He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40:11)

A shepherd moves his flock from one pasture to another. Depending on grass and water available, depending on the season, depending on many factors.

Sheep do not require shelter and can subsist in marginal conditions - especially with the help of the shepherd. Even the poorest families would often raise a few sheep.

The shepherds were often the youngest members of the family. Even today a pre-teen shepherd is typical among the rural poor of Africa and Asia.

In most ancient cultures sheep were raised more for wool and milk than for meat. For most lamb was eaten only when a rich man had given the animal for religious sacrifice.

Envision a young boy, perhaps assisted by a younger brother or cousin, otherwise alone on a mountain slope beneath the night sky watching a dozen sheep.

There was a deep intimacy and mutuality in the relationship of shepherd with sheep. The sheep depend on the shepherd, but so does the shepherd depend on the sheep.

You may listen to the duet He shall lead his Flock performed by the Peabody Institute Symphony and Chorus.