Ezequiel 34:4

4 No han cuidado de las débiles; no se han ocupado de las enfermas ni han vendado las heridas; no salieron a buscar a las descarriadas y perdidas. En cambio, las gobernaron con mano dura y con crueldad.

Ezequiel 34:4 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 34:4

The diseased have ye not strengthened
Such, in the civil polity, who were poor, and in necessitous circumstances, were not relieved; such who were injured and oppressed by others were not vindicated; and such as were forced to flee to other countries, or were carried captive, no care was taken, or methods used, to ransom them, and, bring them back; all which may be meant by this and the following metaphors, taken from the evil things that befall a flock of sheep: and such who were weak through spiritual diseases, their prophets and teachers took no care to cure them of their diseases, and to strengthen these feeble minded ones with divine cordials and spiritual food, and confirm them in the faith: neither have ye healed that which was sick;
by directing them to the great Physician of souls, and to his precious blood for healing and pardon of sin: neither have ye bound up that which was broken;
whose consciences were wounded, and hearts broken, with a sense of sin; or who had fallen to the breaking of their bones, and should be restored in a spirit of meekness and dealt gently with, as surgeons do in setting and binding up broken bones: neither have ye brought again that which was driven away;
or, "was gone astray" ^F18; being seduced by false teachers; and yet, though it was known they were, no care nor pains were taken to reclaim and restore them: neither have ye sought that which was lost;
that wandered of their own accord, and perished for want of knowledge, and were lost for lack of a guide to direct them, and no one would do this good office to them: but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them;
in an arbitrary and tyrannical way, lording it over God, s heritage, ( 1 Peter 5:3 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 (txdnh) "vagam aut errantem", Bochartus, and some in Vatablus.

Ezequiel 34:4 In-Context

2 «Hijo de hombre, profetiza contra los pastores, los líderes de Israel. Dales este mensaje de parte del Señor
Soberano: “¡Qué aflicción les espera a ustedes, pastores, que se alimentan a sí mismos en lugar de alimentar a sus rebaños! ¿Acaso los pastores no deben alimentar a sus ovejas?

3 Ustedes beben la leche, se visten con la lana y matan a los mejores animales, pero dejan que sus rebaños pasen hambre.

4 No han cuidado de las débiles; no se han ocupado de las enfermas ni han vendado las heridas; no salieron a buscar a las descarriadas y perdidas. En cambio, las gobernaron con mano dura y con crueldad.

5 Por eso mis ovejas se dispersaron sin pastor y son presa fácil de cualquier animal salvaje.

6 Han deambulado por todas las montañas y las colinas sobre la faz de la tierra; sin embargo, nadie salió a buscarlas.