The Prophet Ezekiel

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 34 -

And there is a word of YHWH to me, saying,

“Son of man, prophesy concerning shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and you have said to them, Thus said Lord YHWH to the shepherds: Woe [to] the shepherds of Israel, || Who have been feeding themselves! Do the shepherds not feed the flock?

You eat the fat, and you put on the wool, || You slaughter the fed one, || You do not feed the flock.

You have not strengthened the weak, || And you have not healed the sick one, || And you have not bound up the broken, || And have not brought back the driven away, || And you have not sought the lost, || And you have ruled them with might and with rigor.

And they are scattered from want of a shepherd, || And are for food to every beast of the field, || Indeed, they are scattered.

My flock goes astray on all the mountains, || And on every high hill, || And My flock has been scattered on [the] whole face of the earth, || And there is none inquiring, and none seeking.

Therefore, shepherds, hear a word of YHWH:

[As] I live—a declaration of Lord YHWH, || If not, because of My flock being for a prey, || Indeed, 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 feed themselves, || And they have not fed My flock.

Therefore, O shepherds, hear a word of YHWH!

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

The Good Shepherd

(Psalm 23:1–6; John 10:1–21)

For thus said Lord YHWH: Behold, I—even I, have required My flock, || And I have sought it out.

As a shepherd’s searching of his drove, || In the day of his being in the midst of his scattered flock, so I seek My flock, || And have delivered them out of all places, || To where they have been scattered, || In a day of cloud and thick darkness.

And I have brought them out from the peoples, || And have gathered them from the lands, || And brought them to their own ground, || And have fed them on mountains of Israel, || By streams, and by all dwellings of the land.

I feed them with good pasture, || And their habitation is on mountains of the high place of Israel, || There they lie down in a good habitation, || And they enjoy fat pastures on mountains of Israel.

I feed My flock, and cause them to lie down, || A declaration of Lord YHWH.

I seek the lost, and bring back the driven away, || And I bind up the broken, and I strengthen the sick, || And I destroy the fat and the strong, || I feed it with judgment.

And you, My flock, thus said Lord YHWH: Behold, I am judging between sheep and sheep, || Between rams and male goats.

Is it a little thing for you—[that] you enjoy the good pasture, || And tread down the remnant of your pasture with your feet, || And drink a depth of waters, || And trample the remainder with your feet,

And My flock consumes the trodden thing of your feet, || And drinks the trampled thing of your feet?

Therefore, thus said Lord YHWH to them: Behold, I—even I, have judged between fat sheep and lean sheep.

Because you thrust away with side and with shoulder, || And push all the diseased with your horns, || Until you have scattered them to the out-place,

Therefore I have given safety to My flock, || And they are not for prey anymore, || And I have judged between sheep and sheep.

And have raised up one shepherd over them, || And he has fed them—My servant David, || He feeds them, and he is their shepherd,

And I, YHWH, I am their God, || And My servant David [is] prince in their midst, || I, YHWH, have spoken.

The Covenant of Peace

And I have made a covenant of peace with them, || And caused evil beasts to cease out of the land, || And they have dwelt confidently in a wilderness, || And they have slept in forests.

And I have given them, and the outskirts of My hill, a blessing, || And caused the shower to come down in its season, || They are showers of blessing.

And the tree of the field has given its fruit, || And the land gives her increase, || And they have been confident on their land, || And they have known that I [am] YHWH, || In My breaking the bands of their yoke, || And I have delivered them from the hand of those laying service on them.

And they are no longer a prey to nations, || And the beast of the earth does not devour them, || And they have dwelt confidently, || And there is none troubling.

And I have raised a plantation of renown for them, || And they are no longer consumed by hunger in the land, || And they no longer bear the shame of the nations.

And they have known that I, YHWH, their God, [am] with them, || And they—the house of Israel—My people, || A declaration of Lord YHWH.

And you, My flock, the flock of My pasture, || You [are] men [and] I [am] your God, || A declaration of Lord YHWH!”

The LORD’s word came to me, saying,

“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy, and tell them, even the shepherds, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed the sheep?

You eat the fat. You clothe yourself with the wool. You kill the fatlings, but you don’t feed the sheep.

You haven’t strengthened the diseased. You haven’t healed that which was sick. You haven’t bound up that which was broken. You haven’t brought back that which was driven away. You haven’t sought that which was lost, but you have ruled over them with force and with rigor.

They were scattered, because there was no shepherd. They became food to all the animals of the field, and were scattered.

My sheep wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill. Yes, my sheep were scattered on all the surface of the earth. There was no one who searched or sought.”

“‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the LORD’s word:

“As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “surely because my sheep became a prey, and my sheep became food to all the animals of the field, because there was no shepherd, and my shepherds didn’t search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and didn’t feed my sheep,

therefore, you shepherds, hear the LORD’s word!”

The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am against the shepherds. I will require my sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep. The shepherds won’t feed themselves any more. I will deliver my sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them.”

The Good Shepherd

(Psalm 23:1–6; John 10:1–21)

“‘For the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and will seek them out.

As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered abroad, so I will seek out my sheep. I will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited places of the country.

I will feed them with good pasture, and their fold will be on the mountains of the height of Israel. There they will lie down in a good fold. They will feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will cause them to lie down,” says the Lord GOD.

“I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong. I will feed them in justice.”’

“As for you, O my flock, the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, the rams and the male goats.

Does it seem a small thing to you to have fed on the good pasture, but you must tread down with your feet the residue of your pasture? And to have drunk of the clear waters, but must you foul the residue with your feet?

As for my sheep, they eat that which you have trodden with your feet, and they drink that which you have fouled with your feet.’

“Therefore the Lord GOD says to them: ‘Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.

Because you thrust with side and with shoulder, and push all the diseased with your horns, until you have scattered them abroad,

therefore I will save my flock, and they will no more be a prey. I will judge between sheep and sheep.

I will set up one shepherd over them, and he will feed them, even my servant David. He will feed them, and he will be their shepherd.

I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David prince among them. I, the LORD, have spoken it.

The Covenant of Peace

“‘I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil animals to cease out of the land. They will dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.

I will make them and the places around my hill a blessing. I will cause the shower to come down in its season. There will be showers of blessing.

The tree of the field will yield its fruit, and the earth will yield its increase, and they will be secure in their land. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bars of their yoke, and have delivered them out of the hand of those who made slaves of them.

They will no more be a prey to the nations, neither will the animals of the earth devour them; but they will dwell securely, and no one will make them afraid.

I will raise up to them a plantation for renown, and they will no more be consumed with famine in the land, and not bear the shame of the nations any more.

They will know that I, the LORD, their God am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord GOD.

You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are men, and I am your God,’ says the Lord GOD.”