Dictionary Article

Feeding trough for domesticated animals. The Greek term for manger is found only four times in the NT. Three of these instances are in the Nativity narrative of Luke and are translated with the English word manger (Lk 2:7, 12, 16 OET LUK 2:7 · OET LUK 2:12 · OET LUK 2:16). The fourth occurrence, also in Luke’s Gospel, is translated “manger” in the rsv and neb, but “stall” in 13:15 in the KJB, niv, nasb, NLT.

Show passage in OET: LUK 2:7; LUK 2:12; LUK 2:16

OET-RV LUK 2:7

7 and so Maria bore her first son and wrapped him in strips of cloth and slept him in an empty feeding trough, because they had missed out on the guest room.

OET-RV LUK 2:12

12 and this is how you’ll know him: you’ll find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and sleeping in a feeding trough.”

OET-RV LUK 2:16

16 So they hurried into town and asked around to find Maria (Mary; Heb. Miryam; Grk. Maria /Mariam) and Yosef (Joseph), and also the baby sleeping in the feeding trough.

OET-LV LUK 2:7

7 And she _bore the son of _her the firstborn, and swaddled him, and laid him in a_manger, because was not a_place for _them in the guest _room.

OET-LV LUK 2:12

12 And this is the sign to _you _all:
you _all _will _be _finding a_baby having _been _swaddled, and lying in a_manger.

OET-LV LUK 2:16

16 And came having _hurried, and sought _out the both Maria/(Miryām) and the Yōsaʸf/(Yōşēf), and the baby, lying in the manger.

Show passage in OET: LUK 13:15

OET-RV LUK 13:15

15 “You hypocrites!” Yeshua responded. “Doesn’t every one of you untie his ox on the Rest Day, or untie the donkey from the feeding trough and lead it away for a drink?

OET-LV LUK 13:15

15 And the master answered to _him and said:
Hypocrites.
Is_ not _untying each of _you _all the ox of _him, on _the day _of _rest, or the donkey from the manger, and having _led _away it is _giving _to _drink it?

Jump to OET LUK 2:7 section. · OET LUK 2:12 section. · OET LUK 2:16 section.

Jump to OET LUK 13:15 section.

The most common OT equivalent is the Hebrew term translated “crib” or “stall” in Job 39:9, Proverbs 14:4, and Isaiah 1:3. The context of these passages favors the use of the Greek word for manger. In the Septuagint, however, three other Hebrew words are also translated by this same Greek term. They are the Hebrew terms for “a stall,” that is, an enclosure for animals (2 Chr 32:28); “a mash” or “fodder” (Jb 6:5); and “pens” or “stalls” (Hb 3:17).

Show passage in OET: JOB 39:9

OET-RV JOB 39:9

⇔  9 Will the wild cow consent to serve you,
⇔ ≈ or to stay the night beside your feeding trough?

OET-LV JOB 39:9

9 Is_ a _wild _ox _it _willing to_serve _you or will _it _pass _the _night at trough _of_your _feeding.

Show passage in OET: PRO 14:4

OET-RV PRO 14:4

4 Where there’s no cattle, the feeding trough will be spotless,
⇔ ^ but a good harvest requires the strength of the bull.

OET-LV PRO 14:4

4 When_there_are_not cattle(s) the_feeding _trough _of is_clean and_abundance _of produce(s) is_by_the_strength _of an _ox.

Show passage in OET: ISA 1:3

OET-RV ISA 1:3

3 The bull knows his owner,
⇔ and the donkey knows its master’s feeding trough,
⇔ but Yisrael (Israel) doesn’t know—
⇔ my people don’t understand.”

OET-LV ISA 1:3

3 An _ox it _knows owner _of_its and_a _donkey the _feeding _trough _of its _owner(s)_of_his Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) not it _knows people _of_my not it _considers _carefully.

Show passage in OET: CH2 32:28

OET-RV CH2 32:28

28 as well as storehouses for grain, wine, and olive oil, and stalls for his flocks and all kinds of livestock.

OET-LV CH2 32:28

28 And_storehouses for_the_yield _of grain and_new _wine and_fresh _oil and_stalls to/from_all/each/any/every livestock and_livestock and_flocks for_stalls.

Show passage in OET: JOB 6:5

OET-RV JOB 6:5

⇔  5 Does a wild donkey bray when it has fresh grass to eat,
⇔ or a ox bellow when it has its fodder?

OET-LV JOB 6:5

5 Does_ a _wild _donkey _it _bray on fresh _grass or an _ox does _it _low on fodder _of_its.

Show passage in OET: HAB 3:17

OET-RV HAB 3:17

⇔  17 Even if the fig tree doesn’t produce buds
⇔ and there is no fruit on the grapevines,
⇔ and although the olive tree stops producing,
⇔ and the fields yield no food,
⇔ and although the sheep and goats can’t return to their pens,
⇔ and there are no cattle in their stalls,

OET-LV HAB 3:17

17 If/because the_fig _tree not it _buds and_there_is_not produce on_vines the_product _of the_olive _tree it _fails and_fields not it _produces food someone _cuts _off from_the_fold the_flock and_there_are_not cattle in_stalls.

Jump to OET JOB 39:9 section.

Jump to OET PRO 14:4 section.

Jump to OET ISA 1:3 section.

Jump to OET CH2 32:28 section.

Jump to OET JOB 6:5 section.

Jump to OET HAB 3:17 section.

Through a study of modern Middle Eastern customs and biblical archaeology, two possible locations of the stable and manger area have been determined. In the home of a poor family, the stable was generally a room adjacent to and slightly lower than the living quarters. The stone manger was either located against one of the wooden walls of the stable or carved from a natural outcropping of rock. The other possible location of the stable was in a cave near the house or in the limestone foundation beneath the living quarters of the house. An example of the first of these was found at the ancient site of Megiddo. At Lachish a cave (c. 1200 BC), which seems to have been used as a stable, was discovered beneath the remains of a building.

Traditionally, the manger area in which Jesus was born was a cave stable; it is over such a cave that the present Church of the Nativity was erected. However, the evidence recorded in Luke’s Gospel could as easily refer to an area adjacent to a house. See Jesus Christ, Life and Teachings of.

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary