Ezekiel 34:21

21 You fat sheep push the skinny sheep with your sides and shoulders, and you knock down all the sick sheep with your horns. You have scattered them all over.

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 sheep eat what your feet have trampled and drink what your feet have muddied?
20 "'So this is what the Almighty LORD says to them: I will judge disputes between the fat sheep and the skinny sheep.
21 You fat sheep push the skinny sheep with your sides and shoulders, and you knock down all the sick sheep with your horns. You have scattered them all over.
22 So I will rescue my sheep, and they will no longer be prey. I will judge between one sheep and another.
23 Then I will place one shepherd over them, my servant David, and he will take care of them. He will take care of them and be their shepherd.
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