“1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man,
prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them,
Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe [be] to the shepherds of
Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the
flocks? 3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them
that are fed: [but] ye feed not the flock. 4 The diseased have ye not
strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have
ye bound up [that which was] broken, neither have ye brought again that
which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but
with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. 5 And they were
scattered, because [there is] no shepherd: and they became meat to all
the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. 6 My sheep wandered
through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was
scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek
[after them].”
“7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 8 [As] I live,
saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock
became meat to every beast of the field, because [there was] no
shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the
shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; 9 Therefore, O ye
shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 10 Thus saith the Lord GOD;
Behold, I [am] against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at
their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither
shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my
flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them. 11 For thus
saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, [even] I, will both search my sheep, and
seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he
is among his sheep [that are] scattered; so will I seek out my sheep,
and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered
in the cloudy and dark day. 13 And I will bring them out from the
people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their
own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and
in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them in a
good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be:
there shall they lie in a good fold, and [in] a fat pasture shall they
feed upon the mountains of Israel. 15 I will feed my flock, and I will
cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. 16 I will seek that which
was lost, and bring again 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 with judgment.”
“17 And [as for] you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I
judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats. 18 [Seemeth
it] a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye
must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have
drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?
19 And [as for] my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your
feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet. 20
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, [even] I, will
judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. 21 Because ye
have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased
with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; 22 Therefore will I
save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge
between cattle and cattle. 23 And I will set up one shepherd over them,
and he shall feed them, [even] my servant David; he shall feed them, and
he shall be their shepherd. 24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my
servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken [it]. 25 And I
will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts
to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness,
and sleep in the woods. 26 And I will make them and the places round
about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in
his season; there shall be showers of blessing. 27 And the tree of the
field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and
they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I [am] the LORD,
when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of
the hand of those that served themselves of them. 28 And they shall no
more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land
devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make [them]
afraid. 29 And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they
shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the
shame of the heathen any more. 30 Thus shall they know that I the LORD
their God [am] with them, and [that] they, [even] the house of Israel,
[are] my people, saith the Lord GOD. 31 And ye my flock, the flock of my
pasture, [are] men, [and] I [am] your God, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel
34:1-31 AV)
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