Ezekiel 34

1The word of the LORD came to me: 2Son of man, prophesy against Israel’s shepherds. Prophesy, and tell those shepherds, The Lord GOD says this: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been taking care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3You eat the fat, you dress in the wool, and you slaughter the best animals, but you do not take care of the flock. 4You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bandaged the injured. You have not brought back the strays or gone looking for the lost. You have ruled them with force and cruelty instead. 5So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for every wild animal. 6My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My flock was scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them. 7Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 8As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, because my flock has become prey and food for every wild animal, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but took care of themselves instead of my flock,

9therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 10The Lord GOD says this: I am against the shepherds, and I will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock, so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and the sheep will no longer be food for them.

11For the Lord GOD says this: I myself will search for my flock and look after them. 12As a shepherd looks after his flock when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will look after my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13I will lead them out from among the peoples, gather them from the lands and bring them home to their own soil. On the mountains of Israel I will feed them, in the ravines and in every settled place in the land. 14I will feed them in good pasture, and their grazing land will be on the high mountains of Israel. There they will lie down in good grazing land and feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15I myself will take care of my flock and let them lie down in rest, declares the Lord GOD. 16I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the sick, but the fat and strong ones I will destroy. I will tend the flock with justice. 17As for you, my flock, the Lord GOD says this: I will judge between one sheep and another, between rams and male goats. 18Is it not enough for you to graze on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture underfoot? Is it not enough that you drink clear water? Must you also stir up the rest with your feet and make it muddy? 19And my flock must eat what you have trampled with your feet and drink what you have muddied with your feet.

20Therefore the Lord GOD says this to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the thin sheep. 21Because you shove with flank and shoulder and butt all the weak with your horns until you have driven them away, 22I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another. 23I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will take care of them. He will tend them and be their shepherd. 24I, the LORD, will be their God, and among them my servant David will be prince. I, the LORD, have spoken. 25I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of wild animals, so that they can live safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. 26I will make them a blessing, and the places around my hill as well. I will send down rain when it is due; there will be showers of blessing. 27The trees of the field will bear their fruit and the land will give its harvest, and they will live safely in their own land. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the power of those who made them slaves. 28They will no longer be plundered by the nations, and the wild animals will not devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid. 29I will provide for them a land famous for its crops, and they will no longer be wasted by famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations. 30Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am present with them, and that the house of Israel is my people, declares the Lord GOD. 31You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are mortals, and I am your God, declares the Lord GOD.