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Shepherds and Pastors

Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia

—the pastoral life of the Hebrews and their special inclination toward tending livestock are familiar to every reader of the Bible. The word shepherd occurs frequently in Holy Scripture in both its literal and figurative senses, especially in the book of the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 2:8; 3:15; 10:21 and elsewhere). Abel was the first shepherd of sheep (Gen. 4:2).

Scripture cited

Jeremias 2:8 Genesis 4:2

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