Ezekiel 34:21

21 Because you forced your way with shoulder and rump and butted at all the weaker animals with your horns till you scattered them all over the hills,

Ezekiel 34:21 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 34:21

Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder
As the stronger cattle do the lesser: and pushed all the diseased with your horns;
as horned cattle do those they dislike, and bear an antipathy to; which to do to the diseased is great cruelty: sheep, it is said, will take some care of those that are diseased among them, and bring them to places of sunshine and shelter; but here the horned part of the flock, and in health, are represented as acting a barbarous part to the weak and diseased: this may denote such as are in power and authority, using it to the hurt and detriment of those that are under them, and whom they should relieve and protect: it may be applied to the anathemas and excommunications of the Jews, who pronounced those an accursed and ignorant people that believed in Christ, and expelled such out of their synagogues that professed his name; and to their persecutions of the apostles and first Christians: till he have scattered them abroad;
or "without" F19; that is, without the land. The Targum is,

``through the provinces;''
obliged them to quit their country, and go unto other parts, as the first preachers of the word did; who, upon the persecution at the death of Stephen, were scattered abroad everywhere, ( Acts 8:1 Acts 8:4 ) .
FOOTNOTES:

F19 (huwxh la) "foras", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Polanus, Cocceius, Starckius,

Ezekiel 34:21 In-Context

19 Why do the rest of my sheep have to make do with grass that's trampled down and water that's been muddied?
20 "'Therefore, God, the Master, says: I myself am stepping in and making things right between the plump sheep and the skinny sheep.
21 Because you forced your way with shoulder and rump and butted at all the weaker animals with your horns till you scattered them all over the hills,
22 I'll come in and save my dear flock, no longer let them be pushed around. I'll step in and set things right between one sheep and another.
23 "'I'll appoint one shepherd over them all: my servant David. He'll feed them. He'll be their shepherd.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.