noqed boqer - Shepherd

One of several words for 'shepherd,' the nound noqed is found only at 2 Ki 3:4 (sg.) & Amos 1:1 (pl.). The verbal form of the word, however, occurs quite frequently in the OT. Another word, boqer used to describe Amos' profession in 7:14, and only there, and is translated, apart from "shepherd" (NIV) and "sheepbreeder" (NKJ), "herdsman" in most English translations (KJV, NASB, RSV, NRS, ESV, NET). It remains some matter of debate among commentators whether the two Hebrew words may not simply be due to a scribal error: especially in written form (though you can catch something of it with the printed Hebrew words above), it is extremely easy to mistake the initial 'n' for a 'b' and the terminal 'd' for an 'r.'