Occupations

Professions, trades and means of employment. A great variety of occupations, both secular and religious, are mentioned in Scripture.

Builders

Psalm 127:1 See also Psalm 118:22; Matthew 21:42 parallels Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Corinthians 3:10–15; Hebrews 3:3; 1 Peter 2:7

A song of ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain; unless the LORD protects the city, its watchmen stand guard in vain.

Embroiderers

Exodus 38:23

Weavers and spinners

Exodus 39:22; Proverbs 31:19

Stonemasons

2 Kings 12:12, 2 Kings 22:5–6

Carpenters and woodworkers

2 Kings 22:5–6; Matthew 13:55

Musicians

1 Chronicles 15:19–22, 1 Chronicles 16:42; Habakkuk 3:19

Tanners

Acts 9:43 See also Acts 10:6, Acts 10:32

And Peter stayed for several days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

Linen workers

1 Chronicles 4:21

The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah and the clans of the linen workers at Beth-ashbea,

Washermen

Isaiah 7:3 See also 2 Kings 18:17 parallel Isaiah 36:2

Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct that feeds the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field,

Blacksmiths

Isaiah 44:12 See also 1 Samuel 13:19–21; Isaiah 54:16

The blacksmith takes a tool and labors over the coals; he fashions an idol with hammers and forges it with his strong arms. Yet he grows hungry and loses his strength; he fails to drink water and grows faint.

Merchants

Nehemiah 3:31–32 See also 1 Kings 10:14–15, 1 Kings 10:28–29 parallel 2 Chronicles 1:16–17; Nehemiah 13:19–21; Hosea 12:7; Matthew 13:45–46

Next to him, Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate, and as far as the upper room above the corner. And between the upper room above the corner and the Sheep Gate, the goldsmiths and merchants made repairs.

Tentmakers

Acts 18:1–3

After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to visit them, and he stayed and worked with them because they were tentmakers by trade, just as he was.

Soldiers

2 Kings 5:1 See also Matthew 8:5–13 parallel Luke 7:1–10; Luke 3:14; Acts 10:1–8; 2 Timothy 2:3–4

Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in his master’s sight and highly regarded, for through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. And he was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.

Priests

Genesis 46:20 See also Genesis 14:18; Exodus 18:1, Exodus 28:3, Exodus 40:13; Judges 17:12–13; 1 Samuel 2:27–29; 1 Kings 4:2–5; Malachi 2:7; Matthew 8:4

Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.

Levites and temple servants

Numbers 1:50–51 See also 1 Chronicles 15:16, 1 Chronicles 15:22, 1 Chronicles 16:4; Ezra 2:70; Nehemiah 12:44–47; Luke 10:32

Instead, you are to appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, all its furnishings, and everything in it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its articles, care for it, and camp around it. Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to be pitched, the Levites are to set it up. Any outsider who goes near it must be put to death.

Watchmen

Psalm 127:1 See also 2 Samuel 18:24–27; Song of Solomon 3:1–4, Song of Solomon 5:7; Isaiah 21:11–12, Isaiah 56:10; Ezekiel 33:2–6; John 10:1–3

A song of ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain; unless the LORD protects the city, its watchmen stand guard in vain.

Shepherds

Genesis 47:3 See also Genesis 29:1–10, Genesis 46:31–34; Exodus 2:16–17; 1 Samuel 17:20, 1 Samuel 21:7; Amos 1:1; Luke 2:8–18; John 10:2–4

“What is your occupation?” Pharaoh asked Joseph’s brothers. “Your servants are shepherds,” they replied, “both we and our fathers.”

Farmers

Zechariah 13:4–5 See also Isaiah 28:24–25; Jeremiah 31:5; Joel 1:11; Matthew 13:3–9 parallels Mark 4:3–8, Luke 8:5–8; Matthew 21:33 parallels Mark 12:1, Luke 20:9; 2 Timothy 2:6; James 5:7

And on that day every prophet who prophesies will be ashamed of his vision, and he will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive. He will say, ‘I am not a prophet; I work the land, for I was purchased as a servant in my youth.’

Fishermen

Matthew 13:48 See also Isaiah 19:8; Jeremiah 16:16; Ezekiel 47:10; Matthew 4:18–19 parallel Mark 1:16–17; Luke 5:2

When it was full, the men pulled it ashore. Then they sat down and sorted the good fish into containers, but threw the bad away.

Doctors

Mark 5:25–26 parallel Luke 8:43 See also Matthew 9:12 parallels Mark 2:17, Luke 5:31; Colossians 4:14

And a woman was there who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. She had borne much agony under the care of many physicians and had spent all she had, but to no avail. Instead, her condition had only grown worse.

Lawyers

Acts 24:1 See also Titus 3:13

Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, who presented to the governor their case against Paul.