{Abiding in the field} (agraulountes). From agros, field
and aul(885c), court. The shepherds were making the field their
court. Plutarch and Strabo use the word. {Keeping watch}
(phulassontes phulakas). Cognate accusative. They were
bivouacking by night and it was plainly mild weather. In these
very pastures David had fought the lion and the bear to protect
the sheep ( 1Sa 17:34f. ). The plural here probably means that
they watched by turns. The flock may have been meant for the
temple sacrifices. There is no way to tell.