* See Hastings' DB, s.v. t See Eth. iv. 9 ; Rket. ii. 6.
620
SHEALTIEL
SHEEP, SHEPHERD
Literature. — Hastings' DB, art. 'Shame'; Trench, ^T Synonyms ; G. Sahnon, Gnosticism and Agnosticism (1887), 164 ; R. W. Church, Village Serm., 3rd ser. (1897), 236.
C. W. Emmet. SHEALTIEL.— A link in our Lord's genealogy (Mt P^ Lk r~\ AV both times Salathiel).
SHECHEM.— See Sychar.
SHEEP, SHEPHERD.—
a./x.^i(, ' lamb ' : Jn 129. 36, Ac 832, i p 119 ; with the classical ace. plur. Upva.;, Lk 10^ (where Cod. A reads ^/;<i/3«T«), and the diminutive from the same stem, apviov, in Jn 2118 (NABC2) and (of Christ) Rev. passim, (56-223). All three words are used only figuratively in NT.
irp»/3«T«v; 'sheep': Mt 936 1211.12 1312, Lk 154. 6, jn 214. 15 10, Rev 1813, and (figurativelv) Mt 715 106. iti 1524 2532f. 2631, Mk 634 1427, Jn 10. 21 (15- C*D)1U"17, Ac 832, He I320, 1 P225 ; its diminu- tive 9rpolici.Tw, in Jn 2116- " (B, C, Tisch., WH).
!To/>K,5, 'flock' : Lk 28, 1 Co 97, and (fig.) Mt 2631, jn 1016 ; its diminutive sroZ/iviov, always figurative, in Lk 1232, Ac 2028. 29, 1 P 52- 3.
^o,fcy,y, 'Shepherd' : Mt 936 2532, Mk 634, Lk 28-15.18.20, jn 102. 12, and (fig.) Mt 2631, Mk 1427, Jn lOH- "■ 16, Eph 4", He 1320,
1 P 225.
a.px'^o:f/.riv, ' chief shepherd ' (fig.), 1 P 54.
^oif/Mha, ' shepherd,' ' tend,' a flock : Lk 17^, 1 Co 97, and (fig.) Mt 26, Jn 21ie, Ac 2028, 1 p 52, Jude 12, Rev 227 7" 125 1915.
I36a-Ha, ' feed a flock ' : Mt 830, Mk 5", Lk 832 1515 ; „/ ^io-xovTi;, Mt 833, Mk 514, Lk 831. ^i^y,^ ig fig. only in Jn 2115. 17.
1. The sheep of Palestine are still the broad- tailed breed of Biblical times (Ex 29^^, Lv S^- " KV ' fat tail '). The tail is from 5 to 15 inches wide, and weighs from 10 to 15 lb., sometimes even as much as 30 lb., supplying 10 lb. and upwards of pure fat, which is packed for winter use. The sheep are white, though some have brown faces : only the rams have horns. Tliey ' find pasture ' (Jn 10^) in the lower lands in winter and on the mountains in summer, the best pastures being in S. Palestine (the Negeb and Gerar) and on the plain to the E. of the Jordan ; but even ' the pastures of the wilderness' (Ps 65^^, Jl 2^^) are wel- come in spring, Avhen grass and flowers have grown which are burnt up in summer. The shepherd leads his sheep (Jn W) during the day in the cool months, but in the hotter part of tlie year from sunset to early morning, when he brings them back to the fold (vv.^- ^^) or leaves them to lie under a prepared shelter in the bushes (Ca 1'^). The fold \av\ri) is a low flat shed or series of sheds, with a yard surrounded by a wall (Jn 10^ ; cf. Nu 32^^, Jg 5'^, Zepli 2^) ; on cold nights the flocks are shut in the buildings. The wall is surmounted by a fence of sharp thorns to keep out the wolves (Jn 10'^) and other wild beasts (Is 31'', 1 S 17^'*) ; jackals and hyjenas prey almost up to the walls of Jerusalem, while leopards and panthers often leap over the high fence of the fold, and the shepherd is still at times known ' to lay down his life for the sheep ' ( Jn 10"). Robbers are as great a source of danger ; a lamb or a kid is sometimes carried off by a bird of prey, and there are deadly snakes in the lime- stone rocks. The Gospel parable does not exag- gerate the rejoicing of the shepherd when he hag recovered a sheep that has gone astray ' upon the mountains ' (Mt IS^^. w l], 154),
The shepherd keeps watch by night in the open air (Lk 2*, cf. Nah 3^^), sometimes using a tem- porary shelter or a shepherd's tent (Ca 1*, Is 38^^), which recalls the nomad habits of the early Israel- ites and their Semitic ancestors (He 11®, Gn 4-"). On the march he carries a bag or wallet (Mt 10^"), a staff (Mt 108, Ps 23*), and a sling (1 S 17*). At the watering-places (Ps 23"-) the sheep answer to tlie shepherd's call (Jn 10^- *), and, when they have drunk, move on at his word to make room for another flock. A shepherd is sometimes followed by several flocks, but each comes or goes at a sepa- rate call, and lie often knows each sheep by a name (Jn 10^). Sheep-dogs (Job 30^) are not men- tioned in the NT, but they must have been used.
as they are still, to protect the flock and keep the sheep together.
2. Sheep were used for food (Rev 18^^), and their milk for drink (1 Co 9^ Dt 32i-*) ; their skins were used for tents and for a baggy kind of coat (fjLrfKwT-i), He IP"). The importance of sheep to a pastoral people like the Israelites is emjihasized by one of their favourite names, Rachel, which means ' ewe ' (W. R. Smith, Rcl. Sem.^ 311), and by the choice of a lamb for the Paschal Supper in their most sacred festival. Every morning, also, and every evening, they had to otter in sacrifice ' a he-lamb without blemish for a continual burnt-offering' (Nu 28^"^), with two he-lambs in addition every Sabbath day (v.®). Seven he-lambs and one ram were required at every new moon, on every day of the Passover, and at the Feast of Weeks (vv.is-3i), at the Feast of Trumpets, and on the Day of Atonement (29^"^^). At the Feast of Tabernacles (vv.^-'^*) this ottering was included on the eighth day, but was doubled on each of the first seven days, with varying numbers of bullocks. Goats were generally used for sin-ofi'erings, but a leper in the day of his cleansing (Lk 17") had to bring a he-lamb for a guilt-ottering, besides a he-lamb for a burnt-offering and a ewe-lamb, the two latter being commuted for a pair of turtle-doves in the case of the poor (Lv 14^""^^). Any of the common people, also, might substitute for the male goat of the ordinary sin-ottering a female lamb without blemish (Lv 427-32)_ This piacular ottering of sheep was a Semitic practice wdiich is found also in ancient Cyprus, and was adopted by Epimenides at Athens when he was summoned from Crete to purify the city from the Alcmaeonid pollution (W. R. Smitli, Eel. Sem.."^ note G).