# 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:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**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 6, 2018, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/41 "2018-08-06T18:48:41Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > \ > > 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.” Sorry, I screwed up. That should be: “And the **pig baron** said unto them:” Also; would “swine baron” work better than “pig baron?” I’m trying to go for a porcine-based analog to “cattle baron.” ---
**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 6, 2018, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/42 "2018-08-06T18:50:04Z")
> [@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) > [@gnoitall](#): > > I’m not saying it was alien pigs, but it was alien pigs. Maybe they were refugee pigs… ---
**Author:** ![Caelun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@Caelun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caelun)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/43 "2018-09-22T07:11:26Z")
I have often wondered why Swine herders existed in ancient Israel. I have come to the conclusion that Romans enjoyed a hog roast. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/44 "2018-09-22T21:59:16Z")
> [@Jurph](#): > > Definitely. Touching the skin of a pig makes you unclean, per Leviticus 11:7. So no prominent Jewish players in the early days of football? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/45 "2018-09-22T23:05:23Z")
Spite. My childhood rabbi’s son grew up to be the owner of a pig farm. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/46 "2018-09-22T23:57:31Z")
> [@Caelun](#): > > I have often wondered why Swine herders existed in ancient Israel. > I have come to the conclusion that Romans enjoyed a hog roast. Quite. Not to mention delicious otters’ noses, larks’ tongues, fried bats, dromedary pretzels, wolves’ nipples, and other traditional snacks. None of which grow on trees. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/47 "2018-09-24T18:15:57Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > For example, carrier pigs to send messages. I understand Amazon is testing using them for delivering packages, since they can fly with a bigger load than pigeons can. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/48 "2018-09-24T18:27:01Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > I understand Amazon is testing using them for delivering packages, since they can fly with a bigger load than pigeons can. They can probably also carry coconuts, which are likely beyond the carrying capacity of swallows, as well. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/49 "2018-09-24T18:45:16Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > They can probably also carry coconuts, which are likely beyond the carrying capacity of swallows, as well. Q: African or European feral pigs? A: Well, actually in the Holy Land they’d be Asian… aaaarrrgghhhh! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/50 "2018-09-24T18:50:59Z")
> [@New2Dope](#): > > Basically, it’s biblical, geographic and historical evidence supporting the idea that Jesus traveled to Spain for this pig episode. In that case, I don’t think I’ll spend forty-five minutes watching it. ---
**Author:** ![fedman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/278dde/32.png) [@fedman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/51 "2018-09-25T18:02:40Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Well, Jews do control the media. Just what we need, hateful anti-Semitic racist lies ---
**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:** [September 25, 2018, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bible-question-why-were-there-herds-of-swine-in-ancient-israel-at-the-time-of-jesus/653051/52 "2018-09-25T19:57:27Z")
Lighten up, Francis. [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=2)