SHEPHERD (Jewish Encyclopedia)

From BibleWiki

In the early days of settlement in Palestine the chief occupation of the Israelites was that of shepherding. Traces of the importance of this occupation are found through the Old Testament. The shepherd's function was to lead the flocks of sheep to the pasture and the stream (Ps 23²), and protect them from wild beasts (1Sam 12:24) and robbers (Job 1:14 et seq.), in which latter task he was sometimes assisted by a sheep-dog (Job 30:1). At night the shepherds kept watch, sometimes in the open air (Nah 3:18), and at other times in the shepherd's tent (Isa 38:12) or in a special stone tower (Gen 35:21). At times he would collect the sheep in caves (1Sam 24:3), or in sheepfolds built of stones (Jdg 5:16; Zeph 2:6); and a lamb that had fallen sick or become lame he would carry in his bosom (Isa 40:11).

The shepherd generally wore a single garment (Jer 43:12), clad in which he walked forth at the head of his flock (Jn 10:4), carrying his shepherd's bag or wallet; his weapons were a staff and a sling (Gen 32:10; 1Sam 17:40). When agriculture became the prominent industry of the country, the shepherd, instead of being independent, was generally hired by a farmer, who paid him wages in kind (Gen 30:28), or sometimes in money (Zech 11:13). The number of sheep returned to the master's fold was checked by being made to pass under the shepherd's staff (Jer 33:13; Ezek 20:37). As farming increased in importance, the shepherd became less respected, just as in Egypt, where he was regarded "as an abomination" (Gen 46:34). In Talmudic times it was even declared that a shepherd was incapable of bearing witness, owing to his habit of encroaching upon other persons' pastures (Sanh. 25a).