Shepherd SHEP'HERD, n. 1. A man employed in tending, feeding and
gaurding sheep in the pasture. 2. A swain; a rural lover. 3. The
pastor of a parish, church or congregation; a minister of the gospel
who superintends a church or parish, and gived instruction in spiritual
things. God and Christ are in Scripture dinominated Shepherds, as
they lead, protect and govern their people, and provide for their wilfare.
shepherd
n 1: a clergyman who watches over a group of people
2: a herder of sheep (on an open range); someone who keeps the
sheep together in a flock [syn: sheepherder, shepherd,
sheepman]
v 1: watch over like a shepherd, as a teacher of her pupils
2: tend as a shepherd, as of sheep or goats
shepherd I. nounEtymology: Middle English sheepherde, from Old English
scēaphyrde, from scēap sheep + hierde herdsman; akin
to Old English heord herd Date: before 12th century 1.
a person who tends sheep 2.pastor3.German shepherdII. transitive verbDate: 1790 1. to tend
as a shepherd 2. to guide or guard in the manner of a shepherd
<shepherded the bill through Congress>
shepherd n. & v. --n. 1 (fem. shepherdess) a person employed to tend sheep, esp. at pasture. 2 a member of the clergy etc. who cares for and guides a congregation. --v.tr. 1 a tend
(sheep etc.) as a shepherd. b guide (followers etc.). 2 marshal or drive (a crowd etc.) like sheep. Phrases and idioms: the Good Shepherd Christ. shepherd dog a sheepdog. shepherd's
crook a staff with a hook at one end used by shepherds. shepherd's needle a white-flowered common plant, Scandix pecten-veneris, with spiny fruit. shepherd's pie a dish of minced meat under a layer
of mashed potato. shepherd's plaid 1 a small black and white check pattern. 2 woollen cloth with this pattern. shepherd's purse a white-flowered hairy cornfield plant, Capsella bursa-pastoris,
with triangular or cordate pods. Etymology: OE sceaphierde (as SHEEP, HERD)
shepherd
(shepherds, shepherding, shepherded)
1. A shepherd is a person, especially a man, whose job is to look after sheep.
N-COUNT
2. If you are shepherded somewhere, someone takes you there to make sure that you arrive
at the right place safely.
She was shepherded by her guards up the rear ramp of the aircraft.VERB: usu passive, be V-ed prep/adv
Shepherd \Shep"herd\, n. [OE. schepherde, schephirde, AS.
sce['a]phyrde; sce['a]p sheep + hyrde, hirde, heorde, a herd,
a guardian. See Sheep, and Herd.]
1. A man employed in tending, feeding, and guarding sheep,
esp. a flock grazing at large.
2. The pastor of a church; one with the religious guidance of
others.
Shepherd bird (Zo["o]l.), the crested screamer. See
Screamer.
Shepherd dog (Zo["o]l.), a breed of dogs used largely for
the herding and care of sheep. There are several kinds, as
the collie, or Scotch shepherd dog, and the English
shepherd dog. Called also shepherd's dog.
Shepherd dog, a name of Pan. --Keats.
Shepherd kings, the chiefs of a nomadic people who invaded
Egypt from the East in the traditional period, and
conquered it, at least in part. They were expelled after
about five hundred years, and attempts have been made to
connect their expulsion with narrative in the book of
Exodus.
Shepherd's club (Bot.), the common mullein. See Mullein.
Shepherd's crook, a long staff having the end curved so as
to form a large hook, -- used by shepherds.
Shepherd's needle (Bot.), the lady's comb.
Shepherd's plaid, a kind of woolen cloth of a checkered
black and white pattern.
Shephered spider (Zo["o]l.), a daddy longlegs, or
harvestman.
Shepherd's pouch, or Shepherd's purse (Bot.), an annual
cruciferous plant ({Capsella Bursapastoris}) bearing small
white flowers and pouchlike pods. See Illust. of
Silicle.
Shepherd's rod, or Shepherd's staff (Bot.), the small
teasel.
Shepherd \Shep"herd\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Shepherded; p. pr. &
vb. n. Shepherding.]
To tend as a shepherd; to guard, herd, lead, or drive, as a
shepherd. [Poetic]
White, fleecy clouds . . .
Shepherded by the slow, unwilling wind. --Shelley.
SHEPHERD
shep'-erd (ro`eh, ro`i; poimen, "a feeder"): The sheep owner frequently
tends the flocks himself (Ge 4:4; 30:40; compare Eze 34:12),
but more often he delegates the work to his children (Ge 29:9; 1Sa 16:19;
17:15) or relatives (Ge 31:6). In such cases the sheep have good
care because the keepers have a personal interest in the well-being of
the animals, but when they are attended by a hireling (1Sa 17:20)
the flocks may be neglected or abused (Isa 56:10,11; Eze 34:8,10; Zec
11:15,17; Joh 10:12). The chief care of the shepherd is to see that the
sheep find plenty to eat and drink. The flocks are not fed in pens or folds,
but, summer and winter, must depend upon foraging for their sustenance (Ps
23:2). In the winter of 1910-11 an unprecedented storm ravaged Northern
Syria. It was accompanied by a snowfall of more than 3 ft., which covered the
ground for weeks. During that time, hundreds of thousands of sheep and goats
perished, not so much from the cold as from the fact that they could get no
food. Goats hunt out the best feeding-grounds, but sheep are more helpless
and have to be led to their food (compare Nu 27:16,17); nor do they
possess the instinct of many other animals for finding their way home (compare
Eze 34:6-8). Flocks should be watered at least once a day. Where there
are springs or streams this is an easy matter. Frequently the nearest water
is hours away. One needs to travel in the dry places in Syria or Palestine,
and then enter the watered valleys like those in Edom where the flocks are
constantly being led for water, to appreciate the Psalmist's words, "He leadcth
me beside still waters." Sometimes water can be obtained by digging shallow
wells (Ge 26:18-22,25,32). The shepherd frequently carries with him
a pail from which the sheep can drink when the water is not accessible to
them. On the mountain tops the melting snows supply the needed water. In
other districts it is drawn from deep wells (Ge 29:2; Joh 4:6). The
usual time for watering is at noon, at which time the flocks are led to the
watering-places (Ge 29:2,3). After drinking, the animals lie down or
huddle together in the shade of a rock while the shepherd sleeps. At the
first sound of his call, which is usually a peculiar guttural sound, hard
to imitate, the flock follow off to new feeding-grounds. Even should two
shepherds call their flocks at the same time and the sheep be intermingled,
they never mistake their own master's voice (Joh 10:3-5).
The shepherd's equipment is a simple one. His chief garment is a cloak woven
from wool or made from sheepskins. This is sleeveless, and so made that it
hangs like a cloak on his shoulders. When he sleeps he curls up under it,
head and all. During the summer a lighter, short-sleeved `aba or coat is
worn. He carries a staff or club (see STAFF), and a characteristic attitude is
to make a rest for his arms by placing his staff on his shoulders against the
back of his neck. When an especially productive spot is found, the shepherd
may pass the time, while the animals are grazing, by playing on his pipe
(Jud 5:16). He sometimes carries a sling (qela`) of goat's hair
(1Sa 17:40). His chief belongings are kept in a skin pouch or bag
(keli) (1Sa 17:40). This bag is usually a whole tawed skin turned
wrong side out, with the legs tied up and the neck forming the opening. He is
usually aided in the keeping and the defending of the sheep by a dog (Job
30:1). In Syria the Kurdish dogs make the best protectors of the sheep,
as, unlike the cowardly city dogs, they are fearless and will drive away the
wild beasts. The shepherd is often called upon to aid the dogs in defending
the sheep (Ge 31:39; 1Sa 17:34,35; Isa 31:4; Jer 5:6; Am 3:12).
Figurative:
The frequent use of the word "shepherd" to indicate a spiritual overseer
is familiar to Bible readers (Ps 23:1; 80:1; Ec 12:11; Isa 40:4; 63:14;
Jer 31:10; Eze 34:23; 37:24; Joh 21:15-17; Eph 4:11; 1Pe 5:1-4). We
still use the term "pastor," literally, "a shepherd." Leaders in temporal
affairs were also called shepherds (Ge 47:17 margin; Isa 44:28;
63:11). "Sheep without a shepherd" typified individuals or nations
who had forgotten Yahweh (Nu 27:17; 1Ki 22:17; 2Ch 18:16; Eze 34:5,8;
Zec 10:2; Mt 9:36; Mr 6:34).
Jesus is spoken of as the good shepherd (Joh 10:14); chief shepherd
(1Pe 5:4); great shepherd (Heb 13:20); the one shepherd (Joh
10:16). "He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs
in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and will gently lead those that
have their young" (Isa 40:11) is a picture drawn from pastoral life
of Yahweh's care over His children. A strong sympathy for helpless animals,
though sometimes misdirected, is a marked characteristic of the people of
Bible lands. The birth of offspring in a flock often occurs far off on the
mountain side. The shepherd solicitously guards the mother during her helpless
moments and picks up the lamb and carries it to the fold. For the few days,
until it is able to walk, he may carry it in his arms or in the loose folds
of his coat above his girdle.
See also SHEEP.
James A. Patch
Shepherd
a word naturally of frequent occurence in Scripture. Sometimes
the word "pastor" is used instead (Jer. 2:8; 3:15; 10:21; 12:10;
17:16). This word is used figuratively to represent the relation
of rulers to their subjects and of God to his people (Ps. 23:1;
80:1; Isa. 40:11; 44:28; Jer. 25:34, 35; Nahum 3:18; John 10:11,
14; Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 2:25; 5:4).
The duties of a shepherd in an unenclosed country like
Palestine were very onerous. "In early morning he led forth the
flock from the fold, marching at its head to the spot where they
were to be pastured. Here he watched them all day, taking care
that none of the sheep strayed, and if any for a time eluded his
watch and wandered away from the rest, seeking diligently till
he found and brought it back. In those lands sheep require to be
supplied regularly with water, and the shepherd for this purpose
has to guide them either to some running stream or to wells dug
in the wilderness and furnished with troughs. At night he
brought the flock home to the fold, counting them as they passed
under the rod at the door to assure himself that none were
missing. Nor did his labours always end with sunset. Often he
had to guard the fold through the dark hours from the attack of
wild beasts, or the wily attempts of the prowling thief (see 1
Sam. 17:34).", Deane's David.
Shepherd, TX (city, FIPS 67424)
Location: 30.49045 N, 95.00299 W
Population (1990): 1812 (791 housing units)
Area: 15.8 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 77371
Shepherd, MI (village, FIPS 72960)
Location: 43.52458 N, 84.69385 W
Population (1990): 1413 (562 housing units)
Area: 2.1 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 48883
shepherd
ˈʃepəd v. lead, convoy, escort, conduct, guide, usher, take, pursue: I want you,
personally, to shepherd Miss Jones through the plant. As this project requires special care,
I shall shepherd it through personally.
On most web browsers you can double click any word on this page to see what definitions I have for that word.
This dictionary server is not an authoratative source of information for anything. Like almost everything at sorabji.com, I set this up for my own purposes. In this case the purpose is to
browse words and ideas at random. An automatically generated page that produces 1000 Random Words
is my gateway to this resource. I also attempt a word of the day project,
in which I attempt to write something about myself starting with interesting words that I find through the Wordswarm Random Words Pages. I have made
available the complete 1828 Webster's Dictionary, which many feel is the greatest English dictionary ever published.
Other random links of mine include the Sorabji.com Random Link, which sends you to one of
over 7,000 pages on my web sites; the Face Server produces random images of
human faces; clicking the Random WAYD link shows you a random posting to my "What Are You Doing?" board; the Random USPS
Mailbox link sends you to a page with information about a random mailbox; and the random pictures page page of sorabji.com shows one of over 11,000 random images any time you load the page. On an unrelated note, I have begun making several thousand pages of legal documents searchable.