Ezekiel 34

1 A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

The LORD’s word came to me, saying,

2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds who lead Israel. Prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord God says: Disaster is coming to the shepherds of Israel, who only look after themselves, and not the sheep! Shouldn't shepherds make sure their flock is fed?

“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy, and tell them, even the shepherds, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the sheep?

3 You eat the cream, you use the wool for clothes, and you slaughter the fattened sheep, but you don't feed the flock.

You eat the fat. You clothe yourself with the wool. You kill the fatlings, but you do not feed the sheep.

4 You haven't taken care of the weak, healed the sick, bandaged the injured, brought home the strays, or looked for the lost. On the contrary, you ruled them using violence and cruelty.

You have not strengthened the diseased. You have not healed that which was sick. You have not bound up that which was broken. You have not brought back that which was driven away. You have not sought that which was lost, but you have ruled over them with force and with rigor.

5 They were scattered because they didn't have a shepherd. When they scattered they were preyed on by all the wild animals for food.

They were scattered, because there was no shepherd. They became food to all the animals of the field, and were scattered.

6 My sheep strayed, going to all the mountains and high hills. They were scattered everywhere, and there was no one to go and look for them.

My sheep wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill. Yes, my sheep were scattered on all the surface of the earth. There was no one who searched or sought.”

7 So, you shepherds, listen to what the Lord has to say:

“‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the LORD’s word:

8 As I live, declares the Lord God, because my sheep didn't have a shepherd and were preyed on by all the wild animals for food, and because my shepherds didn't look after my sheep but instead only fed themselves,

“As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “surely because my sheep became a prey, and my sheep became food to all the animals of the field, because there was no shepherd, and my shepherds did not search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and did not feed my sheep,

9 so, you shepherds, you listen to what the Lord has to say!

therefore, you shepherds, hear the LORD’s word!”

10 This is what the Lord God says: Watch out, because I'm condemning the shepherds, and I will take my sheep back and stop them looking after the sheep so they won't be able to feed themselves anymore. I will take away my sheep from them, and I won't let them eat the sheep anymore.

The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am against the shepherds. I will require my sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep. The shepherds will not feed themselves any more. I will deliver my sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them.”

11 For this is what the Lord God says: Watch as I myself will go looking for my sheep, searching to find them.

“‘For the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and will seek them out.

12 Just like a shepherd goes looking for his lost sheep when he is with the flock, so I will look for my sheep. I will rescue them from everywhere they were scattered on a dark and dismal day.

As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered abroad, so I will seek out my sheep. I will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

13 I will take them out from among the other nations. I will gather them from the different countries, and bring them back to their own country. Like a shepherd I will have them feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys and everywhere that people live in the country.

I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited places of the country.

14 I will provide them with good pasture and places to graze in the high mountains of Israel. They will also be able to rest there in the good pasture and in the places to graze in mountains of Israel.

I will feed them with good pasture, and their fold will be on the mountains of the height of Israel. There they will lie down in a good fold. They will feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

15 I myself will look after my sheep and give them a place to rest, declares the Lord God.

I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will cause them to lie down,” says the Lord GOD.

16 I will go looking for the lost, bring home the strays, bandage the injured, and strengthen the weak. However, I will destroy those who are fat and strong. Because I do what's right, I will be sure to take care of them.

“I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong. I will feed them in justice.”’

17 My flock, this is what the Lord God says to you: Watch, because I will judge between one sheep and the next, between the rams and the goats.

“As for you, O my flock, the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, the rams and the male goats.

18 Aren't you satisfied with feeding in good pasture? Do you have to trample down the rest of the pasture with your feet? Aren't you satisfied to drink the clear water? Do you have to muddy the rest of it with your feet?

Does it seem a small thing to you to have fed on the good pasture, but you must tread down with your feet the residue of your pasture? And to have drunk of the clear waters, but must you foul the residue with your feet?

19 Why does my flock have to feed on what your feet have trampled down, and drink the water that your feet have muddied?

As for my sheep, they eat that which you have trodden with your feet, and they drink that which you have fouled with your feet.’

20 That's why the Lord God says to them: Watch, because I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the skinny sheep.

“Therefore the Lord GOD says to them: ‘Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.

21 Since you push others around with your sides and your shoulders, and use your horns to attack all the weak ones until you have chased them away,

Because you thrust with side and with shoulder, and push all the diseased with your horns, until you have scattered them abroad,

22 I will rescue my flock, and they will no longer be your victims. I will judge between one sheep and the next.

therefore I will save my flock, and they will no more be a prey. I will judge between sheep and sheep.

23 I will put one shepherd in charge of them, my servant David, and he will take care of them. He will take care of them and be their shepherd.

I will set up one shepherd over them, and he will feed them, even my servant David. He will feed them, and he will be their shepherd.

24 I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be their leader. I the Lord have spoken.

I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David prince among them. I, the LORD, have spoken it.

25 I will make an agreement of peace with them, and get rid of the wild animals from the country, so that they can live safely in the wilderness and sleep securely in the forest.

“‘I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil animals to cease out of the land. They will dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.

26 I will bless them and everywhere around my hill. I will send rain at the right time. They will be showers of blessing.

I will make them and the places around my hill a blessing. I will cause the shower to come down in its season. There will be showers of blessing.

27 The trees in the orchards will produce their fruit; the earth will grow its crops; and my flock will be live in safety in their country. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I break their yokes of slavery, and set them free from those who made them slaves.

The tree of the field will yield its fruit, and the earth will yield its increase, and they will be secure in their land. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bars of their yoke, and have delivered them out of the hand of those who made slaves of them.

28 They won't be the victims of other nations anymore, and wild animals won't eat them. They will live in safety, and no one will terrorize them.

They will no more be a prey to the nations, neither will the animals of the earth devour them; but they will dwell securely, and no one will make them afraid.

29 I will make their fields produce remarkable harvests, and they won't suffer famine in their country again or be mocked by others.

I will raise up to them a plantation for renown, and they will no more be consumed with famine in the land, and not bear the shame of the nations any more.

30 Then they will know that I am with them as the Lord their God, and that the people of Israel belong to me, declares the Lord God.

They will know that I, the LORD, their God am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord GOD.

31 You are my sheep, the sheep that I feed. You are my people, and I am your God, declares the Lord God.”

You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are men, and I am your God,’ says the Lord GOD.”