Bible Dictionary
Field
A field was cultivated or pasture land, generally unenclosed and often contrasted with a vineyard, garden, wilderness, or walled settlement. Fields could also refer broadly to woodland, mountain land, or the open country.
Definition
A field was cultivated ground or pasture, usually unenclosed. The word could also denote woodland, a mountain top, a cultivated region opposed to wilderness, or open country remote from a house. Unwalled villages and scattered houses could likewise be described as being in the fields.
Biblical Usage
Biblical fields appear as places of cultivation, pasture, habitation, and open country. The term is also contrasted with vineyards, gardens, walled towns, and wilderness.
Historical Background
Because fields commonly lacked fences, their plots were marked by stones and were vulnerable to damage from wandering cattle or fire. This required watchfulness over flocks, herds, and cultivated land.
Scripture References
Genesis 29:2
Genesis 31:4
Genesis 34:7
Genesis 37:7
Genesis 47:24
Psalms 132:6
Judges 9:32
Judges 9:36
2 Samuel 1:21
Genesis 33:19
Genesis 36:35
Deuteronomy 28:3
Deuteronomy 28:16
Leviticus 25:31
Mark 6:36
Mark 6:56
Genesis 4:8
Leviticus 14:7
Leviticus 14:53
Genesis 23:13
Genesis 23:17
Leviticus 27:16
Ruth 4:5
Nehemiah 12:29
Genesis 24:63
Genesis 22:25
Genesis 25:27
Job 24:2
Proverbs 22:28
Proverbs 23:10
Exodus 22:5
Exodus 22:6
2 Samuel 14:30
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
(Heb. sadeh), a cultivated field, but unenclosed. It is applied to any cultivated ground or pasture (Gen. 29:2; 31:4; 34:7), or tillage (Gen. 37:7; 47:24). It is also applied to woodland (Ps. 132:6) or mountain top (Judg. 9:32, 36; 2 Sam. 1:21). It denotes sometimes a cultivated region as opposed to the wilderness (Gen. 33:19; 36:35). Unwalled villages or scattered houses are spoken of as “in the fields” (Deut. 28:3, 16; Lev. 25:31; Mark 6:36, 56). The “open field” is a place remote from a house (Gen. 4:8; Lev. 14:7, 53; 17:5). Cultivated land of any extent was called a field (Gen. 23:13, 17; 41:8; Lev. 27:16; Ruth 4:5; Neh. 12:29).
Smith's Bible Dictionary
The Hebrew sadeh is applied to any cultivated ground, and in some instances in marked opposition to the neighboring wilderness. On the other hand the sadeh is frequently contrasted with what is enclosed, whether a vineyard, a garden or a walled town. In many passages the term implies what is remote from a house, (Genesis 4:8; 24:63; 22:25) or settled habitation, as in the case of Esau. (Genesis 25:27) The separate plots of ground were marked off by stones, which might easily be removed, (19:14; 27:17) cf. Job 24:2; Prov 22:28; 23:10 The absence of fences rendered the fields liable to damage from straying cattle, (Exodus 22:5) or fire, (Exodus 22:6; 2 Samuel 14:30) hence the necessity of constantly watching flocks and herds. From the absence of enclosures, cultivated land of any size might be termed a field.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>feld.</p><p>See AGRICULTURE.</p>