📖 Biblical Definition
The Shepherd-King is the biblical ideal of the king as shepherd of his people — not boss, not tyrant, not figurehead. The figure is rooted in David, the literal shepherd-boy made king after God’s own heart, and is developed by the prophets when later kings fail their flocks. Ezekiel’s great rebuke and promise: "I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them" (Ezekiel 34:23-24; cf. vv. 1-31). It is fulfilled in Christ — both Good Shepherd (John 10) and King of Kings (Revelation 19:16). One Lord, one office.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
King-as-shepherd ideal; David's shape, fulfilled in Christ.
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The biblical ideal of king-as-shepherd of his people, rooted in David's history (the actual shepherd-boy made king) and developed by Ezekiel after the failure of Israel's later kings: "Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves!... I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David" (Ezek 34:2, 23). The contrast with hireling-rulers is sharp. Fulfilled in Christ as both Good Shepherd (John 10) and King of Kings (Rev 19:16) — the same Person.
📖 Key Scripture
Ezekiel 34:23 — "And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd."
Micah 5:4 — "And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God."
John 10:11 — "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
King-language and shepherd-language often kept apart; biblical kingship is shepherd-shaped.
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Modern leadership-language often splits king (powerful, decisive, top-down) from shepherd (gentle, bottom-up, caring). Scripture refuses the split: the true king IS shepherd. David, Christ, and the under-shepherd elder all derive from the same source.
Recover the integration: the king feeds the flock; the shepherd reigns over it. Christ does both. Pastors do both.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew melek + roeh; Greek basileus + poimēn.
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['Hebrew', 'H4428', 'melek', 'king']
['Hebrew', 'H7462', 'roeh', 'shepherd']
Usage
"True king is shepherd."
"David's shape, Christ's fulfillment."
"Pastors imitate; Christ inhabits."