Ezekiel 34:1-10

Prophecy Against the Shepherds of Israel

1 The word of the LORD came to me:

2 ¹"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord GOD: ²Ah, shepherds of Israel ³who have been feeding yourselves! ⁴Should not shepherds feed the sheep?

3 ⁵You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, ⁶you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep.

4 ⁷The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, ⁸the injured you have not bound up, ⁹the strayed you have not brought back, ¹⁰the lost you have not sought, and with force and ¹¹harshness you have ruled them.

5 ¹²So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and ¹³they became food for all the wild beasts.

6 My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, ¹⁴with none to search or seek for them.

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

8 ¹⁵As I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely because ¹⁶my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep,

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

10 Thus says the Lord GOD, ¹⁷Behold, I am against the shepherds, and ¹⁸I will require my sheep at their hand and ¹⁹put a stop to their feeding the sheep. ²⁰No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. ²¹I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.

Ezekiel 34:1-10 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. See Ezekiel 2:1
• 2. See Jeremiah 23:1
• 3. [ver. 8, 10; Jude 12]
• 4. [2 Corinthians 12:14]
• 5. Zechariah 11:16
• 6. Zechariah 11:4, 5; [Micah 3:2, 3]
• 7. [ver. 16, 21]
• 8. [See ver. 3 above]
• 9. [See ver. 3 above]
• 10. [Matthew 18:12; Luke 15:4]
• 11. Exodus 1:13, 14; [1 Peter 5:3]
• 12. 1 Kings 22:17; Matthew 9:36
• 13. [Jeremiah 50:7, 17]
• 14. [ver. 11]
• 15. See Ezekiel 16:48
• 16. [ver. 22]
• 17. See Ezekiel 13:8
• 18. [Hebrews 13:17]; See Ezekiel 3:18
• 19. [Zechariah 11:8]
• 20. [ver. 2, 8]
• 21. [Ezekiel 13:21]