Ezekiel 34:21

21 For you fat sheep pushed and butted and crowded my sick and hungry flock until you scattered them to distant lands.

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 must my flock eat what you have trampled down and drink water you have fouled?
20 “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will surely judge between the fat sheep and the scrawny sheep.
21 For you fat sheep pushed and butted and crowded my sick and hungry flock until you scattered them to distant lands.
22 So I will rescue my flock, and they will no longer be abused. I will judge between one animal of the flock and another.
23 And I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David. He will feed them and be a shepherd to them.
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