Prophecy against Israel's Shepherds
Ezekiel 34, verse 1. Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Ezekiel 34, verse 2. “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to the shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord and Master: “O shepherds of Israel who feed themselves, should not the shepherds feed the sheep? Ezekiel 34, verse 3. Behold, you drink the milk and clothe yourselves with the wool. You slay the fatlings, but do not feed My sheep. Ezekiel 34, verse 4. You have not strengthened the weak, and the sick you have not revived. The broken you have not bandaged, and the misled you have not brought back. The lost you have not sought, and the strong you have not prepared for labor. Ezekiel 34, verse 5. So My sheep were scattered, because there were no shepherds. So they became food for all the wild animals of the field. Ezekiel 34, verse 6. My sheep were scattered in all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the face of the earth, and there was no one to seek them or to bring them back.” Ezekiel 34, verse 7. ‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. Ezekiel 34, verse 8. “As I live,” says the Lord and Master, “because My sheep became as plunder, and as food for all the wild animals of the plain, because there were no shepherds with them, nor did My shepherds search for My sheep, but fed themselves and not My flock”— Ezekiel 34, verse 9. because of this, O shepherds, Ezekiel 34, verse 10. thus says the Lord and Master: “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and shall require My sheep at their hands. I shall turn them away so they may not shepherd My sheep. The shepherds will not feed them anymore, for I shall deliver My sheep from their mouth; and they shall no longer be as food for them.”
The True Shepherd
Ezekiel 34, verse 11. ‘For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I shall search for My sheep and care for them. Ezekiel 34, verse 12. As a shepherd seeks his flock on a day when there is darkness, and when a cloud separates the sheep, thus I will drive them from every place where they were scattered in the day of cloud and darkness. Ezekiel 34, verse 13. And I shall bring them out from the Gentiles, gather them from the countries, and bring them into their land. I shall feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys, and in all the inhabited places of the land. Ezekiel 34, verse 14. I shall feed them in good pasture and on the high mountain of Israel, and their folds will be there. They will lie down, and there they shall rest in good luxury, and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. Ezekiel 34, verse 15. I shall feed My sheep and refresh them; and they will know that I am the Lord,” thus says the Lord and Master. Ezekiel 34, verse 16. “I shall seek the lost, bring back the misled, bind up the broken, strengthen the fallen, protect the strong, and feed them with judgment.” Ezekiel 34, verse 17. ‘So as for you, My sheep, thus says the Lord and Master: “Behold, I will distinguish between sheep and sheep and between rams and goats. Ezekiel 34, verse 18. Is it not enough for you that you grazed on the good pasture, that you trampled down the rest of your pasture with your feet, that you drank the clear water, but muddied the rest with your feet? Ezekiel 34, verse 19. Thus My sheep grazed on what you trampled with your feet, and drank what you muddied with your feet.” Ezekiel 34, verse 20. ‘Therefore thus says the Lord and Master: “Behold, I shall distinguish between the strong sheep and the weak sheep. Ezekiel 34, verse 21. Because you pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, and greatly distressed the weak; Ezekiel 34, verse 22. therefore, I will save My sheep, and they will not be as plunder anymore; and I shall judge between one ram and another. Ezekiel 34, verse 23. I shall raise up one Shepherd over them, and He will tend them, even My Servant David. He shall be their Shepherd, Ezekiel 34, verse 24. and I, the Lord, will be their God; and David will be the Ruler in their midst. I, the Lord, have spoken. Ezekiel 34, verse 25. “I will also make a covenant of peace with David, and utterly destroy the evil wild animals from the land. They shall dwell in the desert and sleep in the forests. Ezekiel 34, verse 26. I will settle them round about my mountain and will give you rain, the rain of blessing. Ezekiel 34, verse 27. The trees of the plain will also produce their fruit, and the earth shall produce her strength. They shall dwell on their land in the hope of peace, and know that I am the Lord, when I break their yoke and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them. Ezekiel 34, verse 28. They shall no longer be as plunder for the nations, nor will the wild animals devour them; but they will dwell in hope, and no one shall make them afraid. Ezekiel 34, verse 29. I will raise up for them a garden of peace, and they shall no longer perish with hunger, nor bear the insults of the nations. Ezekiel 34, verse 30. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, and they are My people, O house of Israel,” says the Lord. Ezekiel 34, verse 31. “You are My sheep and the sheep of My pasture, and I am the Lord your God,” says the Lord and Master.’”