the city about every thing that had happened, they went unto the pig baron of Nazareth and related unto him their explanation of where his pigs had gotten to. 35 And the pig baron sayeth unto them: “Describe ye this man who casts demons into other people’s livestock.” And they did describe unto him the visage of Jesus. 36 And the pig baron sayeth unto them: “Wait a minute. That sounds like the same guy who cursed my fig tree to death!” 37 And they that had (until that morning) tendendedeth the swine marveled at the small world which would see the same man doing both of those things. 38 And Jesus did say unto them: “Thou idiots, it’s no coincidence. Clearly, this guy isn’t a fan of us Gentiles. He’s getting to be a pain in mine ass; thou hadst better take care of him.” ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2018, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/38 "2018-08-05T19:33:17Z")
> [@New2Dope](#): > > Basically, it’s biblical, geographic and historical evidence supporting the idea that Jesus traveled to Spain for this pig episode. It’s a history Channel thing but I’m not sure who’s youtube account the link is from. > > Also, the prodigal son goes off to a distant country (Luke 15:13). So that’s probably not Palestine. Knowing the standards of the History Channel, we’re talking biblical, geographic and historical “evidence”. > **[History of Zombies - Origins, Pop Culture & Film](https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/history-of-zombies)** > > Unlike many other monsters—which are mostly a product of superstition, religion and fear— zombies have a basis in fact, and several verified cases of zombies have been reported from Haitian voodoo culture. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/39 "2018-08-06T17:28:37Z")
> [@naita](#): > > Knowing the standards of the History Channel, we’re talking biblical, geographic and historical “evidence”. > > [History of Zombies - Origins, Pop Culture & Film](https://www.history.com/topics/history-of-zombies) I’m not saying it was alien pigs, but it was alien pigs. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/40 "2018-08-06T18:09:29Z")
Pigs are worth money. Why would you not want to raise them? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051.md?page=3)