When shepherds watched their flocks by night . . .?

Shepherds weren't admired in Biblical times. They are called loathsome in Genesis 46:34. In fact, being a shepherd was considered punishment. Numbers 14:33 says, "And your sons shall be shepherds for forty years in the wilderness, and they shall suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your corpses lie in the wilderness."

"The shepherds were despised by the orthodox good people of the day. Shepherds were quite unable to keep the details of the ceremonial law; they could not observe all the meticulous hand washings and rules and regulations. Their flocks made far too constant demands on them; and so the orthodox looked down on them as very common people." (Barclay, p. 17)

Middle eastern cultures understood what shepherding was all about. It was about feeding the lambs and the sheep, bringing them to good pasture lands and water, grooming and clipping them, delivering new lambs, leading them and teaching them to stay together, going off after the wandering lost ones, and protecting the sheep in the field and in the fold.

The sheep owner frequently tends the flocks himself (Gen 4:4; 30:40; compare Ezek 34:12), but more often he delegates the work to his children (Gen 29:9; 1 Sam 16:19; 17:15) or relatives (Gen 31:6). In such cases the sheep have good care because the keepers have a personal interest in the well-being of the animals.

The chief care of the shepherd is to see that the sheep find plenty to eat and drink.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 Ezek 34:6-8).

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 (Gen 31:39; 1 Sam 17:34,35; Isa 31:4; Jer 5:6; Am 3:12).

The shepherd would bring the flock home to the fold at night. He would then lay down in the gate physically to protect the sheep from wolves coming into the sheepfold. He literally put his life on the line for the sheep. True under shepherds will make an effort to look for wandering sheep That tells me that sheep only had one shepherd.

When an especially productive spot is found, the shepherd may pass the time, while the animals are grazing, by playing on his pipe (Jdg 5:16). He sometimes carries a sling (qela`) of goat's hair (1 Sam 17:40). His chief belongings are kept in a skin pouch or bag (keli) (1 Sam 17:40).

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.

Shepard usually watch over heards of sheep which can have around 20-50 sheep. They don't watch them all the time and rarely stay with them at night unless it is lambing and some of them need help giving birth or there are known predators around. Shepherd's need dogs since sheep can be violent and are impossible for a human on foot to heard. What do you mean in real life? Sheep aren't mythical, my great gradndad was a shepherd.

Jesus used the analogy of sheep & shepherd many times.

This was an apt description of the relationship between GOD & Mankind.

Christianity has built on this metaphor as a model for pastoral care.

A sheep knows the voice of it's shepherd, & follows only him.

There are fellow shepherds & their dogs to accompany each other.

David was chosen to lead GOD's people of Israel.

In most cases you would have at least one flock of sheep per shepherd, mostly depending on the size of the flock. If a really large flock or more than one flock per owner, you would have two or more shepherds.

Dogs are not considered shepherds so don't really count. In biblical times they didn't have dogs to help them with sheep. Most people who make a living herding sheep are not particularly sociable people, that why they take those types of jobs.

Each shepard had their own flock. When they are in the same grazing pasture the Shepherds keep an eye on sheep and protect them from prey, when they go their separate ways the sheep come with their master, because they know their Master's voice.

Have you ever seen the old cowboy movies about the trail riders? One person owned the cattle, but it took a group of cowboys to drive them on the trail. The Sheepherders would operate much the same way.

yes, shepherds do have specific flock of sheep. Jesus has one.

That became into the case for the period of biblical situations i assume, night imaginative and prescient goggles, now that's only stupid!, u of all ought to grasp they have been in all probability too busy listening to their ipods...

Hopefully someone from Montana can help you with this one.

Where the men are men, and the sheep are afraid.

Lonely? Naaaaaah... the sheep don't talk.