10 Bible Verses about Shepherds

Most Relevant Verses

1 Peter 5:2-4

Tend the flock of God which among you, inspecting, not by force, but voluntarily; neither occupied in sordid gain, but of a ready will; Neither as ruling over the portions obtained by lot, but being types of the flock. And the chief Shepherd having been manifested, ye shall be attired with an unfading crown of glory.

Isaiah 44:28

Saying to Cyrus, My shepherd, and he shall complete all my delight: and saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and the temple shall be founded.

From Thematic Bible


Christian ministers » Servants » Shepherds

Jeremiah 23:4

And I set up shepherds over them, and they fed them; and they shall no more fear, and they shall not be terrified, and they shall not be reviewed, says Jehovah.

Ministers » Remuneration of » Shepherds

John 21:17

He says to him the third time, Simon of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved that he said the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said to him, Lord, thou knowest all; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus says to him, Feed my sheep.

Jeremiah 23:4

And I set up shepherds over them, and they fed them; and they shall no more fear, and they shall not be terrified, and they shall not be reviewed, says Jehovah.

More verses: 1 Peter 5:2

Names » Of ministers » Shepherds

Jeremiah 23:4

And I set up shepherds over them, and they fed them; and they shall no more fear, and they shall not be terrified, and they shall not be reviewed, says Jehovah.

Religious zeal » Instances of » Shepherds

Luke 2:17-18

And having seen, they made known concerning the word spoken to them about the child. And all having heard wondered at the things spoken to them by the shepherds.

Shepherds » Illustrative » (ignorant and foolish,) of bad ministers

Ezekiel 34:10

Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Behold me against the shepherds; and I sought my flock from their hand, and I caused them to cease from feeding the sheep: and the shepherds shall no more feed themselves; and I delivered my flock from their face, and they shall not be to them for consuming.

Isaiah 56:11

And dogs hard of soul, they knew not fulness; and they are evil, they know not understanding; they all looked to their way, a man to his plunder from his extremity.

Ezekiel 34:2

Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, To the shepherds, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Wo! to the shepherds of Israel who were feeding themselves: shall not the shepherds feed the sheep?

Jeremiah 50:6

My people were lost sheep: their shepherds caused them to wander, they turned them away in the mountains: they went from mountain to hill, they forgot their place to lie down.

Shepherds » Illustrative » Of Christ as the good shepherd

Zechariah 13:7

O sword, be raised up against my shepherd, and against the man of my fellowship, says Jehovah of armies: strike the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered; and I turned back my hand upon the little ones.

Shepherds » Members of the family both male and female acted as

1 Samuel 17:15

And David went and turned back from Saul to feed his father's sheep at the House of Bread.

1 Samuel 16:11

And Samuel will say to Jesse, Are these the whole of the boys? And he will say, The small was yet left, and behold, he fed among the sheep. And Samuel will say to Jesse, Send and take him, for we will not turn about till his coming here.

Genesis 29:6

And he will say to them, Is health to him? and they will say, Health: Behold, Rachel his daughter came with the sheep.

Shepherds » Illustrative » Of kings as the leaders of the people

Isaiah 44:28

Saying to Cyrus, My shepherd, and he shall complete all my delight: and saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and the temple shall be founded.

Jeremiah 49:19

Behold, as the lion he shall come up from the excellency of Jordan against the habitation of strength: for I will wink, I will cause him to run from her: and who the chosen I shall appoint to her? for who like me? and who shall testify for me? and who this shepherd which shall stand before me?

Jeremiah 6:3

To her shall come the shepherds and their flocks; they fixed the tents upon her round about; they fed each with his hand.

Shepherds » Care of the sheep by, exhibited in » Going before and leading them

Psalm 80:1

To the overseer for the lilies of the testimonies; to Asaph a chanting. O thou feeding Israel, give ear, guiding Joseph as sheep.; thou dwelling in the cherubs, shine forth.

Psalm 78:52

He will remove his people as sheep, and he will lead them as a flock in the desert

Shepherds » Dwelt in tents while tending their flocks

Song of Songs 1:8

If thou shalt not know for thyself, O fair one among women, come forth for thyself at the heels of the flock, and feed thy kids by the shepherds' tents.

Isaiah 38:12

Mine age removed, and was carried away from me as a shepherd's tent: I rolled together as a weaver my life: from the thread he will cut me off: from the day even to the night thou wilt finish me.

Shepherds » Care of the sheep by, exhibited in » Seeking out good pasture for them

1 Chronicles 4:39-41

And they will come to the entrance of Gedor, even to the sunrising of the valley to seek pasture for their sheep. And they will find fat pasture and good, and the land wide of hands and resting and quiet; for from Ham dwelling there before. And these being written by names, will come in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and they will strike their tents and their dwellings those being found there, and they will exterminate them even to this day, and they will dwell instead of them, for pasture there for their sheep.

Shepherds » FALSE » Prey upon the flock instead of feeding it

Ezekiel 34:2-3

Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, To the shepherds, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Wo! to the shepherds of Israel who were feeding themselves: shall not the shepherds feed the sheep? Ye will eat the fat, and ye will put on the wool, ye will sacrifice the fatlings: ye will not feed the sheep.

Zechariah 11:17

Wo! to the empty shepherd forsaking the sheep; the sword upon his arm, and upon his right eye: and his arm being dried up, shall be dried up, and his right eye being dim, shall be dim.

Shepherds » Illustrative » (their care and tenderness,) of tenderness of Christ

Ezekiel 34:13-16

And I brought them out from the peoples, and I gathered them from the lands, and I brought them to their land, and I fed them upon the mountains of Israel by the torrents, and in all the dwellings of the earth. In a good pasture will I feed them, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall be their rest: there shall they lie in a good rest, and a fat pasture they shall feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my sheep, and I will cause them to lie down, says the Lord Jehovah. read more.
The lost I will seek out, and the thrust away I will turn back, and to the broken I will bind up, and the diseased I will strengthen: and the fat and the strong I will destroy; I will feed them with judgment

Shepherds » Care of the sheep by, exhibited in » Defending them when attacked by wild beasts

Amos 3:12

Thus said Jehovah: As the shepherd will deliver from the mouth of the lion two legs, and part of an ear, thus shall the sons of Israel be delivered dwelling in Shomeron in the extremity of a tribe, or in Damascus under a roof.

1 Samuel 17:34-36

And David will say to Saul, Thy servant was feeding for his father among the sheep, and there came the lion and with the bear, and lifted up a sheep from the flock. And I went forth after him, and I smote him, and I delivered from his mouth: and he arose upon me and I seized upon his beard, and I struck him and killed him. Also the lion and the bear thy servant struck: and this uncircumcised of the rovers was as one of them, for he God. upbraided the ranks of the living

Shepherds » Carried a staff or rod

Leviticus 27:32

And all the tenth of cattle and sheep, all which shall pass through under the rod, the tenth shall be holy to Jehovah.

Shepherds » Care of the sheep by, exhibited in » Searching them out when lost and straying

Ezekiel 34:12

According to the seeking of the shepherd of his flock in the day of his being in the midst of his sheep being scattered.; so will I search out my sheep and deliver them from all places where they were scattered there in the day of cloud and darkness.

Luke 15:4-5

What man of you, having one hundred. sheep, and having lost one of them, leaves not the ninety-nine in the desert, and goes for the one lost, till he find it And having found, he puts upon his shoulders, rejoicing.

Shepherds » Illustrative » (searching out straying sheep,) of Christ seeking the lost

Ezekiel 34:12

According to the seeking of the shepherd of his flock in the day of his being in the midst of his sheep being scattered.; so will I search out my sheep and deliver them from all places where they were scattered there in the day of cloud and darkness.

Luke 15:2-7

And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, That this receives the sinful, and eats together with them. And he spake this parable to them, saying, What man of you, having one hundred. sheep, and having lost one of them, leaves not the ninety-nine in the desert, and goes for the one lost, till he find it read more.
And having found, he puts upon his shoulders, rejoicing. And having come into the house, he calls together friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me: for I have found my lost sheep. I say to you, that so shall joy be in heaven over one sinful repenting, more than over ninety-nine just, which have no need of repentance.

Shepherds » Illustrative » Of God as leader of israel

Psalm 80:1

To the overseer for the lilies of the testimonies; to Asaph a chanting. O thou feeding Israel, give ear, guiding Joseph as sheep.; thou dwelling in the cherubs, shine forth.

Shepherds » Care of the sheep by, exhibited in » Tenderness to the ewes in lamb, and to the young

Genesis 33:13-14

And he will say to him, My lord knew that the children are tender, and the sheep and the oxen bringing forth with me, and they overdrive them one day all the flock will die. Now my lord, shall pass through before his servant, and I will drive out softly, according to the foot of the work before me and according to the foot of the children, till I shall come to my lord to Seir.

Shepherds » FALSE » Insentiate and pleasure-loving

Isaiah 56:10-12

Look about, ye blind; they all knew not, they all dumb dogs, they shall not be able to bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. And dogs hard of soul, they knew not fulness; and they are evil, they know not understanding; they all looked to their way, a man to his plunder from his extremity. Come ye, I will take wine, and we will drink strong drink to excess; and the morrow being as this day, the remainder great exceedingly.

Shepherds » Care of the sheep by, exhibited in » Numbering them when they return from pasture

Jeremiah 33:13

In the cities of the mountain, in the cities of the low country, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in round about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the sheep yet pass through upon the hand of him numbering, said Jehovah.

Shepherds » Usually carried a scrip or bag

1 Samuel 17:40

And he will take his rod in his hand, and he will choose to him five smooth stones from the torrent, and he will put them in a vessel of the shepherds, which is to him, and in a sack; and his sling in his hand: and he will draw near to him of the rovers.

Shepherds » Had hired keepers under them

1 Samuel 17:20

And David will rise early in the morning, and will cast the sheep upon a watcher, and he will lift up and go as Jesse commanded him; and he will come to the track, and the army going forth to the array and they shouted in the war.

Shepherds » FALSE » Lead the sheep astray

Jeremiah 50:6

My people were lost sheep: their shepherds caused them to wander, they turned them away in the mountains: they went from mountain to hill, they forgot their place to lie down.

Shepherds » FALSE » Scatter the flock

Jeremiah 23:2

For this, thus said Jehovah God of Israel, against the shepherds feeding my people: Ye scattered my flock and ye will thrust them away, and ye reviewed them not: behold me reviewing over you the evil of your doings, says Jehovah.

Shepherds » Illustrative » Ministers » Of the gospel

Jeremiah 23:4

And I set up shepherds over them, and they fed them; and they shall no more fear, and they shall not be terrified, and they shall not be reviewed, says Jehovah.

Shepherds » Care of the sheep by, exhibited in » Attending them when sick

Shepherds » An abomination to the egyptians

Genesis 46:34

And saying, Thy servants were men of cattle from our childhood and till now; also we, also our fathers; that ye shall dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd of sheep is an abomination to the Egyptians.

Shepherds » Early mention of

Shepherds » FALSE » Hirelings forsake the sheep

John 10:12

But the hired one, and not being the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and he leaves the sheep, and flees: and the wolf plunders them, and scatters the sheep.

Shepherds » Care of the sheep by, exhibited in » Knowing them

Shepherds » The unfaithfulness of hireling, alluded to

John 10:12

But the hired one, and not being the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and he leaves the sheep, and flees: and the wolf plunders them, and scatters the sheep.

Shepherds » Care of the sheep by, exhibited in » Watching over them by night

Titles and names of ministers » Shepherds

Jeremiah 23:4

And I set up shepherds over them, and they fed them; and they shall no more fear, and they shall not be terrified, and they shall not be reviewed, says Jehovah.

FALSE » Shepherds » Teachers

1 Timothy 6:3

If any teach otherwise, and come not up to the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine according to devotion;

1 Timothy 1:7

Wishing to be teachers of the law; neither understanding what they say, nor of certain things they are assured.

2 Timothy 4:3

For the time will be when they will not hear sound doctrine; but according to their own eager desires they will heap up to themselves teachers, feeling itchings for a report;

FALSE » Shepherds » Prey upon the flock instead of feeding it

Ezekiel 34:2-3

Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, To the shepherds, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Wo! to the shepherds of Israel who were feeding themselves: shall not the shepherds feed the sheep? Ye will eat the fat, and ye will put on the wool, ye will sacrifice the fatlings: ye will not feed the sheep.

Zechariah 11:17

Wo! to the empty shepherd forsaking the sheep; the sword upon his arm, and upon his right eye: and his arm being dried up, shall be dried up, and his right eye being dim, shall be dim.

FALSE » Shepherds » Insentiate and pleasure-loving

Isaiah 56:10-12

Look about, ye blind; they all knew not, they all dumb dogs, they shall not be able to bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. And dogs hard of soul, they knew not fulness; and they are evil, they know not understanding; they all looked to their way, a man to his plunder from his extremity. Come ye, I will take wine, and we will drink strong drink to excess; and the morrow being as this day, the remainder great exceedingly.

FALSE » Shepherds » Lead the sheep astray

Jeremiah 50:6

My people were lost sheep: their shepherds caused them to wander, they turned them away in the mountains: they went from mountain to hill, they forgot their place to lie down.

FALSE » Shepherds » Scatter the flock

Jeremiah 23:2

For this, thus said Jehovah God of Israel, against the shepherds feeding my people: Ye scattered my flock and ye will thrust them away, and ye reviewed them not: behold me reviewing over you the evil of your doings, says Jehovah.

FALSE » Shepherds » Hirelings forsake the sheep

John 10:12

But the hired one, and not being the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and he leaves the sheep, and flees: and the wolf plunders them, and scatters the sheep.

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