Irresponsible Shepherds

34 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: a“Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 3 bYou eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you cslaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. 4 dThe weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor esought what was lost; but with fforce and 1cruelty you have ruled them. 5 gSo they were hscattered because there was no shepherd; iand they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. 6 My sheep jwandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for them.”

7 ‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8 “As I live,” says the Lord God, “surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock kbecame food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, lbut the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock”—9 therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord! 10 Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am magainst the shepherds, and nI will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall ofeed themselves no more; for I will pdeliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.”

God, the True Shepherd

11 ‘For thus says the Lord God: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. 12 As a qshepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on ra cloudy and dark day. 13 And sI will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land; I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, 2in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 tI will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. uThere they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down,” says the Lord God. 16 v“I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy wthe fat and the strong, and feed them xin judgment.”

17 ‘And as for you, O My flock, thus says the Lord God: y“Behold, I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats. 18 Is it too little for you to have eaten up the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the 3residue of your pasture—and to have drunk of the clear waters, that you must foul the residue with your feet? 19 And as for My flock, they eat what you have trampled with your feet, and they drink what you have fouled with your feet.”

20 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God to them: z“Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat and the lean sheep. 21 Because you have pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, and scattered them abroad, 22 therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23 I will establish one ashepherd over them, and he shall feed them—bMy servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24 And cI, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David da prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.

25 e“I will make a covenant of peace with them, and fcause wild beasts to cease from the land; and they gwill dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. 26 I will make them and the places all around hMy hill ia blessing; and I will jcause showers to come down in their season; there shall be kshowers of blessing. 27 Then lthe trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. They shall be safe in their land; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have mbroken the bands of their yoke and delivered them from the hand of those who nenslaved them. 28 And they shall no longer be a prey for the nations, nor shall beasts of the land devour them; but othey shall dwell safely, and no one shall make them afraid. 29 I will raise up for them a pgarden 4of renown, and they shall qno longer be consumed with hunger in the land, rnor bear the shame of the Gentiles anymore. 30 Thus they shall know that sI, the Lord their God, am with them, and they, the house of Israel, are tMy people,” says the Lord God.’ ”

31 “You are My uflock, the flock of My pasture; you are men, and I am your God,” says the Lord God.