Ezekiel 34:17-31

Listen to Ezekiel 34:17-31
17 “As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God: 1Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and 2male goats.
18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of 3clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet?
19 And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?
20 “Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
21 Because you push with side and shoulder, and 4thrust at all the 5weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad,
22 I will rescue[a] my flock; 6they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep.
23 And 7I will set up over them one shepherd, 8my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.
24 And 9I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. 10I am the Lord; I have spoken.

The Lord’s Covenant of Peace

25 11“I will make with them a covenant of peace and 12banish wild beasts from the land, 13so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.
26 And I will make them and the places all around my hill 14a blessing, and 15I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be 16showers of blessing.
27 17And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, 18and they shall be secure in their land. And 19they shall know that I am the Lord, when 20I break the bars of their yoke, and 21deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them.
28 22They shall no more be a prey to the nations, 23nor shall the beasts of the land devour them. 24They shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid.
29 And I will provide for them 25renowned plantations so that 26they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, and no longer 27suffer the reproach of the nations.
30 And they shall know that 28I am the Lord their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord God.
31 And you are my sheep, 29human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord God. ”

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Ezekiel 34:17-31 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 34

In the former chapter the prophet prophesies against the people of the Jews, both those of the captivity, and those who were not; and here against the shepherds of Israel. This he is bid to do, Eze 34:1,2, whose cruelty to the flock, negligence and unfaithfulness are exposed, Eze 34:3-6, for which reasons they are threatened to be deprived of their office, Eze 34:7-10, and the Lord promises to take the care of the flock upon himself, to seek out his sheep, and feed them, and do every kind office to them, Eze 34:11-16 and then the strong of the flock, that oppressed the weak, are threatened with punishment, Eze 34:17-22 and the promise of the Messiah, as the shepherd of the flock, is made, under whom all prosperity and happiness might be expected, Eze 34:23-31.

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Cross References 29

  • 1. 34:17 ver. 20, 22; [ch. 20:38; Matt. 25:32, 33]
  • 2. 34:17 Zech. 10:3
  • 3. 34:18 [ch. 32:14]
  • 4. 34:21 Deut. 33:17; Dan. 8:4
  • 5. 34:21 [ver. 4]
  • 6. 34:22 [ver. 8]
  • 7. 34:23 ch. 37:22, 24; Jer. 23:4, 5; Mic. 5:4; 7:14; [ver. 15; John 10:11, 16]
  • 8. 34:23 ch. 37:24, 25; [2 Sam. 5:2; Ps. 78:71, 72]
  • 9. 34:24 See ch. 37:27; Ex. 29:45; Lev. 26:12
  • 10. 34:24 See ch. 17:24
  • 11. 34:25 ch. 37:26; See Isa. 54:10
  • 12. 34:25 Lev. 26:6; Hos. 2:18; [Isa. 35:9]; See Isa. 11:6-9
  • 13. 34:25 ch. 38:8, 14; 39:26
  • 14. 34:26 Gen. 12:2; Isa. 19:24; Zech. 8:13
  • 15. 34:26 Lev. 26:4; [ch. 22:24]
  • 16. 34:26 Mal. 3:10
  • 17. 34:27 ch. 36:30; Lev. 26:4
  • 18. 34:27 [See ver. 25 above]
  • 19. 34:27 See ch. 6:7
  • 20. 34:27 Jer. 30:8
  • 21. 34:27 Jer. 30:8
  • 22. 34:28 [See ver. 22 above]
  • 23. 34:28 [See ver. 25 above]
  • 24. 34:28 [See ver. 25 above]
  • 25. 34:29 Isa. 60:21; 61:3
  • 26. 34:29 ch. 36:29
  • 27. 34:29 See ch. 32:24
  • 28. 34:30 [See ver. 24 above]
  • 29. 34:31 Ps. 74:1; 100:3; John 10:16

Footnotes 1

  • [a] 34:22 Or 'save'
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025