Ezekiel 34:1-10

Prophecy against the Shepherds of Israel

1 Then the word of the LORD came to me saying,

2 "Son of man, prophesy against the ¹shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been ²feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds ³feed the flock?

3 "You ⁴eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you ⁵slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock.

4 "Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, ⁶the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you ⁷sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them.

5 "They were ⁸scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became ⁹food for every beast of the field and were scattered.

6 "My flock ¹⁰wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill; ¹¹My flock was scattered over all the surface of the earth, and there was ¹²no one to search or seek for them.""'

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 ¹³prey, 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 ¹⁴against the shepherds, and I will demand My sheep from them and make them ¹⁵cease from feeding sheep. So the shepherds will not feed themselves anymore, but I will ¹⁶deliver My flock from their mouth, so that they will 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. Jeremiah 2:8; Jeremiah 3:15; Jeremiah 10:21; Jeremiah 12:10
• 2. Jeremiah 23:1; Ezekiel 22:25; Ezekiel 34:8-10; Mic 3:1-3, 11
• 3. Psalms 78:71, 72; Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:14, 15; John 10:11; John 21:15-17
• 4. Zechariah 11:16
• 5. Ezekiel 22:25, 27
• 6. Zechariah 11:16
• 7. Matthew 9:36; Matthew 10:6; Matthew 18:12, 13; Luke 15:4
• 8. Numbers 27:17; 2 Chronicles 18:16; Jeremiah 10:21; Jeremiah 23:2; Jeremiah 50:6, 7; Matthew 9:36; Mark 6:34
• 9. Ezekiel 34:8, 28
• 10. Jeremiah 40:11, 12; Ezekiel 7:16; 1 Peter 2:25
• 11. John 10:16
• 12. Psalms 142:4
• 13. Acts 20:29
• 14. Jeremiah 21:13; Ezekiel 5:8; Ezekiel 13:8; Ezekiel 34:2; Zechariah 10:3
• 15. 1 Samuel 2:29, 30; Jeremiah 52:24-27
• 16. Psalms 72:12-14; Ezekiel 13:23

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "them, the shepherds"
• [b]. Heb "YHWH," usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch
• [c]. Lit "pasturing, pasture"
• [d]. Lit "pasturing, pasture"
• [e]. Lit "pasturing"
• [f]. Lit "sick"
• [g]. Or (a) "flock"
• [h]. Lit "from their hand"
• [i]. Or (a) "flock"
• [j]. Lit "pasture," and so throughout the ch