Ezekiel 34

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

Yahweh gave me another message. He said,

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?

“You human, prophesy about [leaders] of Israel. [They should be taking care of my people like] [MET] shepherds [take care of their sheep]. Say to them, ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: Terrible things will happen to you leaders [MET] of Israel who only take care of yourselves! You should certainly [RHQ] take care of [your people like] [MET] a shepherd takes care of his flock of 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.

[It is as though] you eat the curds, you slaughter the very good animals and wear clothes made from their wool. But you do not take care of the flock.

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 enabled those who are weak to become strong. You have not healed those who were sick. You have not bandaged those who were wounded/injured. You have not brought back those who went astray. You have not searched for those who became lost. You have ruled your people harshly and cruelly.

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.

So they were scattered, because you did not [take care of them like] [MET] a shepherd [takes care of his sheep]. And when they were scattered, [it was as though] wild animals attacked and [killed them and ate] their flesh.

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 people wandered like sheep all over the high hills and mountains. They were scattered all over the earth, and no one searched for them [DOU].

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

Therefore, you [who should be acting like] shepherds, listen to what I, Yahweh the Lord say:

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 surely as I am alive, my people [are like a flock of sheep that has] no shepherd, and as a result [it is as though] wild animals have attacked my people and eaten them. You did not search for them; instead, you only wanted to provide food for yourselves.

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

Therefore, you [who should be like] [MET] shepherds, listen to what I, Yahweh say:

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.

I am opposed to [you leaders who should be like] [MET] shepherds for my people. I will remove you from taking care of my people, with the result that you will no longer feed yourselves [instead of feeding them]. I will rescue my people from you, with the result that you will longer be able to [butcher them and] eat them.

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

This is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say to you leaders: I myself will search for my sheep and take care of them.

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.

Like a shepherd finds his scattered sheep, I will rescue my people from all the places to which they have been scattered, at a time when things were very gloomy and they experienced disasters.

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 back from many countries and gather them together again in their own land. [Because my people are like sheep] [MET], [it is as though] I will enable them to find good pastureland on the hills of Israel, and in the ravines, and in the villages of Israel.

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.

[It is as though] I will allow them to graze in good pastures on the mountaintops. They will lie down in good (grazing areas/grassy fields) there [DOU].

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

I myself will take care of my people and enable them to lie down and rest.

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 search for those who are lost and bring back the ones who have strayed away. I will bandage those who have been injured and strengthen those who are weak. But I will get rid of those who are fat and powerful. I will act fairly toward [the people who are like] [MET] my sheep. That is what I, Yahweh, promise.

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.

And as for you who are like [MET] my sheep, this is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say: I will judge between each of you; and I will separate [those that are peaceful like] sheep from [those that are always trying to dominate others like] 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?

It is bad that [RHQ] some of you keep the best pastures for yourselves. It is even worse that [RHQ] you trample the good grass with your feet. You yourselves drink the clear water [RHQ]. But with your feet you cause the other water to become muddy [RHQ].

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

[It is as though] you [RHQ] are forcing my flock to eat the grass that you have trampled and to drink the water that you have caused to become muddy!

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, this is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say to you: I myself will judge between [those of you who are like] [MET] the fat sheep and [those of you who are like] the thin 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,

[who are like] strong sheep, [it is as though] with your shoulders and buttocks you have shoved away [those who are like] thin sheep, and you have butted them with your horns, until you have chased them all away [from the good pastureland].

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

But I will rescue my people, and they no longer will be (harassed/treated cruelly). I will judge between one person and another.

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.

And I will appoint one leader [MET] for them, [someone who will be like] King David, who served me [very well]. That leader will take care of them and be like their shepherd.

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

I, Yahweh, will be their God, and [the one who is like] [MET] King David will be their king. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh, have said 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 a peace agreement with the people of Israel. In this agreement I will promise to get rid of all the wild animals in Israel, in order that my people may live safely, even in the desert and in the forests.

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 bless them, and I will bless the places close to my sacred hill. I will bless them by sending them rain showers at the right season; they will be showers to bless them.

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 fruit trees will produce fruit and the ground will produce crops. And my people will live safely in their land. When I rescue them from people who caused them to be slaves [MET, DOU], they will know that I, Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].

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.

[Soldiers from] other nations will no longer take away their valuable possessions, and wild animals will no longer attack them. They will live safely, and no one will cause them to be 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 cause their land to be famous/well-known for its good crops. There will no longer be famines in the land, and people in other nations will no longer ridicule them.

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.

Then they will know that I, Yahweh their God, am helping them, and they will know that they, the Israeli people, are my people.

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

[It will be as though] [MET] my people are my sheep whom I will take care of, and I will be their God. That is what I, Yahweh the Lord, declare.’”