John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Alfred Edersheim (1825-1889) provides an intriguing answer to our question. First to the low. Your email address will not be published. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. This page features some excerpts from Fred H. Wight's Manners and Customs of Bible Lands regarding the life of a shepherd. Per copyright, you cannot copy the content of this page. For the first time, I considered this question. As farmers, they despised shepherding because sheep and goats meant death to crops. And Moses was content to dwell with the man: Your email address will not be published. As you point out, throughout scripture, God uses those society least expects to carry out His plan of salvation, and Jesus elevates the marginalized. RevChingLHCC@gmail.com. We dont know who they were by name, nor how many there were. And its amazing how much I have picked up unconsciously from art. Throughout the Bible, shepherds are spoken of as an abomination. It wasnt the fact the Deborah stepped up, but obviously God didnt have a qualified man during that time. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. But when we do this, we also risk inadvertently sanitizing the Good News of the story. Were there any shepherd girls? In addition to their duties as shepherds, female shepherds in biblical times also played important roles in their families and communities. A Awassi ram in Kuwait. So when God went looking for a king to rule Israel, He went looking for someone with a heart just like He and the Word havethe heart of a shepherd. In answer to What did they do with all that milk? Wouldnt the milk be used for the baby lambs? Dave is a favorite of mine, often giving Hebrew and biblical background and insight in his devotions (go give him a followhes amazing!). What percentage of offspring would be expected to have short whiskers? Wednesday, December 8, 2010 "One day you are going to make a great pasture." Would you consider that note to me from a seventh-grade youth group member a compliment? In this case, what stood out to me the most initially was that I never thought of the shepherds potentially being women. Ive thought a lot about what goes on in that pasture during my years in the pastorate: sheep, shepherds and well, other stuff. Just because the man is considered the head of the home does not demean the importance of the woman, but instead they complement each other and as a team work together in harmony. When necessary he moved his sheep away from home base to distant fields, camping out until bad weather brought herds and shepherds home. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - Shepherd Life; The Care of Sheep and Goats SHEEP IN He designed it, and He gets to define it. When a girl was eight to ten years old, she began leading the family herd out to nearby pasture. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their fathers flock. I have the wonderful images from the St. Yes, there were female shepherds in biblical times. Shepherds are an important motif throughout the Bible. In Bible times, women, as well as men, were shepherds. The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want. I think God meant for it to be an occasion where any and all could feel embraced and not out of place. Sheep are also very social animals, and they can easily recognize the voice of a trusted shepherd. 1 Timothy 3:2 *edited. He used a staff or rod to lower on each sheep and count them carefully. The religious elite wrote off shepherds as unclean and pagan but God chose to reveal the truth of Christs birth to them. Bible Verses About Shepherd. 3 Do shepherds live on mountains? The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The Bible only mentions Shepards with no mention of gender so we may never know for sure. What work did Nazareth people in general do? These women played important roles in caring for their flocks, their families, and their communities, and their stories continue to inspire us today. Who were famous shepherds in the Bible? Scriptures to help when you feel attacked or persecuted . We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Name Meanings: How Is Your Name Prophetic? Tools. Why shepherds at Bethlehem? | Biblical Leadership It built her strength and health. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." The golden shepherds draw the viewer into the scene so we pay close attention. They were a part of the Jewish community and served in priestly roles. It is a powerful motif and it serves as a reminder of the need for Christians to be shepherds of their own lives. Coming from a family of 5 girls one would think this thought should have crossed my mind years ago. P.S. My shepherd friends were overjoyed that in the film instead of appearing to leaders in palaces or temples, the angels came to those on the lower rungs of social power. Times have changed and there has been a great falling away from the church women outnumber men nearly 5 to 1 in the church. Whatever his age, the shepherd's job was to protect his flock and guide them to good pastures with plenty of food and slow-moving, easily accessible water. See full Copyright and Permissions Policy here. Photo Rebecka by Dikla Laor at DiklaLaor.Photography. While women were certainly capable of working as shepherds, it was less common for them to do so because of these cultural expectations. But other times it can distort the truth and, therefore, what we think we know. No matter our story, no matter how messy, God wants to meet us, to know us, and to be a part of our lives. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Here, that presence is vividly presented: golden angels fluttering above, golden calligraphy calling forth the text, the gold band of light descending from above to the lowliest of the low and a swath of golden shepherds. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The possibility exists for me though and Im contented with that. What Was Life like in Biblical Times? - TheTorah.com And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock. And I corresponded yesterday with a Maasai brother who told me that in his world, after the animals go into their pen for the night, the whole extended family gathers around the fire for stories. 3yr Old Border Collie Meets Sheep For The First Time Ever What Will He Do! 2 What is the work of a shepherd? The Enduring Olive Tree and its Precious Fruit: From Modern Day to AncientPast1. So Moses jumped up and rescued the girls from the shepherds. He will protect you from all the things that can harm you. Contact us for copy permission. I pondered to myself, what if a man had no sons? The reason for the predominance of male shepherds in biblical times is likely due to cultural norms and gender roles. The image of the shepherd is found throughout the Bible and appears at a number of critical times in Gods history. I began to ponder this question when our church was using a video series by entitled That the World May Know and discovered that even today, shepherds in Israel are more often women. In the ancient days of the Old Testament, working as a shepherd was a respectable career. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. I feel that 1 Timothy 2:12 is missed used. The source of this information was a rabbinic Jewish scholar who converted to Christianity. Reviews | Christmas Nobodies Were the First to Know When God announced the birth of Christ to sweaty, uncouth shepherds, he signaled something important about the kind of Messiah he was. The wealthy sons of Isaac and Jacob tended flocks ( Genesis 30:29; 37:12 ). It must have been often because Jethro asked them why they were back home so soon. In ancient Israel it was not unusual for women to work outside the home, young women at least. Oftentimes, this can be helpful in enlarging our view. For the first couple of chapters, it appears his main source was probably Mary herself. Another explanation is that God wanted to show them how much He loves them. Regardless, whether marginalized, overlooked women or messy, undesirable men, God chose to introduce Jesus to them first and not at all by accident. call him, that he may eat bread. Kings were considered to be shepherds of their people. Yes, I said her, because in the Middle East, shepherds are culturally most often the young girls of the familyunless there are no daughters, in which case it falls to the youngest son (like David). This setup or a similar one has been true for many shepherding tribes and peoples across time and geography. In Part 2 well note that Rebekahs name relates to milking and consider what might have been done with the milk her sheep produced.Mary Hendren. So, the shepherds to whom the angel choir appeared were probably not a bunch of unrelated guys from different families watching multiple flocks on an open hillside. Shepherds were not regarded as outcasts in Israel. For these pastoral peoples, livestock serve as their pantries, 401(k) plans, Meals on Wheels, bank accounts. Have you ever considered that there may have been shepherdesses at the manger? Are you feeling outcast today? These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Clearly the work of a shepherdess, though less extensive than that of a sheepherder, was important. 1 Were there any female shepherds in the Bible? All rights reserved. Though sheep are not specifically mentioned in the account of creation, God made these animals a valuable source of food and clothing. It had a knob on one end and sometimes had nails driven into it to make it a better weapon. We aim to create lasting change by strengthening the ecology of Christian institutions that enable U.S. congregations and pastors to flourish. What was the role of a shepherd in the Middle East? It is a wonderful example of how God loves the outcasts and those who are downtrodden. Exodus 2:16-21(KJV) Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their fathers flock. These hardy sheep were good grazers, but the quality of their wool is inferior by todays standard. No one stopped a capable man or woman from harvesting. Then I remembered the shepards. If a family has no girlsor not enough of themthe youngest son or sons also get assigned to sheep/goat duty. They were also deemed ceremonially unclean, as their contact with sheep was unsanitary. Who were the female shepherds in the Bible? - Why am I a Catholic? We threw a bedsheet over the top of a hut, hooked up a generator andvoila! In earliest biblical times, the Hebrews followed their herds from pasture land to pasture land and water hole to water hole, though at times they lived for long periods near major cities ( Genesis 13:18; Genesis 20:1; Genesis 26:6; Genesis 33:19 ). I am the good shepherd. It was considered demeaning for a man to ride an ass (Zechariah 9:9). They are mentioned more than any other animal in the Bible, and they appear many times during biblical events. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Some of the reasons for this aversion to shepherds are unclear. Luke 2:8-20 lays out the story for us. Its hard to read very far in your Bible before bumping into shepherds. Looking at the nativity scene anew, now I see shepherd girls from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and Peru. The shepherds, plural, to whom the angels appeared were not individuals out by themselves alone in the dark. Technically a shepherd is different than a sheepherder, although they share some of the same duties. This time I had a specific purpose as I perused the scenes. My husband is a U.S.-based missionary serving national leaders there. Everyone was encouraged to get involved. They also provided for the needs of their flocks by providing food, water, and shelter. The Way of a Shepherd - CBE International Writing about these shepherds, Edersheim referenced the JewishMishnah.
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