Ezekiel 34:1-6
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 34[a]
The Shepherds of Israel.[b] 1 This word of the Lord came to me: 2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: Woe to you shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves. Should not shepherds rather feed their flock?
3 You have fed on their milk, you have clothed yourselves with their wool, and you have slaughtered the fatlings, but you have not fed the sheep. 4 You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, and you have not bandaged those who were injured. Nor have you bothered to bring back those who strayed or searched for the lost. On the contrary, you have ruled them with cruelty and harshness.
5 Therefore, they were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and thus they became the prey of all the wild beasts. 6 My sheep were scattered, wandering aimlessly over all the mountains and on every high hill. My flock has been scattered over the entire world, with no one to inquire about them or search for them.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ezekiel 34:1 Ezekiel takes over from Jeremiah (Ezek 23) the theme of the shepherd and the flock, but he develops other aspects of it. He censures the kings and other leaders of Israel, showing them that in the end the destiny of the people is in the hands of God.
- Ezekiel 34:1 The image of the shepherd was a traditional one for kings in the ancient East. The prophets frequently use it, speaking of unworthy leaders as wicked shepherds (Jer 2:8; 10:21; Zec 11:4-17).
