Ezekiel 34:21

21 You shove with shoulder and flank, and with your horns you ram all the weak sheep until you've scattered them outside.

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 But now my flock must feed on what your feet have trampled and drink water that your feet have muddied.
20 So the LORD God proclaims to them: I will judge between the fat and the lean sheep.
21 You shove with shoulder and flank, and with your horns you ram all the weak sheep until you've scattered them outside.
22 But I will rescue my flock so that they will never again be prey. I will even judge between the sheep!
23 I will appoint for them a single shepherd, and he will feed them. My servant David will feed them. He will be their shepherd.
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