Ezekiel 34:1-22 ▼

1 And the word came of YHWH to me, saying:

2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them—to the shepherds—thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves. Should it not be that the shepherds shepherd the flock?

3 You⁺ eat the fat and in wool you⁺ clothe yourselves; you⁺ slaughter the fatlings; you⁺ do not feed the flock.

4 Those being weak you⁺ have not strengthened, and those being sick you⁺ have not healed, and those being broken you⁺ have not bandaged, and those driven off you⁺ have not returned, and those being lost you⁺ have not sought, and you⁺ have ruled them with force and with harshness.

5 And they were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became as food for all the beasts of the field; indeed, they were scattered.

6 My flock went astray through all the mountains, and on every high hill; and My flock was scattered over all the face of the earth, and there was not one searching or seeking them.’

7 Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of YHWH!

8 ‘As I live—a declaration of the Lord YHWH—surely because My flock became as prey, and My flock became as food for every beast of the field, for lack of a shepherd, and My shepherds did not search for My flock, and the shepherds shepherded themselves, and My flock they did not feed.

9 Therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of YHWH:

10 Thus says the Lord YHWH, ‘Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock from their hands, and I will make them cease from shepherding the sheep, and the shepherds no longer will shepherd themselves; for I will snatch My flock from their mouths, and they will not be for them as food.’

11 For thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Behold, I—I Myself—will search for My flock, and I will seek them.

12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day of his being in the midst of his sheep that are scattered, so will I seek out My flock, and I will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered there on the day of cloud and darkness.

13 And I will bring them out from the peoples, and I will gather them from the lands, and I will bring them to their own land, and I will let them graze on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys, and in all the inhabited places of the land.

14 I will feed them in good pasture, and on the mountains of the height of Israel will be their grazing land; there they will lie down in good grazing land, and they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

15 I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down, a declaration of the Lord YHWH.

16 The one being lost I will seek, and the one driven away I will return, and the broken I will bind up, and the one being sick I will strengthen, and the fat one and the strong one I will destroy; I will shepherd her with justice.’

17 And you⁺, My flock, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Behold, I am going to judge between sheep and sheep, the rams and the goats.

18 Is it a little thing for you⁺ to feed on the good pasture, that the remainder of your⁺ pasture-land you⁺ would trample with your⁺ feet? And the clear waters you⁺ drink, that that the remainder you⁺ would muddy with your⁺ feet?

19 And My flock, they feed on what you have trampled with your⁺ feet, and they drink what you have muddied with your⁺ feet!’

20 Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH to them: ‘Behold, I—I Myself—will judge between the fat of the flock and between the lean of the flock.

21 Because you⁺ have pushed with flank and shoulder, and you⁺ have thrust with your⁺ horns all the weak ones, until that you⁺ have scattered them to the outside,

22 I will bring salvation to My flock, and will they be no longer for prey; and I will judge between a sheep and a sheep.