ποιμήν

ποιμήν — poimḗn

ποιμήν, ποιμένος, ὁ (akin to the noun ποίᾳ, which see: (or from the root meaning 'to protect'; cf. Curtius, § 372; Fick 1:132)), from Homer down; the Sept. for רֹעֶה, a herdsman, especially a shepherd;

a. properly: Mat 9:36; Mat 25:32; Mat 26:31; Mar 6:34; Mar 14:27; Luk 2:8; Luk 2:15; Luk 2:18; Luk 2:20; Joh 10:2; Joh 10:12; in the parable, he to whose care and control others have committed themselves, and whose precepts they follow, Joh 10:11; Joh 10:14.

b. metaphorically, the presiding officer, manager, director, of any assembly: so of Christ the Head of the church, Joh 10:16; 1Pe 2:25; Heb 13:20 (of the Jewish Messiah, Eze 34:23); of the overseers of the Christian assemblies (A. V. pastors), Eph 4:11; cf. Ritschl, Entstehung der altkathol. Kirche, edition 2, p. 350f; (Hatch, Barnpron Lects. for 1880, p. 123f). (Of kings and princes we find ποιμένες λαῶν in Homer and Hesiod.)