Luke 2:8

“And there were in the same country shepherds, etc.] For Bethlehem was a place of pasture: near to Ephrata, the same with Bethlehem, were the fields of the wood, (<19D206>Psalm 132:6) and the tower of Edar or the tower of the flock, (<013521>Genesis 35:21, <330408>Micah 4:8) and here David kept his father's sheep, (<091715>1 Samuel 17:15) so that we need not wonder to hear of shepherds here, abiding in the field, watching over their flock by night: from whence it appears, that Christ was born in the night; and the f110 Jews say, that the future redemption shall be in the night; and Jerom says f111, it is a tradition of the Jews, that Christ will come in the middle of the night, as was the…”

“ANGELIC ANNUNCIATION TO THE SHEPHERDS--THEIR VISIT TO THE NEWBORN BABE. (Luk 2:8-20) 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 without any respect of their own state of mind? That, at least, is not God's way. "No doubt, like Simeon (Luk 2:25), they were among the waiters for the…”

“The 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 or the first of November, when the cold weather commenced. While away in these deserts and mountainous regions, it was proper that there should be someone to attend them to keep them from straying, and from the ravages of wolves and other…”

“2:8 Shepherds were sometimes portrayed in Judaism as drifters and dishonest troublemakers. This stereotype was not universal, however; in the Old Testament, shepherds are usually viewed positively (e.g., Ps 23:1). Jesus came to common people such as these poor and humble peasants. • staying in the fields: This suggests warmer months of the year, perhaps March through November, though some shepherds stayed out year-round. The actual month of Jesus’ birth is unknown. • They were guarding their flocks against thieves and wild animals.”

“abiding: Gen 31:39, Gen 31:40; Exo 3:1, Exo 3:2; Sa1 17:34, Sa1 17:35; Psa 78:70, Psa 78:71; Eze 34:8; Joh 10:8-12 watch over their flock by night: or, the night-watches Luke 2:9”