Many times in the Old Testament God’s people are spoken of as sheep, led by a shepherd. The image would be a very natural one in the Ancient Near East, where wandering flocks led by a shepherd were everywhere a familiar sight. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were all shepherds. Moses and Joshua are portrayed as shepherds guiding Israel to freedom, and to the promised land (cf. Nb 27:17). David was taken from shepherding sheep to become the Kingly shepherd of Israel (cf. 2 Sm 5:2). We find this same image several times in the Psalms, and in the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Zechariah.