Shepherd

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(herder of sheep). A highly honorable occupation among pastoral Hebrews, engaged in by both sexes (Gen. 29:6; 30:29-35; Ex. 2:16-22). Often arduous and dangerous employment (Gen. 31:40; 1 Sam. 17:34). Equipment consisted of a sheepskin mantle, a scrip or wallet, a sling and crook. He led the flock to pasture in the morning, tended them by day and folded and watched them at night (Job 30:1; Luke 2:8; John 10:4). The office of sheep-master or chief shepherd was one of great trust as well as honor (2 Kings 3:4; Heb. 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4). It was the shepherd’s duty to count the sheep daily and to tithe them, and he was held responsible for lost ones (Gen. 31:38-39; Ex. 22:12-13; Isa. 27:32; Jer. 33:13). Shepherd is used figuratively for Jehovah (Psa. 80:1; Jer. 31:10); for kings (Ezek. 34:10); in N. T. for Christ (John 10:11; Heb. 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4). It is applied also to teachers in the synagogue and to those who preside over it. Hence pastor and minister of the gospel.

Concise Bible Dictionary:

Mount Horeb
A person’s wealth in the East frequently consisted of flocks, the shepherd therefore held an important and honorable position. David was a keeper of sheep. Joseph instructed his brethren to tell Pharaoh that they were shepherds, and they asked permission to dwell in Goshen, for every shepherd was an abomination to the Egyptians. This is supposed to have been caused by some “shepherd-kings” having usurped authority over Egypt. The difficulties and hardships of a shepherd’s life in the East may be gathered from what Jacob passed through during the time he was with Laban (Gen. 31:39-40). And to this day in many places the shepherd has to be well armed against wild beasts and lurking thieves.
The sheep following the shepherd is a sight often witnessed in the East, and that each sheep has a name and knows the shepherd’s voice, has been tested and proved again and again. All this is beautifully typical of the relation of Jehovah to Israel and of Christ to the church. The sheep of Christ know the good Shepherd’s voice, and find salvation, liberty, and pasture in following the One who leads. The good Shepherd gives them eternal life, having given His life for the sheep. Christ is called the great Shepherd, for the work which He accomplished could have been done only by One who was Himself God, though become man to work out redemption.
In the church there are those who by reason of gift are called pastors, to feed and shepherd the sheep; but Christ is the chief Shepherd, who is over all, whose own the sheep are, and who has given His word that they shall never perish (Psa. 23; Zech. 13:7; John 10:2-16; Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 5:4; and so forth).

“475. Shepherds' Nooning” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

Song of Solomon 1:7. Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon.
During the heat of the day the shepherds are in the habit of leading their flocks to some cool and shady spot, where they recline and rest until the shadows lengthen. The sheep sleep, or chew the cud, while the shepherds pass the time in some light employment, such as plaiting mats, or in musing or storytelling.

“804. Shepherd and Sheep” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

John 10:3-5. He calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers.
1. The Eastern shepherds give names to their sheep, as we do to dogs and horses. Every sheep recognizes his own name, and comes when called.
2 Travelers have noticed the wonderful readiness with which the sheep of a large flock will recognize the shepherd’s voice. Though several flocks are mingled they speedily separate at the command of the shepherd, while the word of a stranger would have no effect on them. Porter thus describes a scene he witnessed among the hills of Bashan: “The shepherds led their flocks forth from the gates of the city. They were in full view, and we watched them and listened to them with no little interest. Thousands of sheep and goats were there, grouped in dense, confused masses. The shepherds stood together until all came out. Then they separated, each shepherd taking a different path, and uttering as he advanced a shrill, peculiar call. The sheep heard them. At first the masses swayed and moved as if shaken by some internal convulsion; then points struck out in the direction taken by the shepherds; these became longer and longer until the confused masses were resolved into long, living streams, flowing after their leaders” (Giant Cities of Bashan, p. 45).

“887. The Chief Shepherd” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

1 Peter 5:4. When the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
In Hebrews 13:20 Jesus is called “that great Shepherd of the sheep.” This corresponds to the “chief Shepherd” in the text. Where the flocks were numerous and a large number of shepherds were necessary, one was placed in charge of all the others. This was true of the herdmen also. Pharaoh told Joseph to take the most active of his kinsmen and make them “rulers” over his cattle (Gen. 47:6). Doeg was the “chiefest of the herdmen” of Saul (1 Sam. 21:7).
Burder gives an interesting quotation from the Gentlemen’s Magazine for May, 1764, wherein there is a description of the sheep-walks of Spain: “Ten thousand compose a flock, which is divided into ten tribes. One man has the conduct of all. He must be the owner of four or five hundred sheep, strong, active, vigilant, intelligent in pasture, in the weather, and in the diseases of sheep. He has absolute dominion over fifty shepherds and fifty dogs, five of each to a tribe. He chooses them, chastises them or discharges them at will. He is the praepositus, or the chief shepherd, of the whole flock” (Oriental Customs, No. 1310).
Thus we have an illustration of the text. Christian ministers are pastors or shepherds; but there is one over them all. Jesus is the “chief Shepherd.” He superintends them, cares for them, assigns them their several positions, and rewards or punishes them.

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