Ezekiel 34:21

21 You push the other sheep around with your hips and shoulders. You use your horns to butt all of the weak sheep. Finally, you drive them away.

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 Must my flock have to eat the grass you have stomped on? Must they drink the water you have made muddy?"
20 So the LORD and King speaks to them. He says, "I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the skinny sheep.
21 You push the other sheep around with your hips and shoulders. You use your horns to butt all of the weak sheep. Finally, you drive them away.
22 But I will save my sheep. They will not be carried off anymore. I will judge between one sheep and another.
23 "I will place one shepherd over them. He will belong to the family line of my servant David. He will take good care of them. He will look after them. He will be their shepherd.
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