< Ezekiel 34 >

1 Yahweh gave me another message. He said,
וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃
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!
בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם הִנָּבֵ֖א עַל־רוֹעֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הִנָּבֵ֣א וְאָמַרְתָּ֩ אֲלֵיהֶ֨ם לָרֹעִ֜ים כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֣ר ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה ה֤וֹי רֹעֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הָיוּ֙ רֹעִ֣ים אוֹתָ֔ם הֲל֣וֹא הַצֹּ֔אן יִרְע֖וּ הָרֹעִֽים׃
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.
אֶת־הַחֵ֤לֶב תֹּאכֵ֙לוּ֙ וְאֶת־הַצֶּ֣מֶר תִּלְבָּ֔שׁוּ הַבְּרִיאָ֖ה תִּזְבָּ֑חוּ הַצֹּ֖אן לֹ֥א תִרְעֽוּ׃
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.
אֶֽת־הַנַּחְלוֹת֩ לֹ֨א חִזַּקְתֶּ֜ם וְאֶת־הַחוֹלָ֣ה לֹֽא־רִפֵּאתֶ֗ם וְלַנִּשְׁבֶּ֙רֶת֙ לֹ֣א חֲבַשְׁתֶּ֔ם וְאֶת־הַנִּדַּ֙חַת֙ לֹ֣א הֲשֵׁבֹתֶ֔ם וְאֶת־הָאֹבֶ֖דֶת לֹ֣א בִקַּשְׁתֶּ֑ם וּבְחָזְקָ֛ה רְדִיתֶ֥ם אֹתָ֖ם וּבְפָֽרֶךְ׃
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.
וַתְּפוּצֶ֖ינָה מִבְּלִ֣י רֹעֶ֑ה וַתִּהְיֶ֧ינָה לְאָכְלָ֛ה לְכָל־חַיַּ֥ת הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה וַתְּפוּצֶֽינָה׃
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].
יִשְׁגּ֤וּ צֹאנִי֙ בְּכָל־הֶ֣הָרִ֔ים וְעַ֖ל כָּל־גִּבְעָ֣ה רָמָ֑ה וְעַ֨ל כָּל־פְּנֵ֤י הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ נָפֹ֣צוּ צֹאנִ֔י וְאֵ֥ין דּוֹרֵ֖שׁ וְאֵ֥ין מְבַקֵּֽשׁ׃
7 Therefore, you [who should be acting like] shepherds, listen to what I, Yahweh the Lord say:
לָכֵ֣ן רֹעִ֔ים שִׁמְע֖וּ אֶת־דְּבַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃
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.
חַי־אָ֜נִי נְאֻ֣ם ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה אִם־לֹ֣א יַ֣עַן הֱיֽוֹת־צֹאנִ֣י ׀ לָבַ֡ז וַתִּֽהְיֶינָה֩ צֹאנִ֨י לְאָכְלָ֜ה לְכָל־חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ מֵאֵ֣ין רֹעֶ֔ה וְלֹֽא־דָרְשׁ֥וּ רֹעַ֖י אֶת־צֹאנִ֑י וַיִּרְע֤וּ הָֽרֹעִים֙ אוֹתָ֔ם וְאֶת־צֹאנִ֖י לֹ֥א רָעֽוּ׃ ס
9 Therefore, you [who should be like] [MET] shepherds, listen to what I, Yahweh say:
לָכֵן֙ הָֽרֹעִ֔ים שִׁמְע֖וּ דְּבַר־יְהוָֽה׃
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.
כֹּה־אָמַ֞ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה הִנְנִ֨י אֶֽל־הָרֹעִ֜ים וְֽדָרַשְׁתִּ֧י אֶת־צֹאנִ֣י מִיָּדָ֗ם וְהִשְׁבַּתִּים֙ מֵרְע֣וֹת צֹ֔אן וְלֹא־יִרְע֥וּ ע֛וֹד הָרֹעִ֖ים אוֹתָ֑ם וְהִצַּלְתִּ֤י צֹאנִי֙ מִפִּיהֶ֔ם וְלֹֽא־תִהְיֶ֥יןָ לָהֶ֖ם לְאָכְלָֽה׃ ס
11 This is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say to you leaders: I myself will search for my sheep and take care of them.
כִּ֛י כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה הִנְנִי־אָ֕נִי וְדָרַשְׁתִּ֥י אֶת־צֹאנִ֖י וּבִקַּרְתִּֽים׃
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.
כְּבַקָּרַת֩ רֹעֶ֨ה עֶדְר֜וֹ בְּיוֹם־הֱיוֹת֤וֹ בְתוֹךְ־צֹאנוֹ֙ נִפְרָשׁ֔וֹת כֵּ֖ן אֲבַקֵּ֣ר אֶת־צֹאנִ֑י וְהִצַּלְתִּ֣י אֶתְהֶ֗ם מִכָּל־הַמְּקוֹמֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָפֹ֣צוּ שָׁ֔ם בְּי֥וֹם עָנָ֖ן וַעֲרָפֶֽל׃
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.
וְהוֹצֵאתִ֣ים מִן־הָעַמִּ֗ים וְקִבַּצְתִּים֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲרָצ֔וֹת וַהֲבִיאֹתִ֖ים אֶל־אַדְמָתָ֑ם וּרְעִיתִים֙ אֶל־הָרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בָּאֲפִיקִ֕ים וּבְכֹ֖ל מוֹשְׁבֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃
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].
בְּמִרְעֶה־טּוֹב֙ אֶרְעֶ֣ה אֹתָ֔ם וּבְהָרֵ֥י מְרֽוֹם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יִהְיֶ֣ה נְוֵהֶ֑ם שָׁ֤ם תִּרְבַּ֙צְנָה֙ בְּנָ֣וֶה טּ֔וֹב וּמִרְעֶ֥ה שָׁמֵ֛ן תִּרְעֶ֖ינָה אֶל־הָרֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
15 I myself will take care of my people and enable them to lie down and rest.
אֲנִ֨י אֶרְעֶ֤ה צֹאנִי֙ וַאֲנִ֣י אַרְבִּיצֵ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃
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.
אֶת־הָאֹבֶ֤דֶת אֲבַקֵּשׁ֙ וְאֶת־הַנִּדַּ֣חַת אָשִׁ֔יב וְלַנִּשְׁבֶּ֣רֶת אֶחֱבֹ֔שׁ וְאֶת־הַחוֹלָ֖ה אֲחַזֵּ֑ק וְאֶת־הַשְּׁמֵנָ֧ה וְאֶת־הַחֲזָקָ֛ה אַשְׁמִ֖יד אֶרְעֶ֥נָּה בְמִשְׁפָּֽט׃
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.
וְאַתֵּ֣נָה צֹאנִ֔י כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה הִנְנִ֤י שֹׁפֵט֙ בֵּֽין־שֶׂ֣ה לָשֶׂ֔ה לָאֵילִ֖ים וְלָעַתּוּדִֽים׃
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].
הַמְעַ֣ט מִכֶּ֗ם הַמִּרְעֶ֤ה הַטּוֹב֙ תִּרְע֔וּ וְיֶ֙תֶר֙ מִרְעֵיכֶ֔ם תִּרְמְס֖וּ בְּרַגְלֵיכֶ֑ם וּמִשְׁקַע־מַ֣יִם תִּשְׁתּ֔וּ וְאֵת֙ הַנּ֣וֹתָרִ֔ים בְּרַגְלֵיכֶ֖ם תִּרְפֹּשֽׂוּן׃
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!
וְצֹאנִ֑י מִרְמַ֤ס רַגְלֵיכֶם֙ תִּרְעֶ֔ינָה וּמִרְפַּ֥שׂ רַגְלֵיכֶ֖ם תִּשְׁתֶּֽינָה׃ ס
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.
לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֛ר אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם הִנְנִי־אָ֕נִי וְשָֽׁפַטְתִּי֙ בֵּֽין־שֶׂ֣ה בִרְיָ֔ה וּבֵ֥ין שֶׂ֖ה רָזָֽה׃
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].
יַ֗עַן בְּצַ֤ד וּבְכָתֵף֙ תֶּהְדֹּ֔פוּ וּבְקַרְנֵיכֶ֥ם תְּנַגְּח֖וּ כָּל־הַנַּחְל֑וֹת עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֲפִיצוֹתֶ֛ם אוֹתָ֖נָה אֶל־הַחֽוּצָה׃
22 But I will rescue my people, and they no longer will be (harassed/treated cruelly). I will judge between one person and another.
וְהוֹשַׁעְתִּ֣י לְצֹאנִ֔י וְלֹֽא־תִהְיֶ֥ינָה ע֖וֹד לָבַ֑ז וְשָׁ֣פַטְתִּ֔י בֵּ֥ין שֶׂ֖ה לָשֶֽׂה׃
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.
וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י עֲלֵיהֶ֜ם רֹעֶ֤ה אֶחָד֙ וְרָעָ֣ה אֶתְהֶ֔ן אֵ֖ת עַבְדִּ֣י דָוִ֑יד ה֚וּא יִרְעֶ֣ה אֹתָ֔ם וְהֽוּא־יִהְיֶ֥ה לָהֶ֖ן לְרֹעֶֽה׃
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.
וַאֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֗ה אֶהְיֶ֤ה לָהֶם֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים וְעַבְדִּ֥י דָוִ֖ד נָשִׂ֣יא בְתוֹכָ֑ם אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבַּֽרְתִּי׃
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.
וְכָרַתִּ֤י לָהֶם֙ בְּרִ֣ית שָׁל֔וֹם וְהִשְׁבַּתִּ֥י חַיָּֽה־רָעָ֖ה מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְיָשְׁב֤וּ בַמִּדְבָּר֙ לָבֶ֔טַח וְיָשְׁנ֖וּ בַּיְּעָרִֽים׃
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.
וְנָתַתִּ֥י אוֹתָ֛ם וּסְבִיב֥וֹת גִּבְעָתִ֖י בְּרָכָ֑ה וְהוֹרַדְתִּ֤י הַגֶּ֙שֶׁם֙ בְּעִתּ֔וֹ גִּשְׁמֵ֥י בְרָכָ֖ה יִֽהְיֽוּ׃
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].
וְנָתַן֩ עֵ֨ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֜ה אֶת־פִּרְי֗וֹ וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ תִּתֵּ֣ן יְבוּלָ֔הּ וְהָי֥וּ עַל־אַדְמָתָ֖ם לָבֶ֑טַח וְֽיָדְע֞וּ כִּי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֗ה בְּשִׁבְרִי֙ אֶת־מֹט֣וֹת עֻלָּ֔ם וְהִ֨צַּלְתִּ֔ים מִיַּ֖ד הָעֹבְדִ֥ים בָּהֶֽם׃
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.
וְלֹא־יִהְי֨וּ ע֥וֹד בַּז֙ לַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְחַיַּ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ לֹ֣א תֹאכְלֵ֑ם וְיָשְׁב֥וּ לָבֶ֖טַח וְאֵ֥ין מַחֲרִֽיד׃
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.
וַהֲקִמֹתִ֥י לָהֶ֛ם מַטָּ֖ע לְשֵׁ֑ם וְלֹֽא־יִהְי֨וּ ע֜וֹד אֲסֻפֵ֤י רָעָב֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וְלֹֽא־יִשְׂא֥וּ ע֖וֹד כְּלִמַּ֥ת הַגּוֹיִֽם׃
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.
וְיָדְע֗וּ כִּ֣י אֲנִ֧י יְהוָ֛ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖ם אִתָּ֑ם וְהֵ֗מָּה עַמִּי֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃
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.’”
וְאַתֵּ֥ן צֹאנִ֛י צֹ֥אן מַרְעִיתִ֖י אָדָ֣ם אַתֶּ֑ם אֲנִי֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃ פ

< Ezekiel 34 >