Ezekiel 34

1 Yahweh gave me another message. He said,

And the word of Jehovah came 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 against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, to the shepherds, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

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.

Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill that which is fatted; but ye feed not 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.

The weak do ye not strengthen, and the sick do ye not heal, and the wounded do ye not bind up; ye bring not back that which hath been driven away, neither seek ye that which hath been lost; but with force and with cruelty do ye rule them.

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.

Therefore are they scattered abroad, because there is no shepherd, and they are food to all the beasts of the field, or are scattered abroad.

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 sheep wander through all the mountains, and upon every high hill; yea, over the whole face of the land is my flock scattered, and none careth for them, or seeketh them.

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

Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of Jehovah:

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, saith the Lord Jehovah, surely, because my flock is become a prey, and my flock is become meat to all the beasts of the field because there is no shepherd, and because my shepherds search not for my flock, and feed themselves, and feed not my flock, —

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

therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of Jehovah.

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 saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, and they shall not be meat for 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 saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold I, even I, will seek my flock, and look after them;

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 looketh after his flock in the day when he is among his sheep that are scattered, so will I look after my sheep, and will deliver them out of all the places where they have been scattered in the day of clouds and 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 will bring them out from the nations, and gather them from the countries; and I will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel, in the valleys, and in all the dwelling-places 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 will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be; there shall they lie down in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.

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

I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord Jehovah.

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 will seek that which was lost, and bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong will I destroy; I will feed them as they deserve.

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 as for you, O my sheep, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will judge between the weak of the flock and the strong ones, even the rams and the he-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].

Seemeth it a small thing to you to eat up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to drink of the clear waters, but ye must foul the residue 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 that my sheep eat that which ye have trodden with your feet, and drink that which ye have fouled with 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 saith the Lord Jehovah to them: Behold I, even I, will judge between the fat and the lean of the flock.

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 ye thrust with your side and with your shoulder, and push all the weak with your horns, till ye scatter them abroad,

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 will I save my sheep, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge 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 I will raise up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be 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, Jehovah, will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them. I, Jehovah, have spoken it.

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 will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil beasts to cease out of the land, so that they shall dwell safely in the desert, and sleep in the woods.

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 will make them, and the places round about my hill, a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in its season; showers rich in blessings shall there be.

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 shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase; and they shall be secure in their land, and shall know that I am Jehovah, when I shall break the bands of their yoke and deliver them out of the hand of them that made them servants.

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 shall no more be a prey to the nations, neither shall the beasts of the land devour them; but they shall dwell in security, and none shall make them afraid.

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 will raise up for them a plantation for my glory; and they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, neither shall they bear the reproach of the nations any more.

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.

Then shall they know, that I, Jehovah, their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord Jehovah.

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.’”

For ye, my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord Jehovah.