10 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Behold, I am against the shepherds; H7462 and I will require H1875 my flock H6629 at their hand, H3027 and cause them to cease H7673 from feeding H7462 the flock; H6629 neither shall the shepherds H7462 feed H7462 themselves any more; for I will deliver H5337 my flock H6629 from their mouth, H6310 that they may not be meat H402 for them.
11 For thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Behold, I, even I, will both search H1875 my sheep, H6629 and seek them out. H1239
12 As a shepherd H7462 seeketh out H1243 his flock H5739 in the day H3117 that he is among H8432 his sheep H6629 that are scattered; H6567 so will I seek out H1239 my sheep, H6629 and will deliver H5337 them out of all places H4725 where they have been scattered H6327 in the cloudy H6051 and dark H6205 day. H3117
13 And I will bring them out H3318 from the people, H5971 and gather H6908 them from the countries, H776 and will bring H935 them to their own land, H127 and feed H7462 them upon the mountains H2022 of Israel H3478 by the rivers, H650 and in all the inhabited places H4186 of the country. H776
14 I will feed H7462 them in a good H2896 pasture, H4829 and upon the high H4791 mountains H2022 of Israel H3478 shall their fold H5116 be: there shall they lie H7257 in a good H2896 fold, H5116 and in a fat H8082 pasture H4829 shall they feed H7462 upon the mountains H2022 of Israel. H3478
15 I will feed H7462 my flock, H6629 and I will cause them to lie down, H7257 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
16 I will seek H1245 that which was lost, H6 and bring again H7725 that which was driven away, H5080 and will bind up H2280 that which was broken, H7665 and will strengthen H2388 that which was sick: H2470 but I will destroy H8045 the fat H8082 and the strong; H2389 I will feed H7462 them with judgment. H4941
17 And as for you, H859 O my flock, H6629 thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Behold, I judge H8199 between cattle H7716 and cattle, H7716 between the rams H352 and the he goats. H6260
18 Seemeth it a small thing H4592 unto you to have eaten up H7462 the good H2896 pasture, H4829 but ye must tread down H7429 with your feet H7272 the residue H3499 of your pastures? H4829 and to have drunk H8354 of the deep H4950 waters, H4325 but ye must foul H7515 the residue H3498 with your feet? H7272
19 And as for my flock, H6629 they eat H7462 that which ye have trodden H4823 with your feet; H7272 and they drink H8354 that which ye have fouled H4833 with your feet. H7272
20 Therefore thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD H3069 unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge H8199 between the fat H1274 cattle H7716 and between the lean H7330 cattle. H7716
21 Because ye have thrust H1920 with side H6654 and with shoulder, H3802 and pushed H5055 all the diseased H2470 with your horns, H7161 till ye have scattered H6327 them abroad; H2351
22 Therefore will I save H3467 my flock, H6629 and they shall no more be a prey; H957 and I will judge H8199 between cattle H7716 and cattle. H7716
23 And I will set up H6965 one H259 shepherd H7462 over them, and he shall feed H7462 them, even my servant H5650 David; H1732 he shall feed H7462 them, and he shall be their shepherd. H7462
24 And I the LORD H3068 will be their God, H430 and my servant H5650 David H1732 a prince H5387 among H8432 them; I the LORD H3068 have spoken H1696 it.
25 And I will make H3772 with them a covenant H1285 of peace, H7965 and will cause the evil H7451 beasts H2416 to cease H7673 out of the land: H776 and they shall dwell H3427 safely H983 in the wilderness, H4057 and sleep H3462 in the woods. H3293 H3264
26 And I will make H5414 them and the places round about H5439 my hill H1389 a blessing; H1293 and I will cause the shower H1653 to come down H3381 in his season; H6256 there shall be showers H1653 of blessing. H1293
27 And the tree H6086 of the field H7704 shall yield H5414 her fruit, H6529 and the earth H776 shall yield H5414 her increase, H2981 and they shall be safe H983 in their land, H127 and shall know H3045 that I am the LORD, H3068 when I have broken H7665 the bands H4133 of their yoke, H5923 and delivered H5337 them out of the hand H3027 of those that served H5647 themselves of them.
28 And they shall no more be a prey H957 to the heathen, H1471 neither shall the beast H2416 of the land H776 devour H398 them; but they shall dwell H3427 safely, H983 and none shall make them afraid. H2729
29 And I will raise up H6965 for them a plant H4302 of renown, H8034 and they shall be no more consumed H622 with hunger H7458 in the land, H776 neither bear H5375 the shame H3639 of the heathen H1471 any more.
30 Thus shall they know H3045 that I the LORD H3068 their God H430 am with them, and that they, even the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 are my people, H5971 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
31 And ye H859 my flock, H6629 the flock H6629 of my pasture, H4830 are men, H120 and I am your God, H430 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ezekiel 34
Commentary on Ezekiel 34 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 34
The iniquities and calamities of God's Israel had been largely and pathetically lamented before, in this book. Now in this chapter the shepherds of Israel, their rulers both in church and state, are called to an account, as having been very much accessory to the sin and ruin of Israel, by their neglecting to do the duty of their place. Here is,
Eze 34:1-6
The prophecy of this chapter is not dated, nor any of those that follow it, till ch. 40. It is most probable that it was delivered after the completing of Jerusalem's destruction, when it would be very seasonable to enquire into the causes of it.
Eze 34:7-16
Upon reading the foregoing articles of impeachment drawn up, in God's name, against the shepherds of Israel, we cannot but look upon the shepherds with a just indignation, and upon the flock with a tender compassion. God, by the prophet, here expresses both in a high degree; and the shepherds are called upon (v. 7, 9) to hear the word of the Lord, to hear this word. Let them hear how little he regards them, who made much of themselves, and how much he regards the flock, which they made nothing of; both will be humbling to them. Those that will not hear the word of the Lord giving them their direction shall be made to hear the word of the Lord reading them their doom. Now see here,
Eze 34:17-31
The prophet has no more to say to the shepherds, but he has now a message to deliver to the flock. God had ordered him to speak tenderly to them, and to assure them of the mercy he had in store for them. But here he is ordered to make a difference between some and others of them, to separate between the precious and the vile and then to give them a promise of the Messiah, by whom this distinction should be effectually made, partly at his first coming (for for judgment he came into this world, Jn. 9:39, to fill the hungry with good things and to send the rich empty away, Lu. 1:53), but completely at his second coming, when he shall, as it is here said, judge between cattle and cattle, as a shepherd divides between the sheep and the goats, and shall set the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left (Mt. 25:32, 33), which seems to have reference to this. We have here,
Now this promise of the Messiah and his kingdom spoke much comfort to those to whom it was then made, for they might be sure that God would not utterly destroy their nation, how low soever it might be brought, as long as that blessing was in the womb of it, Isa. 65:8. But it speaks much more comfort to us, to whom it is fulfilled, who are the sheep of this good Shepherd, are fed in his pastures, and blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things by him.