Place for herding sheep, especially at night
Usually built strong to keep out wild animals (Num. 32:16; 2 Sam. 7:8; John 10:16). The bold, cote, or enclosure was also the place where the sheep were collected at shearing time (Jer. 23:3; Zeph. 2:6), which was a season of festivity (1 Sam. 25:7-11; 2 Sam. 13:23). Hence “shearing-house” (2 Kings 10:12-14).