34
1 The
LORD’s word came
to me, saying,
2 “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?
3 You
eat the fat.
You clothe
yourself with the
wool. You kill
the fatlings, but
you don’t feed the
sheep.
4 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.
5 They
were scattered,
because there was
no shepherd. They
became food to all
the animals of
the field, and
were scattered.
6 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.”
7 “ ‘Therefore,
you shepherds,
hear the LORD’s
word:
8 “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,
9 therefore,
you shepherds,
hear the LORD’s
word!”
10 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.”
11 “ ‘For
the Lord GOD
says: “Behold,
I myself, even I,
will search for
my sheep, and
will seek them
out.
12 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.
13 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.
14 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.
15 I myself
will be the
shepherd of my
sheep, and I
will cause them to
lie down,” says
the Lord GOD.
16 “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.” ’
17 “As for you,
O my flock,
the Lord GOD
says: ‘Behold, I
judge between
sheep and sheep,
the rams and
the male goats.
18 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?
19 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.’
20 “Therefore
the Lord GOD
says to them: ‘Behold, I, even I,
will judge between
the fat sheep
and the lean
sheep.
21 Because
you thrust with
side and with
shoulder, and push
all the diseased
with your horns,
until you have
scattered them
abroad,
22 therefore
I will save
my flock, and
they will no
more be a prey.
I will judge
between sheep and
sheep.
23 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.
24 I,
the LORD, will
be their God,
and my servant
David prince among
them. I, the
LORD, have spoken
it.
25 “ ‘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.
26 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.
27 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.
28 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.
29 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.
30 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.
31 You my
sheep, the sheep
of my pasture, are men,
and I am your
God,’ says the
Lord GOD.”