Ezekiel 34

1 Yahweh gave me another message. He said,

And there is a word of YHWH to me, saying,

2 “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!

“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?

3 [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.

You eat the fat, and you put on the wool, You slaughter the fed one, You do not feed the flock.

4 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.

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.

5 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.

And they are scattered from want of a shepherd, And are for food to every beast of the field, Indeed, they are scattered.

6 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].

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.

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

Therefore, shepherds, hear a word of YHWH:

8 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.

[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.

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

Therefore, O shepherds, hear a word of YHWH!

10 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.

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.

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

For thus said Lord YHWH: Behold, I—even I, have required My flock, And I have sought it out.

12 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.

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.

13 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.

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.

14 [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].

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.

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

I feed My flock, and cause them to lie down, A declaration of Lord YHWH.

16 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.

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.

17 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.

And you, My flock, thus said Lord YHWH: Behold, I am judging between sheep and sheep, Between rams and male goats.

18 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].

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,

19 [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!

And My flock consumes the trodden thing of your feet, And drinks the trampled thing of your feet?

20 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.

Therefore, thus said Lord YHWH to them: Behold, I—even I, have judged between fat sheep and lean sheep.

21 [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].

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,

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

Therefore I have given safety to My flock, And they are not for prey anymore, And I have judged between sheep and sheep.

23 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.

And have raised up one shepherd over them, And he has fed them—My servant David, He feeds them, and he is their shepherd,

24 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.

And I, YHWH, I am their God, And My servant David [is] prince in their midst, I, YHWH, have spoken.

25 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.

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.

26 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.

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.

27 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].

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.

28 [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.

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.

29 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.

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.

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

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.

31 [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.’”

And you, My flock, the flock of My pasture, You [are] men [and] I [am] your God, A declaration of Lord YHWH!”