< Ezekiel 34 >

1 And there is a word of YHWH to me, saying,
A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
2 “Son of man, prophesy concerning shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and you have said to them, Thus said Lord YHWH to the shepherds: Woe [to] the shepherds of Israel, Who have been feeding themselves! Do the shepherds not feed the flock?
“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?
3 You eat the fat, and you put on the wool, You slaughter the fed one, You do not feed the flock.
You eat the cream, you use the wool for clothes, and you slaughter the fattened sheep, but you don't feed the flock.
4 You have not strengthened the weak, And you have not healed the sick one, And you have not bound up the broken, And have not brought back the driven away, And you have not sought the lost, And you have ruled them with might and with rigor.
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.
5 And they are scattered from want of a shepherd, And are for food to every beast of the field, Indeed, they are scattered.
They were scattered because they didn't have a shepherd. When they scattered they were preyed on by all the wild animals for food.
6 My flock goes astray on all the mountains, And on every high hill, And My flock has been scattered on [the] whole face of the earth, And there is none inquiring, and none seeking.
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.
7 Therefore, shepherds, hear a word of YHWH:
So, you shepherds, listen to what the Lord has to say:
8 [As] I live—a declaration of Lord YHWH, If not, because of My flock being for a prey, Indeed, My flock is for food to every beast of the field, Because there is no shepherd, And My shepherds have not sought My flock, And the shepherds feed themselves, And they have not fed My flock.
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,
9 Therefore, O shepherds, hear a word of YHWH!
so, you shepherds, you listen to what the Lord has to say!
10 Thus said Lord YHWH: Behold, I [am] against the shepherds, And have required My flock from their hand, And caused them to cease from feeding the flock, And the shepherds feed themselves no more, And I have delivered My flock from their mouth, And they are not for food to them.
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.
11 For thus said Lord YHWH: Behold, I—even I, have required My flock, And I have sought it out.
For this is what the Lord God says: Watch as I myself will go looking for my sheep, searching to find them.
12 As a shepherd’s searching of his drove, In the day of his being in the midst of his scattered flock, so I seek My flock, And have delivered them out of all places, To where they have been scattered, In a day of cloud and thick darkness.
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.
13 And I have brought them out from the peoples, And have gathered them from the lands, And brought them to their own ground, And have fed them on mountains of Israel, By streams, and by all dwellings of the land.
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.
14 I feed them with good pasture, And their habitation is on mountains of the high place of Israel, There they lie down in a good habitation, And they enjoy fat pastures on mountains of Israel.
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.
15 I feed My flock, and cause them to lie down, A declaration of Lord YHWH.
I myself will look after my sheep and give them a place to rest, declares the Lord God.
16 I seek the lost, and bring back the driven away, And I bind up the broken, and I strengthen the sick, And I destroy the fat and the strong, I feed it with judgment.
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.
17 And you, My flock, thus said Lord YHWH: Behold, I am judging between sheep and sheep, Between rams and male goats.
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.
18 Is it a little thing for you—[that] you enjoy the good pasture, And tread down the remnant of your pasture with your feet, And drink a depth of waters, And trample the remainder with your feet,
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?
19 And My flock consumes the trodden thing of your feet, And drinks the trampled thing of your feet?
Why does my flock have to feed on what your feet have trampled down, and drink the water that your feet have muddied?
20 Therefore, thus said Lord YHWH to them: Behold, I—even I, have judged between fat sheep and lean sheep.
That's why the Lord God says to them: Watch, because I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the skinny sheep.
21 Because you thrust away with side and with shoulder, And push all the diseased with your horns, Until you have scattered them to the out-place,
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,
22 Therefore I have given safety to My flock, And they are not for prey anymore, And I have judged between sheep and sheep.
I will rescue my flock, and they will no longer be your victims. I will judge between one sheep and the next.
23 And have raised up one shepherd over them, And he has fed them—My servant David, He feeds them, and he is their shepherd,
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.
24 And I, YHWH, I am their God, And My servant David [is] prince in their midst, I, YHWH, have spoken.
I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be their leader. I the Lord have spoken.
25 And I have made a covenant of peace with them, And caused evil beasts to cease out of the land, And they have dwelt confidently in a wilderness, And they have slept in forests.
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.
26 And I have given them, and the outskirts of My hill, a blessing, And caused the shower to come down in its season, They are showers of blessing.
I will bless them and everywhere around my hill. I will send rain at the right time. They will be showers of blessing.
27 And the tree of the field has given its fruit, And the land gives her increase, And they have been confident on their land, And they have known that I [am] YHWH, In My breaking the bands of their yoke, And I have delivered them from the hand of those laying service on them.
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.
28 And they are no longer a prey to nations, And the beast of the earth does not devour them, And they have dwelt confidently, And there is none troubling.
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.
29 And I have raised a plantation of renown for them, And they are no longer consumed by hunger in the land, And they no longer bear the shame of the nations.
I will make their fields produce remarkable harvests, and they won't suffer famine in their country again or be mocked by others.
30 And they have known that I, YHWH, their God, [am] with them, And they—the house of Israel—My people, A declaration of Lord YHWH.
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.
31 And you, My flock, the flock of My pasture, You [are] men [and] I [am] your God, A declaration of Lord YHWH!”
You are my sheep, the sheep that I feed. You are my people, and I am your God, declares the Lord God.”

< Ezekiel 34 >