And I will set up one shepherd over them
Or governor, as the Targum; an excellent one of a thousand, the
only one; in comparison of whom others are not to be named; for
though there are under shepherds, as magistrates and ministers of
the word, he is the principal one; that is, Christ, called the
good Shepherd, the great Shepherd, and the chief Shepherd, and
the only one; and who became so by the constitution and
appointment of Jehovah the Father; who chose him, called him, and
intrusted him with all his sheep: who sent him to seek and save
his lost sheep; for whom he died, rose again, and is accountable:
he is more particularly called the one Shepherd, with respect to
Jew and Gentile; see ( John 10:16 ) : and
he shall feed them;
the flock, even the poor of the flock, thrust at and pushed by
others: he shall feed them by his ministers, as under shepherds
in his churches, where his word is preached, and his ordinances
are administered; he shall feed them with himself, the bread of
life; with his flesh and blood, which are meat and drink indeed;
with covenant grace, blessings, and promises; with the Gospel,
and the doctrines of it; he feeds his babes with milk, his strong
men with meat, and all with the wholesome words of faith and good
doctrine, whereby he nourishes them up to everlasting life; and
this he shall do,
not by force, but willingly: it denotes the certainty of it; it
may be depended on: even my servant David;
not David himself literally; who though a shepherd, and the
servant of the Lord, yet had been dead many years before this
prophecy was delivered; nor Zerubbabel, who was of his seed; for
though a servant of the Lord, and a prince or governor of Judah,
yet not a king, and much less a king or prince for ever; as this
person is said to be, ( Ezekiel
37:24 Ezekiel
37:25 ) , but the Messiah, as is expressly owned by Kimchi;
who says, this is the Messiah that shall arise from his seed in
the time of salvation: he is called David because his name agrees
with him, which signifies "beloved", he being beloved of God and
man; and because the son of David, of his seed according to the
flesh; and because David was an eminent type of him, in his
person, offices, afflictions, wars, victories, and exaltation;
and because he was David's Lord and representative, and in whom
his everlasting kingdom is established. The same is called the
servant of the Lord, as he often is in Scripture, being so in his
office capacity as Mediator; and because he took upon him the
form of a servant; did the work of one; and was of the Lord's
choosing, calling, supporting, and glorifying: he shall
feed them, and he shall be their shepherd;
which is repeated for the greater confirmation of it.