Shepherdess

I will give you shepherds(esses) after my own heart who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. Jeremiah 3:15

Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Unsplash

Recently, I applied to Seminary Now. I've been praying for the Holy Spirit to guide me on what to do with my one wild and precious life. On social media a woman was expressing how she wanted a more in-depth theology study of the Bible, and she was frustrated that the local church did not have that available. My soul echos her desire. One response suggested going to seminary, and to start with Seminary Now. I'm grateful that the body of Christ is present on social media. The Spirit and the church can guide us.

In my investigation of Seminary Now I learned that it does not require an application fee, does not require a reference, and they might even accept lived experience over a BA. Bachelor of Arts is a degree that I don't have right now. I wrote a 400-500 word essay about how my experience has prepared me to take a seminary class, filled out the other information, and hit the Apply Now button. 

Filling out this application was empowering. Even if I don't get accepted...the Spirit is at work in and through me. I am filled with joy and excitement. I am praying that the Spirit might use this to somehow lead me to an in-person training and education. In the interim, there is the option to take classes through this resource.

I started looking at what classes are available, and what sounds interesting to me. Two grabbed my attention. 1) Women in the Bible: Explore how God has strategically placed and empowered women to advance his redemptive mission. 2) Foundations for Pastoral Care: This class introduces students to biblical, theological, and philosophical foundations for providing pastoral care. "Whether you're a pastor, ministry leader, or simply someone who wants to care well, this course will help you grow in both understanding and confidence."

The syllabus for Foundations for Pastoral Care led me to the book: Shepherds After My Own Heart by Timothy S. Laniak. After reading several book reviews I wondered if Tim Laniak might only include male shepherds as examples in his book. 

"I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding." Jeremiah 3:15. The description of the book says, "Most of Israel's pastoral imagery is grounded in two traditions: Moses as God's under-shepherd and David as shepherd-king. These traditions, explains author Timothy S. Laniak, provided prototypes for leaders that followed, and formed the background for the ministry of Jesus, the good shepherd."

What about the shepherd~esses?

I did a quick search for shepherdess on Bible Gateway, and found Rachel named as a shepherdess in Genesis 29:9

"While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess."

Genesis 29:1-3 CSB gives us a description of the tasks that shepherds/shepherdess do in their daily chores.

"Jacob resumed his journey and went to the eastern country. He looked and saw a well in a field. Three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it because the sheep were watered from this well. But a large stone covered the opening of the well. The shepherds would roll the stone from the opening of the well and water the sheep when all the flocks were gathered there. Then they would return the stone to its place over the well’s opening."

Verse six gives us more evidence that Rachel was a shepherdess. She led the sheep to water. Genesis 29:6-10 CSB

“and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with his sheep.” Then Jacob said, "Look, it is still broad daylight. It's not time for the animals to be gathered. Water the flock, then go out and let them graze." But they replied, "We can't until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone is rolled from the well's opening. Then we will water the sheep." While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. As soon as Jacob saw his uncle Laban’s daughter Rachel with his sheep, he went up and rolled the stone from the opening and watered his uncle Laban’s sheep."

Then I wondered about Zipporah, Moses wife. Was she a shepherdess? I had a fuzzy memory that she was watering animals at a well. I went to Exodus 2, read about Moses killing a man and then he flees to Midian where he meets Zipporah.

Exodus 2:15-19 CSB

“When Pharaoh heard about this, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in the land of Midian, and sat down by a well. Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. Then some shepherds arrived and drove them away, but Moses came to their rescue and watered their flock. When they returned to their father Reuel, he asked, "Why have you come back so quickly today?" They answered, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”

Zipporah was doing the same shepherding tasks as Rachel, watering her father's flocks at the well. We can conclude that Zipporah was a perhaps a shepherdess. 

The story continues Exodus 2:21 CSB “Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage." Moses spends many years co-shepherding his father-in-laws flock alongside his wife. Perhaps he even received on-the-job-training from her, as this would have been a new vocation for him.

Exodus 2:23 CSB “After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned because of their difficult labor, they cried out, and their cry for help because of the difficult labor ascended to God." God is going to send Moses to liberate these people from oppression, and Moses training as a shepherd has prepared him for this task. It is reasonable to believe that Zipporah was instrumental in instructing him for this. I give her credit, honor, and respect.

Exodus 3:1-2 CSB

"Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God." Moses receives instructions to go back to Egypt, but he is not confident that he is properly trained to do the task. God is angry, but he gently edifies and encourages Moses that his everyday shepherding tools of cloak and staff will be used to free the people from slavery.

Exodus 4:19-20 CSB

"Now in Midian the LORD told Moses, “Return to Egypt, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead.” So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took God’s staff in his hand."

A few verses later Zipporah the shepherdess comes to Moses rescue, and saves his life. Exodus 4:24-26 CSB “On the trip, at an overnight campsite, it happened that the LORD confronted him and intended to put him to death. So Zipporah took a flint, cut off her son's foreskin, threw it at Moses's feet, and said, "You are a bridegroom of blood to me!" So he let him alone. At that time she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood,” referring to the circumcision." 

Would Zipporah have been skilled at using a flint to shear the sheep? Would this skill be an aid in circumcision? Was she saying that Moses was a bridegroom of blood to her, or that the LORD was a bridegroom of blood to her? So the LORD let Moses alone?

This seems like a bold and shocking turn of events, that a woman would perform circumcision is significant. This would have been the task of a Levite priest. Exodus 2:1-2 CSB records that Moses is the son of a Levite father and Levite mother. "Now a man from the family of Levi married a Levite woman. The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son; when she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months." Zipporah herself is the daughter of a Midian priest, and she is also a shepherdess. Zipporah and Moses have commonality and a heritage of parents trained as priest, and they themselves are trained as shepherds. Moses has a wife who is his strong ally. His Ezer Kenegdo. His co-regent. She's a shepherd after God's own heart who "will lead you with knowledge and understanding." Declaring her trust that the LORD is “a bridegroom of blood to me” who will save His people from captivity.

Alysia Nicole Harris, PhD says, "Though Zipporah was not the one who was supposed to circumcise—she carried out her role as Mozes’ ezer kenegdo, his Rescuing Help, anyway. (Note that the name Zipporah is the Hebrew word for ‘bird.’ In the New Testament, the symbol of the Holy Spirit is a dove. Just another example of last week’s connection between the role of women and that of the Holy Spirit.)" ..."Moses and Zipporah both function as rescuers, and one could argue that Zipporah has the more courageous faith. Moses stood before an angry monarch, but Zipporah was the one who saved Moses from an angry God. Who can rescue anyone from God’s wrath? Who would even dare stand before the Holy One and plead for mercy? Jesus comes to mind."

Zipporah, the Wife of Moses

When we are thinking and teaching about God saying, "I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding." Jeremiah 3:15. We can include women as shepherdess. I will give you shepherdess after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding Jeremiah 3:15. 

Did Shepherds in Bethlehem Include Females?
Dr. Sandra Glahn points out the beloved in the Song of Songs was a female shepherd, and that women would have been included in Luke's narrative when the angels appeared and announced Jesus birth to the shepherds/shepherdess watching over their flocks by night. 

Song of Songs 1:5-11 CSB

“Daughters of Jerusalem, I am dark like the tents of Kedar, yet lovely like the curtains of Solomon. 

Do not stare at me because I am dark, for the sun has gazed on me. My mother's sons were angry with me; they made me take care of the vineyards. I have not taken care of my own vineyard.

Tell me, you whom I love: Where do you pasture your sheep? Where do you let them rest at noon? Why should I be like one who veils herself beside the flocks of your companions? 

If you do not know, most beautiful of women, follow the tracks of the flock, and pasture your young goats near the shepherds' tents.

I compare you, my darling, to a mare among Pharaoh's chariots.

Your cheeks are beautiful with jewelry, your neck with its necklace.

We will make gold jewelry for you, accented with silver.”

Rich, edifying, and beautiful imagery of a shepherdess who is also caring for a vineyard. We have permission to center both men and women as shepherds. Trusting that the Spirit will guide us in our one wild and precious life in Christ.