Ezekiel 34:7-16

7 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:

8 "As I live," declares the Lord GOD, "surely * because My flock has become a ¹prey, My flock has even become food for all the beasts of the field for lack of a shepherd, and My shepherds did not search for My flock, but rather the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock;

9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:

10 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am ²against the shepherds, and I will demand My sheep from them and make them ³cease from feeding sheep. So the shepherds will not feed themselves anymore, but I will ⁴deliver My flock from their mouth, so that they will not be food for them.""'

The Restoration of Israel

11 For thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I Myself will ⁵search for My sheep and seek them out.

12 "⁶As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will ⁷care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a ⁸cloudy and gloomy day.

13 "I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will ⁹feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ¹⁰streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land.

14 "I will feed them in a ¹¹good pasture, and their grazing ground will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed in ¹²rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

15 "I will ¹³feed My flock and I will lead them to rest," declares the Lord GOD.

16 "I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the ¹⁴fat and the strong I will destroy. I will ¹⁵feed them with judgment.

Ezekiel 34:7-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 34

In the former chapter the prophet prophesies against the people of the Jews, both those of the captivity, and those who were not; and here against the shepherds of Israel. This he is bid to do, Eze 34:1,2, whose cruelty to the flock, negligence and unfaithfulness are exposed, Eze 34:3-6, for which reasons they are threatened to be deprived of their office, Eze 34:7-10, and the Lord promises to take the care of the flock upon himself, to seek out his sheep, and feed them, and do every kind office to them, Eze 34:11-16 and then the strong of the flock, that oppressed the weak, are threatened with punishment, Eze 34:17-22 and the promise of the Messiah, as the shepherd of the flock, is made, under whom all prosperity and happiness might be expected, Eze 34:23-31.

Cross References

• 1. Acts 20:29
• 2. Jeremiah 21:13; Ezekiel 5:8; Ezekiel 13:8; Ezekiel 34:2; Zechariah 10:3
• 3. 1 Samuel 2:29, 30; Jeremiah 52:24-27
• 4. Psalms 72:12-14; Ezekiel 13:23
• 5. Ezekiel 11:17; Ezekiel 20:41
• 6. Jeremiah 31:10
• 7. Isaiah 40:11; Isaiah 56:8; Jeremiah 23:3; Jeremiah 31:8; Luke 19:10; John 10:16
• 8. Jeremiah 13:16; Ezekiel 30:3; Joel 2:2
• 9. Ezekiel 34:23; Ezekiel 36:29, 30; Micah 7:14
• 10. Isaiah 30:25
• 11. Psalms 23:2; Jer 31:12-14, 25; John 10:9
• 12. Ezekiel 28:25, 26; Ezekiel 36:29, 30
• 13. Psalms 23:1, 2; Ezekiel 34:23
• 14. Isaiah 10:16
• 15. Isaiah 49:26

Footnotes

• [a] Or (a) "flock"
• [b] Lit "from their hand"
• [c] Or (a) "flock"
• [d] Lit "pasture," and so throughout the ch
• [e] Or "seek(s) out"
• [f] Or "flock"
• [g] Or "seek(s) out"
• [h] Or "flock"
• [i] Lit "fat"
• [j] Lit "cause them to lie down"