Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
English Standard Version (ESV)
The mention of "bulls of Bashan" isn't just about size and strength; it carries a subtle sting about pampered, unchecked power. Bashan was known for its incredibly rich pastures, producing exceptionally well-fed and aggressive animals, making them a symbol of arrogant, self-indulgent oppressors.
Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist is in a desperate situation, surrounded by powerful enemies who are like fierce, unstoppable bulls from the fertile region of Bashan. These adversaries, fueled by pride and strength, are aggressively closing in, depicting the intense pressure and threat the speaker feels. This imagery vividly portrays the overwhelming nature of the opposition he faces, setting the stage for his deep cry for deliverance.
Why does the psalmist compare his enemies to 'bulls' instead of something else? What does this imagery tell us about their nature and their attack?
The psalmist uses the powerful image of 'bulls' to describe his enemies. These aren't just any bulls, but 'strong bulls of Bashan.' Bashan was a region famous for its incredibly fertile pastures, producing large, strong, and fierce cattle. When the Bible mentions 'bulls of Bashan,' it's painting a picture of immense power, aggression, and sheer brute force.
These aren't opponents who are merely disagreeing; they are actively and violently seeking to overpower and destroy. Think of the way bulls can charge with unstoppable force, trampling and goring. This imagery highlights the overwhelming, savage, and relentless nature of the enemies surrounding the psalmist. They are not attacking with reasoned argument but with raw, untamed fury.
What's the connection between rich pastures and wicked enemies? How does the 'fatness' of Bashan's bulls relate to their cruel behavior?
The land of Bashan wasn't just known for its strength, but also for its abundance. The cattle there were well-fed, leading to their impressive size and power. This abundance, however, is contrasted with the enemies' behavior. The 'strong bulls of Bashan' represent not just brute force, but a kind of pampered, insolent cruelty that comes from privilege and a lack of restraint.
These enemies, like well-fed bulls, are depicted as acting with a wantonness and arrogance born from their comfortable position. They are powerful precisely because they have been 'fattened' by power, wealth, or status, and they use this advantage to oppress and attack those who are vulnerable. This highlights a spiritual truth: power without humility and righteousness can easily devolve into dangerous, self-serving aggression.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
parim · Hebrew Noun
Large, powerful bovine animals often used in Scripture as metaphors for arrogant, oppressive, or destructive adversaries of the righteous.
Bashan · Hebrew Proper Noun
A fertile region east of the Jordan known for its rich pastures and large livestock; used figuratively to represent formidable, well-fed, or prideful enemies.
The 'bulls of Bashan' imagery draws on the reputation of this fertile region for producing powerful, aggressive cattle, used here to describe the overwhelming and brutal force of the enemies surrounding the psalmist, a metaphor that resonated deeply with both David's experience and the persecution faced by Jesus.
c. 10th century BC— this verse
David's Reign and Enemies
King David faced numerous internal and external threats, including rebellions led by figures like Absalom and external enemies who sought to undermine his rule and territory.
c. 8th century BC
Prophets Condemn Oppression
Prophets like Amos used the imagery of 'kine of Bashan' to denounce the wealthy and powerful elite who oppressed the vulnerable, highlighting the association of Bashan with strength and insolence.
c. 1st century AD
Jesus' Ministry and Opposition
During Jesus' ministry, religious and political leaders (Pharisees, Sadducees, Roman authorities) fiercely opposed him, seeking to arrest and condemn him.
c. AD 30-33
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus was arrested, tried, and executed by crucifixion, a brutal method of death involving intense suffering and public humiliation.
This passage directly uses the imagery of 'cows of Bashan' to describe powerful, oppressive women, highlighting how the 'bulls of Bashan' in Psalms represent influential and forceful oppressors.
Ezekiel 39:18Ezekiel describes warriors as 'strong bulls' and 'fat oxen' fed on the fatness of Bashan, reinforcing the idea of powerful, formidable, and aggressive forces being associated with this region.
Galatians 5:17This New Testament passage speaks of the 'desires of the flesh' which are 'against the Spirit,' drawing a parallel to the fierce, uncontrolled, and destructive nature of the 'bulls' described in Psalms, representing the inner conflict against sin.
Matthew 27:1In this verse, the chief priests and elders of the people 'took their counsel against Jesus to put him to death,' directly reflecting the image of influential leaders conspiring and surrounding the innocent, much like the 'bulls of Bashan' surrounding the Psalmist.
pulpitPsalms 22:12: "Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round."
Verse 12. - Many bulls have compassed me. The Sufferer represents the adversaries who crowd around him under the figure of "bulls" - fierce animals in all parts of the world, and in Palestine particularly' wild and ferocious. "Bulls,, and buffaloes are very numerous, says Canon Tristram, "in Southern Judaea; they are in the habit of gathering in a circle around any novel or unaccustomed object, and may be…
ellicottPsalms 22:12: "Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round."
(12) Bulls of Bashan. —For “Bashan” see Numbers 21:33 ; for its pastures and cattle, comp. Deuteronomy 32:14 , and for the figures, Amos 4:1 . Instead of “fat bulls,” the LXX. and Vulgate paraphrase “strong ones of Bashan.” The point of the comparison lies in the wantonness and insolence of pampered pride, displayed by the minions of fortune.
The mention of "bulls of Bashan" isn't just about size and strength; it carries a subtle sting about pampered, unchecked power. Bashan was known for its incredibly rich pastures, producing exceptionally well-fed and aggressive animals, making them a symbol of arrogant, self-indulgent oppressors.
The psalmist is in a desperate situation, surrounded by powerful enemies who are like fierce, unstoppable bulls from the fertile region of Bashan. These adversaries, fueled by pride and strength, are aggressively closing in, depicting the intense pressure and threat the speaker feels. This imagery vividly portrays the overwhelming nature of the opposition he faces, setting the stage for his deep cry for deliverance.
The psalmist is in a desperate situation, surrounded by powerful enemies who are like fierce, unstoppable bulls from the fertile region of Bashan. These adversaries, fueled by pride and strength, are aggressively closing in, depicting the intense pressure and threat the speaker feels. This imagery vividly portrays the overwhelming nature of the opposition he faces, setting the stage for his deep cry for deliverance.
"Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me;" — The mention of "bulls of Bashan" isn't just about size and strength; it carries a subtle sting about pampered, unchecked power. Bashan was known for its incredibly rich pastures, producing exceptiona…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026