Ezekiel 34

1 And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,

A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

2 'Son of man, prophesy concerning shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and thou hast said unto them: To the shepherds, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Woe [to] the shepherds of Israel, Who have been feeding themselves! The flock do not the shepherds feed?

“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 The fat ye do eat, and the wool ye put on, The fed one ye slaughter, the flock ye feed not.

You eat the cream, you use the wool for clothes, and you slaughter the fattened sheep, but you don't feed the flock.

4 The weak ye have not strengthened, And the sick one ye have not healed, And the broken ye have not bound up, And the driven away have not brought back, And the lost ye have not sought, And with might ye have ruled them and with rigour.

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, Yea, 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 Go astray do My flock on all the mountains, And on every high hill, And on all the face of the land have My flock been scattered, 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 Jehovah:

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

8 I live — an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, If not, because of My flock being for a prey, Yea, 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 do feed themselves, And My flock they have not fed.

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 Jehovah:

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

10 Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Lo, I [am] against the shepherds, And have required My flock from their hand, And caused them to cease from feeding the flock, And no more do the shepherds feed themselves, And I have delivered My flock from their mouth, And they are not to them for food.

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 the Lord Jehovah: Lo, 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 do seek My flock, And have delivered them out of all places, Whither 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 brought them out from the peoples, And have gathered them from the lands, And brought them unto 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 With good pasture I do feed them, And on mountains of the high place of Israel is their habitation, There do they lie down in a good habitation, And fat pastures they enjoy 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, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.

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

16 The lost I seek, and the driven away bring back, And the broken I bind up, and the sick I strengthen, And the fat and the strong I destroy, 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 the Lord Jehovah: Lo, I am judging between sheep and sheep, Between rams and he-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 — the good pasture ye enjoy, And the remnant of your pasture ye tread down with your feet, And a depth of waters ye do drink, And the remainder with your feet ye trample,

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 the trodden thing of your feet consumeth, And the trampled thing of your feet drinketh?

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 the Lord Jehovah to them: Lo, 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 with side and with shoulder ye thrust away, And with your horns push all the diseased, Till ye 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 And I have given safety to My flock, And they are not any more for prey, 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 over them one shepherd, And he hath fed them — my servant David, He doth feed 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, Jehovah, I am their God, And My servant David prince in their midst, I, Jehovah, 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 for them a covenant of peace, And caused evil beasts to cease out of the land, And they have dwelt in a wilderness confidently, 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 suburbs of my hill, a blessing, And caused the shower to come down in its season, Showers of blessing they are.

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 given hath the tree of the field its fruit, And the land doth give her increase, And they have been on their land confident, And they have known that I [am] Jehovah, 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 more a prey to nations, And the beast of the earth devoureth them not, 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 for them a plant for renown, And they are no more consumed by hunger in the land, And they bear no more 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, Jehovah, their God, [am] with them, And they — the house of Israel — My people, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.

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 ye, My flock, the flock of My pasture, Men ye [are] — I [am] your God, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah!'

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