Luke 15:15

KJV

And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

KJV (with Strong's)

And {G2532} he went {G4198} and joined himself {G2853} to {G1520} a citizen {G4177} of that {G1565} country {G5561}; and {G2532} he sent {G3992} him {G846} into {G1519} his {G846} fields {G68} to feed {G1006} swine {G5519}.

Complete Jewish Bible

“So he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.

Berean Standard Bible

So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs.

American Standard Version

And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Luke 15:15 describes the lowest point in the prodigal son's journey, illustrating the severe consequences of his reckless choices and the depths of his desperation. Having squandered his inheritance in a distant land, he is forced into the most degrading and ritually defiling occupation imaginable for a Jew: feeding swine, highlighting his complete loss of dignity, status, and self-sufficiency.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is a crucial turning point within the [Parable of the Prodigal Son](/luke/15-11-32 "Luke 15:11-32 - The Parable of the Prodigal Son"), which Jesus tells to a mixed audience of tax collectors, sinners, Pharisees, and scribes. It follows the son's departure from home and his rapid squandering of his inheritance on riotous living. [Luke 15:14](/luke/15-14 "Luke 15:14 - Famine in the Land") sets the stage by describing a severe famine that strikes the land, exacerbating the son's already dire financial situation and leaving him utterly destitute. Verse 15 marks the nadir of his physical and spiritual degradation, directly preceding his "coming to his senses" in [Luke 15:17](/luke/15-17 "Luke 15:17 - The Prodigal Son Comes to His Senses") and his decision to return home.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** For a Jewish individual in the first century, the act of "feeding swine" represented the ultimate defilement and social degradation. Under [Mosaic Law](/leviticus/11-7-8 "Leviticus 11:7-8 - Unclean Animals"), pigs were explicitly declared unclean animals, forbidden for consumption or even touch. To be involved in their care was to be ritually impure, an outcast from the community, and a profound violation of one's religious identity. This job would have been abhorrent to any devout Jew, underscoring the son's desperate circumstances and his willingness to abandon all cultural and religious norms simply to survive. The "citizen of that country" would likely have been a Gentile, further emphasizing the son's alienation from his own people and heritage.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the parable and the broader Lukan narrative. It vividly portrays the **consequences of sin and rebellion**, demonstrating how self-indulgence and separation from one's spiritual home can lead to utter destitution and humiliation. It highlights the theme of **human degradation**, showing the extent to which a person can fall when they abandon moral and spiritual principles. Furthermore, it sets the stage for the theme of **repentance and restoration**, as the son's rock-bottom experience becomes the catalyst for his self-reflection and eventual return, foreshadowing the boundless grace and forgiveness of the father, as seen in [Luke 15:20](/luke/15-20 "Luke 15:20 - The Father's Welcome"). The "far country" itself is a powerful symbol of spiritual distance from God, a place where one's true identity is lost.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **joined himself (Greek, _kolláō'_):** This verb, derived from a word meaning "glue," implies a desperate, almost adhesive attachment, not a free or voluntary association. It highlights the son's utter lack of options and his forced subservience to another for mere survival, emphasizing his complete loss of independence and dignity.
* **citizen (Greek, _polítēs'_):** This term refers to an inhabitant of a city or country. The son, a foreigner in this distant land, is now utterly dependent on a local citizen for his livelihood, underscoring his displacement, loss of status, and alienation from his own people and heritage. He is no longer master of his own destiny but a mere appendage to a stranger's household.
* **swine (Greek, _choîros'_):** For a Jew, pigs were the epitome of ritual uncleanness, explicitly forbidden by Mosaic Law (cf. [Leviticus 11:7-8](/leviticus/11-7-8 "Leviticus 11:7-8 - Unclean Animals")). To be reduced to feeding them was the ultimate act of degradation, signifying a complete abandonment of his religious and cultural heritage, a profound spiritual and social defilement that would have rendered him an outcast.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country;":** This clause reveals the son's utter desperation. Having exhausted all resources, he is forced to seek employment from a local Gentile, indicating his complete loss of independence and his entry into a state of servitude. The phrase "joined himself" suggests a forced, clinging attachment rather than a free contractual agreement, underscoring his powerlessness and vulnerability in a foreign land.
* **"and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.":** This second clause describes the specific, humiliating, and culturally abhorrent task assigned to the son. For a Jewish man, tending pigs was the most defiling and degrading occupation imaginable, signifying his complete abandonment of his religious identity and his descent into the lowest possible social and spiritual status. It starkly contrasts with his former life of privilege and abundance.

#### Literary Devices
Luke 15:15 employs several potent literary devices. **Irony** is prominent, as the son, who once commanded servants and lived in luxury, is now reduced to serving a Gentile and performing the most unclean of tasks. This reversal of fortune underscores the harsh consequences of his choices. **Symbolism** is powerfully at play, with the "far country" representing spiritual distance and alienation from God, and the "swine" symbolizing ultimate ritual impurity, degradation, and the depths of human depravity. The act of feeding them signifies the son's complete immersion in a life antithetical to his upbringing and heritage. Furthermore, the verse utilizes **Contrast** by implicitly setting the son's current abject poverty and humiliation against his former life of wealth and privilege, highlighting the severity of his fall.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse serves as a stark theological commentary on the consequences of rebellion and the nature of human depravity when separated from divine guidance. It illustrates that a life lived apart from God's principles, pursuing self-gratification and worldly desires, inevitably leads to spiritual and often physical destitution. The son's degradation is not merely economic but deeply spiritual, as he finds himself in a state utterly contrary to his heritage and identity. This "rock bottom" experience is a necessary precursor to his repentance, demonstrating that sometimes, the painful consequences of sin are what drive individuals to acknowledge their need for God's grace and return to their true home.

* [Proverbs 13:15](/proverbs/13-15 "Proverbs 13:15 - The Way of Transgressors is Hard")
* [Galatians 6:7-8](/galatians/6-7-8 "Galatians 6:7-8 - Sowing and Reaping")
* [Psalm 73:27](/psalms/73-27 "Psalm 73:27 - Those Far from God Perish")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Luke 15:15 is a sobering reminder that our choices have profound consequences, and straying from God's path can lead us to places of unexpected degradation and despair. The prodigal son's experience illustrates the painful reality of hitting "rock bottom," a place where self-sufficiency crumbles and the illusion of worldly pleasure dissolves into destitution. This verse challenges us to examine our own lives: are we making choices that lead us closer to God or further away? It prompts us to consider the hidden "swine" in our own lives—the habits, desires, or pursuits that, while seemingly harmless, can lead to spiritual defilement and separation from our true identity in Christ. Ultimately, this low point in the son's journey is not the end but a catalyst, demonstrating that profound humility and desperation can be the very conditions that prepare our hearts for genuine repentance and a turning back to the Father's open arms.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "far country" or "swine-feeding" experiences in my life have taught me the most about the consequences of my choices?**
* **How does the son's desperation in this verse relate to my own moments of spiritual or personal crisis?**
* **In what ways might I be "joining myself to a citizen of that country" (i.e., relying on worldly systems or values) instead of fully trusting God?**

### FAQ

**Why was feeding swine such a degrading job for the prodigal son?**

Answer: For a Jewish person, feeding swine was considered the absolute lowest and most ritually defiling occupation. According to [Mosaic Law, specifically Leviticus 11:7-8](/leviticus/11-7-8 "Leviticus 11:7-8 - Unclean Animals"), pigs were explicitly declared unclean animals, forbidden for consumption and even touch. To work with them meant constant ritual impurity, making one an outcast from the community and unable to participate in temple worship or social life. This job symbolized a complete abandonment of one's religious and cultural identity, signifying the son's profound spiritual and social degradation. It starkly contrasts with his upbringing in a devout Jewish household and highlights the extreme depths of his fall.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Luke 15:15 depicts the ultimate degradation of humanity apart from God, it simultaneously sets the stage for the profound grace and restoration found in Christ. The son's journey into a "far country" and his descent into feeding swine powerfully foreshadows humanity's fallen state, alienated from God and defiled by sin ([Romans 3:23](/romans/3-23 "Romans 3:23 - All Have Sinned")). Yet, it is into this very "far country" of human sin and degradation that Jesus, the Son of God, willingly descended. He did not "join himself" to a foreign citizen out of desperation, but rather, out of divine love, He "emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant" ([Philippians 2:7](/philippians/2-7 "Philippians 2:7 - Christ's Humiliation")). Jesus identified with the outcast and the ritually unclean, touching lepers and eating with sinners, demonstrating God's radical love for those in their "swine-feeding" moments. His ultimate sacrifice on the cross was the means by which humanity, once alienated and defiled, could be cleansed and restored to the Father's house, not as hired servants, but as beloved sons and daughters ([Ephesians 2:13](/ephesians/2-13 "Ephesians 2:13 - Brought Near by the Blood of Christ")). The prodigal son's journey from destitution to restoration ultimately points to the greater redemptive work of Christ, who brings us home from the "far country" of sin.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Titus 3:3

For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, [and] hating one another.

2 Timothy 2:25

In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

2 Timothy 2:26

And [that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Isaiah 1:5

Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

Ephesians 2:2

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Ephesians 2:3

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Malachi 2:9

Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.